Shoaib ban suspended

The Lahore High Court has suspended a ban imposed by an appellate tribunal on Shoaib Akhtar pending a final decision in September.

Shoaib was handed a five-year ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board which was then reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal, which also fined him seven million rupees.

Shoaib felt the decision of the tribunal was unfair and filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court in the hope of having the ban overturned.

"Shoaib is now free to play for his country," said his lawyer Abid Hasan Minto to reporters, confirming the suspension of the ban.

"However, this is only an interim order. A final decision will be taken in September when the court reconvenes."

He said the decision on the fine remains unaltered.

PCB lawyer Tafazzaul Rizvi is confident, however, that the original punishment will be upheld.

He said: "Today was the last working day of the courts and the courts usual give relief to petitioners just before their summer vacation.

"This is normal and it does not have a bearing on the final outcome."

The five-year ban on Shoaib was imposed after the pace bowler publicly criticised the PCB's allocation of central contracts to players earlier this year. Shoaib's own contract had been downgraded.

Shoaib was already on two years' probation for hitting fellow paceman Mohammad Asif in a dressing room altercation just before the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

Justice Aftab Farrukh led a three-man panel which then reduced the original ban to 18 months - a punishment which was handed down after consideration was given to the 32-year-old's age and fitness.

"We felt Shoaib had three years more in international cricket," said Justice Farrukh at the time.

"We have given him about half that time, while taking away the other half."

"He still has time to play for the country again."