PCB awaits ICC's clearance to revoke ban on Malik

Lahore, Oct 24 (UNI) Making its stance clear, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today said it would have to wait for the clearance from the ICC to overturn the life ban imposed on former skipper Saleem Malik.

A civil court here yesterday lifted the ban on Malik and also cleared the fine imposed on him by the PCB in 2000 on the recommendations of Justice (retd) Malik Qayyum Inquiry Commission, which probed into allegations of match fixing against some Pakistani players.

''As per the laid down procedure of the ICC, the detailed copy of the court orders would be studied and sent to the ICC,'' a Board official said.

''The ICCs legal counsel will then study the court order and go through the details and submit a detailed report to the Executive Board of the ICC which has to ratify the courts decision thus clearing Malik off the ban and fine,'' he said.

The official further said same procedure was followed when former Test pacer Ata-ur-Rehman was given a reprieve from a life ban also imposed by the Qayyum commission.

''Privately there was a feeling in the PCB that Malik, who has played in 103 Tests and 263 one-day internationals, had already undergone enough punishment and must now be allowed to resume his contacts with cricket,'' a source said.

The court judgement, however, was in favour of Malik after the former captain had met PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt and informed him of certain anomalies in his case.

The 45-year-old though claims that there was never a life ban on him but the Qayyum Commission had recommended a 20-years ban on him.

He had also challenged the Qayyum commission's authority to recommend the ban and the Boards authority to implement the recommendations in his appeal to the courts.

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