Pak's CT disaster should not impact doping probe: Asif Iqbal

Lahore, Oct 31 (UNI) Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal feels the team's dismal performance in the Champions Trophy should not have any bearing on the doping probe against Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, who were sorely missed by Younis Khan and company in their disastrous campaign at the ICC event.

''The one thing that should not happen is that the showing in the Champions Trophy should in any way influence the outcome of the inquiry underway against Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif for having taken performance enhancing drugs,'' Iqbal wrote in his column for 'The News'.

''That issue should be judged purely on merits and if indeed the players are found to have taken such drugs knowingly, they should be dealt with very firmly, for this is not the message that we want to be going out to our younger generation of sportspersons,'' he added.

The former captain advised the country's cricket establishment not to panic as the team's performance was creditable considering the setbacks they suffered prior to the event.

''Given the turmoil in Pakistan cricket that had preceded this tournament, not too many people had given Pakistan the chance of winning even a single game but they did manage to beat the much fancied Sri Lankans and could well have beaten New Zealand if their bowlers had not lost the plot in their last 10 overs,'' he said.

Reflecting on Pakistan's last league encounter against South Africa in which they were dismissed for 89, Iqbal said the poor quality of the track at Mohali was partly to be blamed for their collapse.

''Regrettably, the track offered for the Pakistan-South Africa match at Mohali was, I thought, entirely unfit certainly for the one-day game and perhaps for any form of cricket. Since this is an ICC tournament, pitches have been prepared under the supervision of the ICC and the ICC has not exactly covered itself with glory in this regard in this tournament,'' he elaborated.

''This Mohali wicket was the unfairest of the lot, although that does not entirely absolve Pakistan of what was a pretty dismal batting performance with many top order batsmen like Younis and Imran Farhat getting out to very unwise shots,'' Iqbal added.

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