PCB lifts ban on Shoaib, Asif

Lahore, Dec 5 (UNI) The three-member appeal committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board today lifted the doping ban imposed on pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

After a final meeting at Karachi yesterday, the panel comprising Justice Fakhruddin Ebrahim, Dr Danish Zaheer and Hasib Ahsan decided in favour of the bowlers, who had challenged the ban imposed on them by the PCB anti-doping tribunal.

The lifting of the ban has cleared the way for the bowlers to play in next year's World Cup in West Indies.

According to Cricinfo, the decision of the committee was not unanimous and Dr Zaheer voted against lifting the ban.

The pace duo had been banned after testing positive for nandrolone in tests conducted by PCB ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. While Shoaib was banned for two years, Asif was barred from international cricket for one year.

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