The Pakistan Cricket Board has started conducting dope tests on the probables for the Twenty20 World Cup including fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif who last year had tested positive for a banned substance.
“The tests are nearly completed and we have a doctor and a local representative of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) collecting the samples from the players for the tests,” manager Talat Ali said on Tuesday.
He said the results of the tests were expected in a week’s time.
Shoaib and Asif after testing positive last year during out-of-competition tests held by the Board were first banned for two and one years respectively but then cleared by an appellate panel of the board.
“They did not appear in dope tests conducted before the last World Cup earlier this year and were later withdrawn from the squad on fitness grounds.” Talat said.
Talat said the dope tests were mandatory for each of the player named in the camp for the Twenty20 event. A PCB official, Ehsan Malik said the tests were part of Pakistan’s zero tolerance policy towards drugs in sports.
“We have been conducting such tests for the last three years. This time the tests are under WADA regulations,” he said.
He said Younis Khan, Danish Kaneria and Yasir Arafat who are playing in England would also undergo the tests abroad.
Ashraf’s warning
PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf issued a clear warning to former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, saying he would not be considered for national selection if he decides to play for the breakaway Indian Cricket League.
“Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not recognise this private tournament, our position is clear -- any Pakistani player who plays in the League will not be considered for national selection again,” Ashraf said.
“Our policy is clear. We will not give permission to any of our players to play in the Indian league as it is not supported by the officialdom,” he said.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif also said from London that he had also been spoken to by the ICL organisers but would not go to India unless he got PCB clearance.
“It is all too premature but I would like to have clearance from the PCB to play in the ICL,” he added.
Warne’s threat
A ‘pissed off’ Shane Warne has threatened to pull out of the ICL after the organisers wrongly declared that the spin wizard was a certain starter even before the negotiations were over, adds UNI from Sydney. ICL’s Executive Board chaiman Kapil Dev confirmed to the Australian media recently that both Warne and Glenn McGrath had confirmed their participation in the million-dollar Twenty20 tourney. Warne is said to have signed a three-year deal worth about two million dollars to join ICL.