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Cricket

Pakistan decide to reduce Akhtar ban to 18 months

14/06/2008

Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar has had his five-year ban for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reduced to 18 months.

Akhtar was banned for lashing out at the PCB hierarchy for not offering him a central contract. He was already on a two-year probation for allegedly striking team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat.

The original five-year ban would have all but ended the 32-year-old Akhtar's international career, but a Pakistan Cricket Board tribunal has decided to give him a reprieve after he "promised to reform himself".

"The tribunal has taken the decision with a clear conscience and under no pressure," said tribunal head Justice Aftab Farrukh.

"We also took into consideration the past record of Shoaib and that he had publicly apologised for his behaviour and past deeds.

"He has promised to reform himself and we have also recommended to the board that he should be given proper counselling."

Akhtar can appeal the 18 month sentence handed down to him and he might seriously consider doing that because by the time he makes a return he will be 34.

The Pakistani star has been embroiled in a number of controversies since making his debut almost a decade ago, the biggest of which came last March when he and Asif were pulled out of the World Cup after failing a drugs test – although they were cleared later.