KARACHI, Jan 3: Suspended Pakistani pace bowler Mohammad Asif, who was embroiled in a doping controversy, on Saturday wanted to know from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) if he could play for them.
Asif, who was suspended by the PCB from playing all forms of cricket after he tested positive for a banned substance during the IPL series in June, said the cricketing bodies should clear the air on his status.
“Everyone knows that I am not being allowed to play cricket for the past seven months and I haven’t been banned either. I am not sure what I should do. They should either ban me or clear my name so that I can return to play cricket,” Asif said.
Asif’s ‘B’ sample had also tested positive, but the quantity of the banned substance found in his urine sample differed in both tests prompting the pacer to challenge the procedure adopted for dope testing in the IPL.
“Everybody knows without cricket I am nothing. It has been on hold for the past seven months and it is only one-way traffic. I am getting no response either from the PCB or IPL,” the player added.
His lawyer had on Friday said that the ban imposed by the PCB, stopping Asif from playing in domestic cricket, is unwarranted and uncalled for.
“Asif did not take any banned substance and we feel the procedure adopted in the IPL was flawed. I have no doubt he should be allowed to play domestic and international cricket and the board is wrong to suspend him,” Shahid Karim said, adding that Asif had prepared a strong case for the Jan 24 hearing in London.—Agencies
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.