By K. Hussain, IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan will take a decision next week on whether to take action against their key pacer Mohammad Asif on his drug-related misadventure in Dubai.
A senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official told IANS that a fact-finding committee heard Asif’s side of the story during a hearing in Lahore Friday and will now submit its report on the case Monday.
“We heard Asif’s version on the issue today,” said Shafqat Naghmi, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, who heads the fact-finding committee. “Basically he has pleaded his innocence but we will go through all the aspects before preparing our report,” he added.
Naghmi said the committee is likely to submit its findings to the board Monday after which PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf will announce whether any action has to be taken against Asif.
The pacer is facing a ban from the PCB following his 19-day detention in Dubai for allegedly carrying a banned substance.
Asif was in detention in Dubai June 1-20 for suspected possession of an illegal substance. The case against him was dropped by the Dubai public prosecutor on the grounds of insignificance.
The Sheikhupura-born player is currently embroiled in another more explosive case as he faces a life ban after failing a dope test carried out during the Indian Premier League (IPL) in May.
Asif had asked for the ‘B’ sample test, which was scheduled for Monday at a World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Switzerland, to be postponed in order to give him time to prepare his case and make travel arrangements.