Controversial Pakistani pace duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif on Wednesday got some reprieve after the national selectors included them in the shortlist of 35 players for the Champions Trophy, although the final decision on their participation rests on the Cricket Board.
The International Cricket Council regulations state that all the participating teams have to submit names of 30 probables two months before the start of the tournament and the final 15 squad a month before the event.
Shoaib is available for selection as the Lahore High Court has suspended his 18 months ban last week, at least until the court hears his writ petition scheduled for sometime in September.
As far as Mohammad Asif is concerned PCB’s three-man fact finding committee is yet to start their investigation behind his 19-days detention in Dubai over alleged possession of a contraband substance.
