Shoaib Akhtar's participation in his domestic Twenty20 competition is in doubt due to an on-going dispute.
PCB advised to stop Shoaib playing Twenty20 until fine is paid
Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar's participation in his domestic Twenty20 competition is in doubt due to an on-going dispute with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The PCB's legal adviser says that Shoaib should not be allowed to compete in the tournament in October unless he pays an outstanding fine of seven million Pakistan rupees owed to the board.
Shoaib was fined and handed a five-year ban by a PCB tribunal in April for a disciplinary breach following his criticism of the Pakistan selectors, and although a Lahore court suspended the ban, they did not rule on the fine.
The PCB are now being advised to prevent Shoaib from playing in the national Twenty20 competition unless he stumps up the cash.
Cash
"Akhtar has to pay the fine or obtain a stay order against the financial penalty, otherwise he can't play in Pakistan or for Pakistan," lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi said.
"The court has just suspended his (18-month) ban and there's no stay against the financial penalty."
Shoaib was originally left out of all of the 13 teams contesting the Twenty20 tournament from October 4th-8th, but he has now been added to the Islamabad Leopards squad.
"I had signed the final team of 16-men and Shoaib Akhtar's name was very much in the team," Shakil Shaikh, president of the Islamabad Cricket Association, said.
No new date has been set for the hearing on Shoaib's appeal against his fine, and the argument could well rumble on until the courts have made their judgement.
Meanwhile, leading Pakistan players have already been named as captains for some of the teams, including Mohammad Yousuf (Lahore Eagles), Shahid Afridi (Karachi Dolphins), Misbah-ul-Haq (Faisalabad Wolves) and Shoaib Malik (Sialkot Stallions).
The winner of Pakistan's Twenty20 tournament will qualify for the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India later this year.
