Naved, Malik hearings adjourned

LAHORE Hearing of appeals of Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved and former captain Shoaib Malik against one-year suspensions and fines has been adjourned. Pakistan Cricket Board lawyer Talib Rizvi said that Maliks appeal has been adjourned until May 29 while Naveds appeal will be heard on June 19. Maliks laywer presented his arguments in the last hearing on May 15 but Rizvi said that the PCB needed time to discuss it. PCB chairman Ijaz Butt was out of the country and returned home Friday so we will discuss all the legal matters with him before giving our reply in the next hearing, Rizvi reported to have said. Naveds lawyer wanted to make some amendments in the appeal and needed some time, Rizvi said. The PCB suspended both the players for one year and fined them two million rupees ($23,500) each for poor performance and indiscipline during the tour of Australia earlier this year. Six players filed appeals against suspensions and fines except the former captain Mohammad Yousuf who has got retirement from international cricket. Arbitrator Irfan Qadir said he wanted to wrap up the proceedings as quickly as possible in all the six appeals and wanted it to be transparent. Video recordings of all our proceedings will be done so as to bring transparency, Qadir said. The PCB imposed fines and suspensions on the recommendations of an inquiry committee formed to evaluate Pakistans performance during the winless tour of Australia. The players were accussing each other in a leaked video recording of the PCB inquirys proceedings.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt