Pakistan court seeks Shoaib Akhtar's bad behaviour record by AFP

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Player:

Shoaib Akhtar

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DateLine: 18th November 2008

 

A Pakistani court is seeking records of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's bad behaviour to decide on his appeal of a ban and fine for disciplinary violations, an official said Tuesday.

 

The 33-year-old paceman is challenging an 18-month ban from cricket and a fine of seven million rupees (95,000 dollars) in the Lahore High court, but Pakistan Cricket Board legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi said Akhtar had repeatedly violated the players' code of conduct.

 

"Akhtar assured the court he will be on good behaviour but he violated the code again by criticising the Board in a recent television interview and the court has demanded the full evidence on that within a week," Rizvi told AFP.

 

The court will resume the proceedings a day after it gets the full record of Ahktar's behaviour, said Rizvi.

 

Akhtar was originally banned for five years by a disciplinary committee in April, after he publicly criticised the cricket board.

 

An appeal in July reduced his ban to 18 months but imposed the heavy fine which Akhtar is challenging in court.

 

Akhtar's ten-year career has been plagued by injury and disciplinary problems but his lawyer Abid Minto challenged the cricket board stance that Akhtar has repeatedly violated the code of conduct.

 

"There was no inquiry on Akhtar, so we want the Board to produce evidence," Minto told reporters.

 

The court suspended Akhtar's ban, clearing him to play in the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada in August.

 

He was also included in Pakistan's 15-man squad for the three-match one-day series against the West Indies but Akhtar failed to play any matches after injuring his calf muscle before the first match.

 

Despite Akhtar's absence, Pakistan whitewashed the West Indies 3-0 on Sunday.

 

Since making his debut in 1997, Akhtar has been plagued by injury problems. He had to undergo twin knee operations in 2006 which forced him out of Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka and England.

 

He also missed last year's World Cup in the West Indies due to injury.

(Article: Copyright © 2008 AFP)