Shoaib omitted from ICC Champs Trophy probables over unpaid fine
19 Jul 2008, 1016 Hrs

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Lahore, July 19 (ANI): The PCB has left out fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in the team of probables selected for the ICC Champions Trophy. He was not selected because he failed to pay the Rs 70 lakh fine imposed by an appellate tribunal which had reduced his five-year ban to 18 months.

The team of probables will attend a training camp in Abbottabad.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmad said that the PCB had not cleared Shoaib Akhtar to be among the 24-man team despite being named in the initial preliminary 30-member squad for the September 11-28 tournament.

"We will call him for the camp in Abbottabad once the board gives us the clearance," he said.

Akhtar had been asked to pay a fine of Rs 79 lakh by July 14 to be considered for selection.

However, Akhtar's lawyer informed the Board that the bowler would only consider paying the fine when the Lahore High Court took a final decision on his petition against both the ban and fine. The court had suspended the ban but not the fine. "We had to give his name because of the ICC deadline. But now until this fine issue is cleared we are not considering him for selection," the Daily Times quoted the team chief selector as saying.

Before the Champions Trophy, slated to take place in Pakistan from September 11-28, Pakistan are due to play a Twenty20 four-nation tournament in Toronto from Aug 17 and then three one-dayers against New Zealand.

The team of probables is as follows:

Shoaib Malik (captain), Misbahul Haq, Younis Khan, Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shahzad, Yasir Shah, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Fawad Alam, Abdul Rehman, Mansoor Amjad, Umar Gul, Mohammad Ali, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Sohail Khan, Abdur Rauf, Mohammad Aamer, Kamran Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmad, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz and Anwar Ali. (ANI)