Football
Reuters 16y

Cricket-Shoaib eligible to play final one-dayer v South Africa

LAHORE, Oct 12 - Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib
Akhtar will be eligible to play in the fifth and final one-day
international against South Africa on Oct. 29, the Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday.

The board's disciplinary committee on Thursday imposed a
13-match ban and 3.4 million rupees ($56,000) fine on Shoaib
for four misconduct charges, including hitting team mate
Mohammad Asif with a bat before the Twenty20 World Cup in South
Africa.

Shafqat Naghmi, the PCB's chief operating officer,
clarified that the ban period had started the day after the
incident on Aug. 27 when team manager Talat Ali sent Shoaib
home.

"Since his ban period started immediately it covers seven
matches of the Twenty20 World Cup and also the two tests
against South Africa," Naghmi told Reuters.

"This means he will have completed his 13-match ban by the
fourth one-dayer and will be eligible for selection for the
final game in Karachi," he said.

Shoaib has played 43 tests and 133 one-dayers but has not
taken part in any competitive cricket since he limped out of
the second test against South Africa in January with a
hamstring injury.

The 32-year-old has played just one test and four
one-dayers since February 2006 due to fitness and other
problems.

He was suspended for two years in 2006 after testing
positive for the banned substance nandrolone but was later
cleared of doping offences.

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