Ban could end Shoaib's career

14 April 2012

The colourful and controversial career of Shoaib Akhtar appeared to be over after he was given a two-year ban for using the steroid nandrolone

The world's first 100mph bowler was found guilty by a Pakistan Board tribunal of drug abuse, as was Mohamed Asif, who received only a one-year ban for the same offence. Both men were pulled out of the squad for the ICC Trophy last month.

• Pakistan urge ICC to hold inquiry into Darrell Hair's conduct

Shoaib will be 33 when his ban expires, so it must be questionable whether he will ever scorch the turf again in international cricket.

While the Pakistan Board have acted promptly, the verdicts are controversial as the minimum International Cricket Council ban for a first offence is two years.

Because the tests were conducted internally and independently of the ICC, the two-year minimum does not apply and the Pakistanis were within their rights be lenient on Asif, to the embarrassment of the sport's governing body.

Asif may have received a lesser ban as there was doubt as to whether he had ever been shown an up-to-date list of prohibited substances.

While cricket has seen many cases of bans for recreational drugs and Shane Warne was suspended in 2003 for taking a diuretic, these are the first convictions for steroid abuse.

Asif, a hugely-gifted seamer who was one of those at the centre of the ball-tampering row with Darrell Hair this summer, is only 23 and will doubtless feature again, but Shoaib's future is unclear.

Both players' positive tests came after a summer in which they struggled with injuries and missed large parts of the England tour. Shoaib's ankle and knee problems kept him out of all four Tests, while Asif missed the first three because of difficulties with his shoulder.

When Asif did come in he immediately looked impressive and after just six Test matches his bowling average stands at an impressive 21.

Shoaib, aka the Rawalpindi Express, has always matched his talent with an ability to find trouble, clashing with his home authorities and twice being found guilty of ball-tampering.

He has also had to endure continuing scrutiny of a bowling action that can propel the ball at extraordinary pace, although he showed his skill by also producing mesmeric slower balls that utterly bamboozled England on their visit to Pakistan a year ago.

Shoaib followed the well-worn path of initially denied any wrongdoing, saying: 'I have never knowingly taken any performance enhancing drugs and would never cheat my team-mates or opponents in this way.'

Despite his protestations, neither he nor Asif took up the option of having their B-samples tested.

'We gave a full chance to both the pacemen to fight their cases,' said barrister Shahid Hamed, chairman of the three-man panel that also included former captain Intikhab Alam. 'After a thorough inquiry, they failed to prove their innocence.'

After an unusual period of calm under coach Bob Woolmer and captain Inzamam Ul-Haq, the Pakistan team have reverted to type these past few months.

First there was the boycott of play at The Oval in protest at Hair penalising them for ball-tampering and then there was a row over the captaincy, with Younis Khan at first refusing to take over from the banned Inzamam, leading to the resignation of Board chairman Shaharyar Khan.

There have also been concerns from the Board that Inzamam has coerced younger players in the team into becoming highly religious.

The bans are a severe blow to Pakistan's hopes of winning the World Cup in the Caribbean next spring, a realistic prospect given the explosive batting which runs through the team.

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