Shoaib ban stands

Shoaib Akhtar © Getty Images

Shoaib Akhtar's appeal against a five-year ban imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board has been rejected by a three-man tribunal in Lahore.

The 32-year-old pace bowler was handed the suspension from all cricket for or in Pakistan after the board claimed he had repeatedly breached their code of conduct.

The PCB was finally forced to act after Shoaib hit out at the board for not being given a central contract earlier this year.

The appeal panel, appointed by the PCB and consisting of retired judge Aftab Furrukh, Salman Taseer and Haseeb Ahsan, upheld the initial decision.

The ruling comes just a day after Shoaib apologised to PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, who had threatened the bowler with legal action for claiming in an interview that the ban was punishment for not sharing projected Indian Premier League earnings with Ashraf.

The PCB made it clear the ban did not apply to cricket played overseas - in theory freeing up Shoaib to play in the Indian Premier League.

"We for the time being are of the view that Shoaib can play anywhere outside Pakistan,” a statement read.

Shoaib has been banned from playing in or for his country

“It was not our intention to him restrain him on that level. Shoaib can also play in the IPL. He, however, cannot play for Pakistan internationally or nationally."

The prospects of Shoaib playing in the IPL remain bleak, with the league itself barring the paceman from taking part.

Shoaib was signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders in February’s auction for US$425,000 (£215,000).

His career has been plagued with controversies both on and off the pitch, ranging from his bowling action being questioned and ball-tampering charges to breaching a team curfew.

Shoaib, who at the initial hearing earlier this month was handed a fine of 3.4 million rupees in addition to the suspension, was on a two-year probation for attacking team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat before last year's ICC World Twenty20.

He was fined US$52,000 and banned for 13 international matches following his attack on Asif in South Africa.

Shoaib was also embroiled in a drug scandal after he and Asif tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance nandrolone in October 2006, before being cleared on appeal two months later.

The Rawalpindi Express is no stranger to outbursts against the Pakistani authorities. In 2007 he was fined for indiscipline at a national camp in Karachi and was not shy in voicing his dissatisfaction at the penalty.