Shoaib ban suspended

Shoaib Akhtar had been fighting the ban given to him by the PCB © Getty Images

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The Lahore High Court has suspended a ban imposed by an appellate tribunal on Shoaib Akhtar pending a final decision in September.

The paceman was handed a five-year ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board which was then reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal, which also fined him seven million rupees.

Shoaib then filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court in the hope of having the ban overturned.

"Shoaib is now free to play for his country," said his lawyer Abid Hasan Minto.

"However, this is only an interim order. A final decision will be taken in September when the court reconvenes."

He said the decision on the fine remains unaltered.

PCB lawyer Tafazzaul Rizvi is confident, however, that the original punishment will be upheld.

He said: "Today was the last working day of the courts and the courts usually give relief to petitioners just before their summer vacation.

"This is normal and it does not have a bearing on the final outcome."

Meanwhile, the PCB have dismissed reports they are set to replace under-pressure coach Geoff Lawson.

It has been suggested that Lawson would be sacked after the Asia Cup, before even completing the first 12 months of his two-year contract. He was appointed coach in August last year.

Last week, Lawson stormed out of a press conference following Pakistan's 64-run loss to Sri Lanka in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup. He subsequently returned only for the media to walk out.