Shoaib hearing postponed

Shoaib Akhtar is set to make his Surrey debut today at the Brit Oval against Hampshire

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The Lahore High Court today postponed a hearing on Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar’s bid to overturn an 18-month ban.

Shoaib was handed a career-threatening five-year ban on disciplinary grounds in April this year by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but that sentence was reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal in July.

Shoaib was also fined seven million rupees.

The 33-year-old filed an appeal in the Lahore High Court which temporarily suspended the ban pending a final decision.

The case was to be heard by Justice Syed Zahid Hussain of the Lahore High Court, but was postponed due to his commitments with Surrey after signing for the remainder of the season.

"A new date will be set for the case as Chief Justice was not available," Pakistan Cricket Board legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi said.

"A date should be set within a week," he said.