Shoaib in, Asif out for Pakistan

Shoaib Akhtar has been included in the Pakistan squad © Getty Images

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Shoaib Akhtar has been included in a list of 30 probables announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the ICC Champions Trophy, while Mohammad Asif has been left out after his recent drug test controversy.

The PCB had delayed the naming of the squad due to a row over the payment of a seven million rupees fine by paceman Akhtar.

The fine was imposed as part of disciplinary action taken against Shoaib by the PCB.

He was initially banned for five years, but that was subsequently reduced to 18 months on appeal and later suspended by the Lahore High Court until a fuller hearing can be held.

That leaves Shoaib free to play in the Champions Trophy.

Shoaib was included by the selectors in the team, but the PCB wanted him to pay the fine first before endorsing his selection.

Shoaib had submitted a written explanation to the PCB on Monday saying he would pay the fine when the high court delivers its final verdict on the case.

The probables list announced by PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi, also included wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who was dropped for the Asia Cup.

However, there was no place for Mohammad Asif, who failed a drugs test during the recent Indian Premier League season.

The PCB have suspended Asif, who was already under investigation after being detained at the Dubai International Airport for 19 days under suspicion of carrying drugs last month, and left him out of their squad of probables.

The PCB had said it would take stern measures against the bowler and also stated he would receive no assistance from the PCB to fight his legal battle.

"In line with our anti-doping policy, we have suspended Mohammad Asif with immediate effect," Naghmi said.

"He will have the right to appeal under the International Cricket Council's anti-doping regulations.

"The PCB will offer all the assistance to the IPL drugs tribunal and implement its findings. We may even attend the inquiry proceedings," he added in the presence of board lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi.

Probables: Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul Haq, Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shahad, Khurrum Manzoor, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Bazid Khan, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Arafat, Mansoor Amjad, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Mohammad Ali, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Khan, Abdur Rauf, Wahab Riaz, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Amir, Kamran Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal.