Lahore, May 26 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has insisted that all players of the national squad will have to undertake a dope test before the Asia Cup.

The board specifically insistedthat fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar would need to take the test after news leaked about him carrying several syringes while travelling to India to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The matter was discussed at a PCB in-house meeting. The PCB disciplinary committee, headed by Munir Hafeez, has slapped a five-year ban on Shoaib for criticising the PCB's policies, inspite of a life-ban threat.

Shoaib has filed an appeal against the ban for which the PCB has appointed a tribunal headed by retired Justice Aftab Farrukh with former Test spinner Haseeb Ahsan and Salman Taseer (now Governor Punjab) as members.

The tribunal had deferred the proceedings till June 8 to allow Shoaib to play in the IPL.

According to sources, the majority at the tribunal are in favour of his acquittal after Shoaib's apology to the nation as well as to the PCB chairman, Naseem Ashraf.

ANI