PCB to appeal to ICC if SC clears Salim Malik

Lahore, May 15 (UNI) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today asserted that it would appeal to the ICC to remove the life ban on Salim Malik if the Supreme Court clears the former captain in a match fixing case.

''Whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, that would be final as long as we are concerned. We will accept their decision with open arms,'' PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi told mediapersons here.

''Malik was not banned by the board. The PCB only implemented the recommendation of the single-member inquiry tribunal,'' he added. ''So the board has not imposed the ban and the Supreme Court ruling will be final for us.'' The Supreme Court will hear the appeal on May 19 when PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi will submit a draft on Malik's life ban.

Malik was banned in 2000 after Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh had alleged that he offered them money to under-perform during the Australian tour of Pakistan in 1994.

The stylish right-hand batsman appealed to the Supreme Court after the inquiry tribunal, headed by High Court judge Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum banned him and fined six others including Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar and Akram Raza.

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