PCB seeks clarification from ICC in Salman, Asif case

KARACHI: With regard to the International Cricket Council’s announcement on lifting of sanctions against Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif on Wednesday, PCB has sought further clarification from the ICC.
“Until the world body’s response has been received and evaluated, PCB will not be making any further comment on the issue,” a PCB release said.
Initially, Salman and Asif were banned from cricket for a period of 10 and seven years. However, according to ICC, the remaining five and two years are now suspended.
ICC recently announced that the sanctions against Asif and Salman will expire at midnight on September 1 2015 and that they will be eligible to return to competitive cricket, at both domestic and international levels, on September 2 2015 after fulfilling the specific conditions laid down by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal.
Further, Mohammad Amir will be eligible to return to cricket at international level at the same time, following permission being granted to him to return to play domestic cricket in Pakistan earlier this year.
The three players were found guilty of various offences of corrupt behavior relating to the Lords Test between England and Pakistan in August 2010 by the independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal on 5 February 2011, with their sanctions backdated to commence on September 2 2010 (the date on which they were initially charged and provisionally suspended).
The Tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff, QC, following a six-day hearing in Qatar had imposed a sanction of five years on Amir, seven years on Asif (of which the final two years were suspended on specified conditions) and 10 years on Salman (of which the final five years were suspended on specified conditions).