February 24, 2007	Saturday	Safar 6, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

LAHORE, Feb 23: Eighteen cricketers including 11 selectees and seven reserve players for the forthcoming World Cup have cleared the dope tests conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

PCB’s Director Cricket Operations, Saleem Altaf, told Dawn that in the first phase the board had sent 18 urine samples to a laboratory based in Malaysia and according to reports, the results of all the players came in negative.

Saleem explained that the PCB had to get the doping test reports of all 22 cricketers prior to the mega event in the Caribbeans and the efforts were on to send the samples of the four remaining cricketers soon.

He pointed out that the urine samples of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and all-rounder Shahid Afridi had been dispatched to Malaysia on Friday and hopefully their results would also be received by Tuesday.

"Both Shoaib and Asif wanted to have further check ups on their injuries in London and they will give their urine sample after returning home, most probably before the team's departure to the West Indies," Saleem said.

Asked whether Shoaib and Asif were using delaying tactics in taking the tests in order to escape the impending life bans for the existing quantity of banned substance nandrolone in their bodies, Saleem refused to comment on the issue but added no player would go to the West Indies without giving the samples.

Both Shoaib and Asif tested positive last Oct for using the banned medicine and there are reports that a substantial quantity of nandrolone is still present in their bodies.

Saleem also clarified that except for the inclusion of media manager P.J Mir, no other change had been made in the team management for the World Cup from the one which toured South Africa in Jan-Feb.

"The decision to retain the team management has been taken to maintain consistency and with the hope that it will give better results in future," he said.

The director cricket operations said the training camp would conclude on Feb 26 and all the players will assemble in Karachi on Feb 28 to leave for the West Indies the next day.Meanwhile, Pakistan will play two warm-up matches - against Canada on March 6 and South Africa on March 9 - in Trindad before meeting the West Indies in the opening match of the World Cup on March 13.