LAHORE, March 1: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf has criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed for issuing a statement over the target dope testing during the World Cup, mainly in reference to the two Pakistan fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

Both Shoaib and Asif were been ruled out from the World Cup due to fitness problems on Thursday.

Talking to Dawn exclusively on Thursday, Dr Nasim said that he had written a letter addressing Speed over the issuance of his statement which has hurt him quite a bit. The chairman said that by giving the statement in public, Speed had himself breached the Code of Conduct.

"The matter regarding Shoaib and Asif is subjudice since the WADA has challenged the acquittal of two players by the PCB in the Court of Arbitration in Sports, hence the statement of Speed in public is clearly against the rules," the chairman pointed out.

Dr Nasim said that the acquittal of Shoaib and Asif by the PCB was in accordance with the board’s anti-doping policy and no other institution had any right to intervene in its internal affairs.

The PCB chairman said Pakistan was only the fourth country - affiliated with the ICC - which has been conducting dope testing of players regularly and that shows how responsible it was in the anti-drug efforts.

The chairman said the PCB would be monitoring the ICC policy, both on random and target basis, closely during the mega event and it would not tolerate any discrimination in this connection.

Dr Ashraf also hit out at the two international players who on Thursday issued a statement against Shoaib and Asif over the doping tests. Without naming the players, Dr Ashraf criticised them and asked the ICC to take action against them as it was also a breach of code of conduct.

"I don't want to mention the names of the players and their country but it is a fact their statement causes embarrassment, so the ICC must take action against them," he said.

The PCB chief dispelled the impression that Shoaib and Asif were ruled out from the World Cup due to any fear of positive dope testing and added the decision was taken purely due to their fitness problems.

He said Pakistan had a firm stand against the use of drugs in the game and had adopted zero tolerance policy in this regard.