July 26, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 22, 1429

LAHORE, July 25: Fast bowler Mohammad Asif has submitted his written reply to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) facts-finding committee about his detention in Dubai from June 1 to 22 for allegedly carrying banned substance in his wallet.

PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi is heading the committee with Nadeem Akram and Zakir Khan as its members.

A PCB spokesman said Asif appeared before the committee on Friday and submitted his reply and a session of questions and answers was also held, which lasted for almost 90 minutes.

“Asif will again be called on Monday or Tuesday for further proceedings,” the spokesman said.

The bowler had been detained in Dubai when he was coming back to Pakistan from India via Dubai.

On June 22, Asif was sent back to Pakistan without any relative record of his case. The PCB received the record last week and has now started the inquiry.

Though there are reports that all tests of Asif, conducted by Dubai authorities, were negative, the bowler made headlines early this month when Indian Premier League (IPL) authorities announced that he was the only bowler who had been tested positive in the dope test conducted during IPL matches.

Besides facts-finding committee’s inquiry, Asif has to seek a ‘B’ sample test to clear him from the IPL allegations.