August 09, 2008	Saturday	Sha’aban 6, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 8: A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) committee has recommended ban of some matches on pacer Mohammad Asif for his “embarrassing” 19-day detention at the Dubai airport for the alleged possession of a banned substance.

A PCB source said that the report of the public prosecutor in Dubai had confirmed that Asif was carrying an illegal substance when detained at the airport while returning from India after playing in the inaugural Indian Premier League. “The committee after going through the report of the Dubai public prosecutor and after hearing out Asif, believe there is enough evidence to suggest that the pacer has himself to blame for getting entangled in the embarrassing episode and needs to be disciplined,” the source said.

“The recommendation is that he should be banned for some matches to teach him a lesson and set an example for other players,” the source added.

PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf will go through the report of the committee and then can call a meeting of the governing body to decide on the recommendations of the committee.

Dr Ashraf is currently on vacation in the United States and is scheduled to return home by August 12.

Asif was detained for carrying a small quantity of the illegal substance but was cleared and sent home by the Dubai authorities after he tested negative in tests conducted by the Dubai police.

Though the authorities in Dubai let him off, the PCB constituted the committee to probe his detention.

Asif has also been suspended by the board for failing a dope test in the IPL where he played for Delhi Daredevils. —Agencies