September 23, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has deferred making a decision on whether fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar must pay an outstanding 7 million Pakistan rupee ($89,456) fine in order to be eligible for domestic or international cricket duties, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) legal adviser said on Monday.

The PCB sought a ruling from the LHC judge Sayed Zahid Hussain on whether Shoaib was eligible to play in, or for, Pakistan without paying the fine.Shoaib’s lawyer did not attend Monday’s proceedings but is expected to be at the new Oct 3 hearing.

“Since Shoaib’s lawyer was not in the court today, the judge has postponed the hearing,” PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi said. “(Oct 3) was the earliest possible date that the judge could give.”

Shoaib was fined and handed a five-year ban in April by a PCB tribunal for a disciplinary breach after he criticised the Pakistan selectors. The ban was later reduced to 18 months by another tribunal, but a heavy fine was recommended.

The LHC in July suspended Shoaib’s 18-month ban, but did not give any ruling against the financial penalty. Shoaib was named in the Islamabad Leopards team for Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 tournament, which begins in Lahore on Oct 4.

Tafazzul said that if the issue surrounding the paceman’s fine could not be settled by the court on Oct 3, Shoaib will be ineligible to compete in the tournament.—AP