NEW DELHI, April 30: Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday made it clear that it will abide by the IPL decision on whether or not to allow paceman Shoaib Akhtar to play in the tournament after his five-year ban was upheld by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Appellate Tribunal on Wednesday.

“We just want to be very careful that we observe all the guidelines and codes of the IPL,” said Joy Bhattacharjee, Marketing head of the Knight Riders.

“Obviously, when we bid for him [Shoaib] it means that as a player we wanted him as a part of us but before we do anything, we have already seen that the IPL has taken very strong decisions regarding code of conduct.

“So firstly we have to leave everything to their hands to decide what is best for the League and then of course think of taking things forward,” he added.

Bhattacharjee also said the IPL could review their stance on Shoaib only after they receive an official communication from the PCB on the issue.

“It is a question of when the PCB gives a formal intimation to us; that is the question that the IPL is looking at and only after those hurdles are crossed definitely we will be happy to review how we can put a foot forward in playing Shoaib,” he stated.

Earlier on Wednesday, the PCB’s appellate tribunal rejected Shoaib’s appeal to revoke the five-year ban on him and upheld the suspension but allowed him to play in the IPL.

IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi had earlier said that a banned player could not be a part of the IPL.

Though the PCB has cleared fast bowler Shoaib to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders, he still cannot play in the Twenty20 League as per the BCCI decision.

“Unless he is cleared to play for Pakistan, he cannot play in the IPL. This was the decision taken by the special general body of the BCCI at Bangalore before the start of the Twenty20 event,” BCCI sources said.—Agencies