LAHORE: Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf clarified on Saturday that wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has been included in the national team only after the ICC gave him clearance for selection.

Kamran was recalled to the national Twenty20 squad for the upcoming series against Australia in the UAE and for the ICC World T20 after being sidelined by the selectors and the PCB since the 2011 World Cup due to his suspicious conduct and sketchy performances.

‘‘As for Kamran, the PCB approached the global ruling body and asked if they had any objection to his selection,” said Zaka. “The ICC said it had nothing against Kamran and when the clearance came from their side, then the Pakistan Cricket Board integrity committee cleared him for national selection."

Since 2010, suspicions have been raised over some of Kamran’s shoddy performances while he was also named during the spot- fixing trial last year in London in which Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif were given jail sentences for spot-fixing on the England tour in 2010. —Agencies