Despite testing negative for drugs, Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif has only “50-50 chances” of escaping unscathed from the Dubai police net, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board official.“After having taken a thorough look at his (Asif’s) situation, I believe he has a 50-50 chance of avoiding any punishment,” the official was quoted as saying by The News. Asif will be produced in a court on Sunday, although no changes have been framed against him yet. However, lack of any official clarification on his detention has only created confusion, with the local media quoting the chief prosecutor in the case as saying that forensic examinations have confirmed that the substance recovered from the Pakistani pacer at the Dubai airport was opium. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Ali Rustom told Gulf News that charges might be framed once the investigation wraps up on Sunday. Only then it would be decided whether to refer the case to the Dubai Court of First Instance or deport the cricketer, he said.The PCB is trying its best to get a clean chit for the player, who has a history of drug-related controversies. Other top PCB officials are also “working behind the scenes” to get Asif off the hook by trying to use their connections in the influential circles in the UAE, the daily said. However, the official said that the PCB will continue trying its best.
