ICC clips panel’s powers

Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar can play in One-day matches against Sri Lanka, the ICC said, and a decision on whether his action had been rectified would be taken before the first Test on February 26.

The decision was made at a two-day meeting of the ICC executive board here, ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya said at a press conference. Dalmiya said the decision to suspend the power to ban a player was taken in view of “wide-ranging legal ramifications that need to be considered”.

With specific reference to Akhtar, Dalmiya said: “The Pakistan Cricket Board will report to the panel about the remedial measures on the bowler’saction. The panel will then consider the report and, if necessary, fresh video tapes before deciding on any further course of action.”

He said Akhtar will be free to play, if selected, in the One-day matches against Sri Lanka starting February 13. “Since the problem with Akhtar’s action was only with regard to short-pitched deliveries, we in the ICC feel that the advisory panel will be able to take a decision before the scheduled start of the first Test match against the Sri Lankans on February 26,” said the ICC president.

Akhtar is banned from playing Tests at present. Dalmiya said the Pakistan board had already reported considerable progress in removing the kinks in Akhtar’s action.

The ICC chief explained that the advisory panel’s power to ban a player has been revoked “until such time as there has been a full review by ICC of that power and related procedures”.

He said no time-frame had been set by the executive board for the review.