Lahore HC adjourns Shoaib Akhtar's case against PCB ban, fine

A hearing for arguments on a petition by fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar challenging the penalty of a one-and-a-half year ban on his playing cricket and Rs 7 million fine imposed on him by an appellate tribunal has been adjourned.

According to The Express Tribune, Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court adjourned the hearing as the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) counsel, did not appear due to an illness.

The PCB's disciplinary committee had banned Akhtar from playing cricket for five years in October 2007, the report said.

He had been accused of indiscipline and violating the conditions of a two-year probation for hitting teammate, Mohammad Asif, with a bat, the report added.

The committee's order stated that Akhtar would undergo attitudinal counselling by an expert nominated by the board, the report further said.

A lifelong ban would be imposed if he violated the probation terms, according to the report.