PCB awaiting ICC report on Yasir Shah

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday said it was still awaiting a full report from International Cricket Council on the doping case of leg spinner Yasir Shah but reiterated its zero tolerance policy on doping.

PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan told the media in Lahore that Yasir’s case was being examined from a medical and legal point of view.

“He has appeared before the medical panel of the board to explain his position. Once we get the full report from ICC we will decide our next step,” he said.

He said that PCB has a zero tolerance policy towards the use of prohibited substances in cricket and has in place a strict regime which monitors and regularly imparts education relating to the ICC anti-doping code.

A PCB press release also said that pursuant to receipt of the notice of charge issued by ICC to Yasir Shah, PCB will examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged charge and shall fully assist the ICC in arriving at a fair and just outcome.

The ICC on Sunday placed a provisional ban on the test leg-spinner for failing a dope test in November.

Shah, 29, who has taken 76 wickets in 12 tests told the medical panel that he had by mistake taken a medicine for blood pressure which belonged to his wife in Dubai.

“Yasir said he was with his wife in his hotel room when he took the medicine by mistake as he was supposed to take medicine prescribed to him for a back pain,” one source aware of the developments said. “He told the panel he had no idea it would lead to such a big complication for him and put his career in danger as well,” the source said. Shaharyar made it clear that every player was given literature about anti-doping policies of the ICC and it included names of all banned substances and medicines.