Pakistan Lobbying With UAE Government for Early Release of Cricketer Mohammed Asif

Pakistan is fervently lobbying with the UAE government for early release of cricketer Mohammed Asif, now in detention over possession of some illegal drug.

Asif was arrested early this month after being trapped by a sniffer dog in the transit lounge of the Dubai airport. He was returning home after playing for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL semi-final against Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai.

He has already appeared before Dubai prosecutor, Mohammad Ali Rustan.

Earlier reports had said that an inquiry would commence on June 22.

It is in such a backdrop, Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Dr. Nasim Ashraf called on the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Monday.

The Shiekh, also the minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, is reported to be very influential with the UAE royal family.

The PCB chairman, who was on his way back to Pakistan after watching the final of the Asia Cup in Dhaka on Sunday, made a brief stopover at Dubai and went straight to the Abu Dhabi cricket chief and discussed the issue of Asif's release with him.

The PCB is maintaining that their new cricket sensation is innocent until proven guilty.

26-year-old Mohammed Asif has only played a few international cricket matches but is already being compared to the great Australian Glenn McGrath. He shares a similar high arm action to McGrath and probes the corridor of uncertainty outside the off-stump. He has proved lethal in his short international career as he gets the ball to move both ways creating doubt in the mind of the batsman.

Asif was banned for one year after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone in October 2006. Fellow paceman Shoaib Akhtar was banned for two years on the same charge. The bans were lifted on appeal two months later.

Akhtar himself is now appealing a lifetime ban imposed on him in April for repeated disciplinary problems.

Ace Pakistani batsman Younis Khan has supported Shoaib Akhtar and Muhammad Asif, saying the duo should be forgiven.

While talking to reporters on Wednesday, he said that their return in the team would certainly boost the morale of whole team.

Source-Medindia
GPL/L