Shoaib & Asif out of World Cup

[Quagmire]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wc20...ry/281976.html

[Notts Exile]

The Guardian is suggesting that the ICC might not believe the PCBs claim that Asif and Shoaib are injured.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketw...024812,00.html

Hopefully they'll succeed in getting to the bottom of this. We don't want these problems in the game. I assume that should the ICC seriously believe that the "injuries" are a smokescreen that firstly Pakistan won't be able to call anyone up to replace them and secondly that both Asif and Shoaib receive appropriate bans. Also the PCB should then be subject to action by the ICC for the attempted cover up.

For their sake I do hope that both players are truly injured.

[Zainub]

The ICC are just as toothless as the rest NE, if they couldn't stop these guys from playing in the first place after their bans were nonsensically overturned, I don't expect them to do anything now.

As for the PCB, the less said about them the better. There isn't a more hypocritical, heedless, unethical sports organiasation in the world!

[Mr Hutt]

I happen to think that Pakistan can now move forward from Shoaib Akhter... and i really think some of us are not that interested in the truth any longer... its been staring us in the face for quite a while now. There are even rumors that Razzaq has been tested positive and this knee business is B.S!!!

[pie_chucker]

Hopefully Pakistan can come through this, but the PCB have done their nation no favours with their stance over this matter.

I dont know what the ICC's stance is on testing "out of competition" but if it is like Athletics, they could still be tested, say next month (and in all probability) get another positive test and recieve a life ban! That would mean Asifs career could be ended by the stupidity of the PCB (and some of his own for taking the banned substance in the first place)!