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Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has been cleared to play in the Indian Premier League. The Appellate Tribunal suspended the five-year ban on Akhtar, for a month until their next meeting which is scheduled for June 4. The PCB has also granted a no objection certificate to Shoaib Akhtar to play in the IPL. Confirming the presence of Akhtar in the IPL, Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of IPL said that Shoaib will play in the tournament. He said they are looking forward for Shoaib to join in the IPL and that he is going to call him and invite him to come to Kolkata as early as possible.
Farukh Aftab, the head of the three-man court told reporters that they have suspended the ban on Akhtar for one month until the next hearing which is going to take place on June 4. He further added, that if the ban was not suspended, he would not have been allowed to play in the IPL which, according to Aftab would have been unjust on Shoaib.
Shoaib Akhtar seemed relieved by the decision and said that he is very keen to play in the Indian Premier League. However, he added that though this battle has been won, the final case still remains to be won. The three-panel court granted him bail after Shoaib's lawyers exerted some pressure for the suspension of his ban. Shoaib will play for the Kolkata Knight Riders who signed him for US $425,000 in the auctions that were held prior to the IPL.
