Asif doping appeal delay 'strange'

Karachi: The lawyer for suspended Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has asked for his appeal against a positive doping test to be set for the earliest possible date.

Asif tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during a domestic Twenty20 competition in India.

He was immediately suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board when the positive test was announced in July.

He denied taking any banned substances but his B sample also tested positive.

Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim said last month when the results for the B sample were announced they would appeal, though he admitted on Saturday he was frustrated with the delay for getting a hearing.

Long delay

"This long delay in giving a date is strange," Karim said. "Because initially they were pushing for a quick hearing. Now they are saying 'Wait we will get back (to you)'."

Karim said he had been given an initial date of August 30 for the appeal, though he had asked for a delay until September 15 to prepare.

That date had since passed and he had yet to receive notification of another possible hearing date.

"We had asked them to keep September 15 as a new date for hearing now they say 'We will let you know when it is possible'," Karim added.

Asif, who was detained in Dubai for 19 days in June after airport authorities found a small quantity of an illegal drug on him, had tested positive for nandrolone in 2006.

He was banned by the PCB for two years then later cleared by the board's anti-doping appeals committee.

Twenty20: Khan skips tournament

Pakistan batsman Younis Khan will skip the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League tournament to concentrate on playing first class cricket in Australia.

The December tournament has $6 million in prize money and will feature two teams from each of Australia, India and South Africa along with the champions from English and Pakistan domestic competitions.

Younis, however, confirmed he would not play the tournament to fulfil his contract in Australia's domestic competition with South Australia.