LAHORE – Former captain Shoaib Malik is likely to get a reprieve from the integrity committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board after he appeared before it on Friday to respond to inquiries regarding his assets and bank balance. Reports said that Malik had given more details about his assets and bank accounts to the integrity committee at the meeting. “There are indications that the integrity committee might recommend to the PCB to clear the all-rounder for national selection soon,” a reports quoted source said.
Malik has not been considered for the Pakistan team since being dropped from the national side after the Test series in England last September. Dropped for the series against South Africa and the tour to New Zealand, Malik was also ignored for the ongoing World Cup by the selectors as he was not given clearance by the PCB. “The committee had asked Malik specifically for some details about his assets and bank accounts and this time he came with more details and information like from where he had got certain amounts deposited in his account,” the source said. Malik, when contacted, declined to comment on his chances of being cleared but said he was as keen as ever to play for Pakistan again.
“It is up to the board and selectors. I am trying my best to respond to all their queries,” he said. Malik said he was disappointed to sit out of the World Cup although he was in prime form having done well in the domestic matches. “I am doing my best to convince them. Because playing for Pakistan is my greatest joy and honour,” he said. The integrity committee, which includes a retired High Court judge, has also not given clearance to Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for national selection.
They had wanted Kaneria to produce the transcript of the interview he gave to the Essex police last year when he was under investigation for spot-fixing in a county match while playing for Essex. The Essex police later said they had found no evidence and cleared Kaneria but the PCB insisted that it wants to see the transcript of the interview he gave to the police in England.
