“Can we have the copy of Indian Court’s order, which has directed the BCCI to lift life-ban on Mohammad Azharuddin ? We tried to trace it, but in vain”, Shan Gul, and his father, Aftab Gul, the advocates of former Pakistani skipper, Salim Malik have requested to this scribe. Their request has been forwarded to Ramakanth Reddy, the lawyer hired by India’s former captain. “Our client (Salim Malik) applied for the batting coach of the national team on October 24, but has not been acknowledged. We filed the petition in Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday and in next 24-hour, the court has directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take a final call on his application within 30-days”, the advocates, in exclusvie chats, said. Interestingly, Aftab Gul was initially hired by Salman Butt, when the spot-fixing allegations were first surfaced against former captain. The lawyer by profession now, Aftab Gul played for Pakistan in 1970s. He was the first player to appear in first-class cricket while on bail for his political activities. “I have no problem if my appication is rejected, but the PCB should come forward with the answer”, Salim Malik, later said from Lahore. “No, I don’t think my writ-petition against the PCB will go against my desire, but even if goes, the court order will benefit me in future”, Salim Malik added further. In 2000, Salim Malik became the first player to be banned – from all cricket – for match-fixing, when Justice Qayyum, the one-man commission, appointed by the PCB, found him guilty. “I didn’t ban him but had only recommended”, Qayyaum said from Pakistan. “Many years have passed since then and I see no problem if he is assigned the position (by the PCB)”, he said, again exclusively. However, according to the PCB insiders, Malik is unlikely to be awarded any post in near future. “We have appointed the three-member committee to find our batting coach and status-quo will be maintained as far as Malik’s application is concerned”, the source said. “Perhaps, our Pakistan team will have no batting coach on India tour”, he further added.
