Pakistan's Mohammad Asif withdraws appeal against provisional suspension

Daily Telegraph - Asif was provisionally suspended along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir after a sting operation by the News of the World accused their agent of accepting money on their behalf for bowling no-balls during a Test match against England. Butt and Amir have not withdrawn their appeals at this stage and will still face a disciplinary hearing chaired by Michael Beloff QC in Qatar on Oct 30 and 31.

All three players are suspended while a criminal investigation in London is being conducted. Formal proceedings by the International Cricket Council will only begin once that investigation is over. Asif will now only be able to put the case for his defence at that stage.

Earlier this week the trio were prevented from training at the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Academy in Lahore and Asif’s move follows intense pressure form the ICC on the board. At the ICC’s last board meeting the PCB were set a deadline of 31 days to improve their methods of anti-corruption education.