PCB restores Afridi's NOC

Shahid Afridi has been fined rupees 4.5 million ($52,300) by the PCB for violating the board's code of conduct but has been given his no-objection certificate, clearing his participation in domestic Twenty20 tournaments around the world.

Afridi pleaded guilty to the charge and accepted the verdict of the disciplinary committee but he did not apologise during the hearing in Lahore. "I did not apologise for what I said," Afridi told ESPNcricinfo. "I did regret the situation and accepted my violations but I have not apologised."

Afridi also said that he will remain retired. "I am still not willing to play international cricket under this administration. That stance remains as before."

"The committee unanimously decided to fine him 4.5 million rupees ($53,000) for various breaches of the code of conduct," PCB's legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi said. "The committee also recommended his NOCs to play abroad be restored, which the Pakistan Cricket Board has endorsed."

Afridi will now return to England, debuting for Hampshire against Essex on Thursday, in the Friends Life t20.

This latest development brings to an end, for now at least, a feud that began during Pakistan's tour of the West Indies. During the one-day series in the Caribbean, Afridi had a falling out with the coach Waqar Younis and he made his feelings public on his return to Pakistan. The PCB responded by stripping Afridi of the ODI captaincy after which the allrounder pulled out of the trip to Ireland and retired, refusing to play under the present administration.

The PCB then issued Afridi a showcause notice, suspended his central contract and revoked all NOCs issued to him, blocking his stint with Hampshire. Afridi replied to the notice, accepting that he had violated the code and said he was willing to appear before a disciplinary committee. He then filed a petition with the Sindh High Court against the PCB, asking for the sanctions against him to be revoked.

At one stage it was unclear if Afridi would even appear before the disciplinary committee and the whole issue became political. Eventually Afridi and the board came to a compromise and an agreement was reached to reinstate his NOCs if he withdrew the petition against the PCB from the court.