Asif hopes for positive verdict

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, is hoping the IPL drugs tribunal will deliver a favourable verdict in his appeal against his positive test for nandrolone, a banned substance, during the tournament's inaugural edition last year.

Asif is currently suspended from playing all forms of cricket by the Pakistan board until the IPL concludes its inquiry. "I am quite hopeful that I will be cleared," Asif said on his return to Karachi. Asif appeared before the tribunal on January 24 in Mumbai. Although the hearing is complete, the tribunal has reserved its judgement to a later date.

"The tribunal has accepted that it were the eye drops which I used contained nandrolone," Asif claimed. Asif had told the tribunal that he was unaware that Keratyl, the eye drops he used to treat a painful and inflamed eye, contained nandrolone. The tribunal, which includes Sunil Gavaskar, lawyer Shirish Gupte and Dr Ravi Bapat, will meet again before delivering a verdict.

"It's up to the tribunal now, but my doctors and lawyers have strongly pleaded the case," Asif said. He was released by his IPL team, Delhi Daredevils, from his contract last week. "I just want to focus on playing for Pakistan and that was the only reason I quit my IPL contract," he said.

Asif is also facing a PCB investigation on his detention at Dubai airport last year for possessing opium