No ban on Salim Malik to play

Lawyers of disgraced former captain, Salim Malik, on Wednesday claimed there was not bar on the stylish batsman's participation in the ongoing Patron's Trophy competition.

"Since the court has given him stay against the lifeban imposed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Salim can play cricket in Pakistan," lawyer Zahid Aziz said from Lahore.

Salim was banned for life from international and first-class cricket by the PCB after a match-fixing inquiry was made public in May last year.

Malik was also barred from holding any cricketing post in Pakistan besides being fined Rs one million.

"The PCB is not a competent authority to implement the recommendations of an inquiry which was set up to find facts. Besides, my client was not given any hearing or any notice prior to the decision against him," Aziz said.

Malik has filed an appeal in a civil court in Lahore which granted him stay until March 20 this year.

"There will be arguments on the decision of life ban in the March 20 hearing and we will press hard for rejection of the PCB decision."

The PCB maintains the inquiry was judicial and their decision to impose penalties on players was justified.

Besides Malik, former pacer Ata-ur-Rehman was also banned for life after the inquiry. But he is representing Allied Bank in the Patron's Trophy.

Former captains Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis and Inzamam-ul- Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Akram Raza were also fined between Rs 100,000 to Rs 300,000.