'No test, no tour,' warns PCB

Shoaib and Asif must pass a drugs test if they are to take part in the World Cup © Getty Images

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif will not travel to the Caribbean for the World Cup if they fail to take a dope test, according to Pakistan cricket officials. The Pakistan Cricket Board completed tests on 13 of its 15-man squad and five reserves this week but Shoaib and Asif have yet to feature, raising media speculation they might be forced out of the event starting on March 13.

"PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf has a zero tolerance on the use of banned substances so any member of the team going for the World Cup has to pass the screening, the in-house dope testing," Salim Altaf, the PCB's director of operations, told AFP. "The chairman has directed that nobody can go on the tour if this screening is not done."

Shoaib was banned for two years and Asif for one year in November after they tested positive for the steroid nandrolone. But the new-ball pair's bans were controversially overturned by a PCB appellate committee in December, on the grounds they did not take the banned substance knowingly. Experts have warned that Shoaib and Asif may still have banned substances in their systems after testing positive last year and face life bans if they test positive again.

Altaf, however, brushed aside speculation over the dope tests on Shoaib and Asif. "Everybody will feature otherwise nobody can go and that is the instruction of the chairman and we hope all speculations die down after this," said Altaf, a former fast bowler. He also rejected suggestions the PCB was risking life bans for the pair if they test positive a second time. "If they failed tests which took place in September 2006 and this is now February 2007, the process is the same for everybody."

Shoaib said he still hopes to be fit for World Cup despite battling to recover from knee and hamstring problems. "I am going for another reassessment of my knee and hamstring injury in England later this week and only after that I am able to know about my chances of playing in the World Cup," he told AFP. Asked when he was due to appear for testing, Shoaib refused to comment and said his first priority was to get over his injury.

"Right now I want my injury to heal and only after that I am going to think about anything else," said Shoaib, who joined Pakistan's pre-tour camp in Lahore on Friday but only took part in exercises. "My chances of playing in the World Cup are 50-50 and I will take a final decision only after having a reassessment of the knee. The doctor has stopped me from bowling until February 27."

Asif meanwhile also had an assessment in England last week after a recurrence of an elbow injury before returning home on Wednesday. "Both Shoaib and Asif are consulting the specialist over their injuries and once these problems are overcome they will feature in the tests," said Altaf. Another paceman, Umar Gul, featured in the training camp and said on Friday that he "felt great" after recovering from an ankle injury sustained on Pakistan's tour of South Africa last month.

Altaf said all the squad members will have to pass fitness tests as well. "Before the departure of the team to the Caribbean all 15 players are going to subjected to a fitness test by a medical panel of the PCB," he said. Pakistan has until March 2 to replace any injured player in their squad. After the deadline only the International Cricket Council's technical committee is entitled to allow an injury replacement. Pakistan also has ICC permission to replace any player who tests positive.