Bismillah Khan's appeal against ban turned down

Quetta wicketkeeper Bismillah Khan has had his appeal against a one-year disciplinary ban turned down by a PCB judicial commissioner, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, in Lahore. This means Bismillah will not receive a central contract from the Pakistan board.

Bismillah, who was handed a 12-month ban for fighting in a grade-two match at Jinnah Stadium in Gujranwala on April 21, had been named in the stipend category of the PCB's 2012 contracts.

Following the contracts announcement, Intikhab Alam, the PCB's director of international cricket operations, said that Bismillah would not be excluded from the list unless the commissioner ruled against him. "His contact currently is on hold, we will wait for the outcome of his appeal," Alam had said. "The contract will be withdrawn if the commissioner upholds his ban."

In all, 21 Pakistan players had been given full-fledged contracts in May, while 21 players have been placed in the stipend category. Players in the stipend category will receive a retainer of 62,500 Pakistan rupees (US$660 approx) for the calendar year 2012 from the PCB.