Shoaib Malik files appeal against PCB ban

Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, has filed an appeal against the sanctions imposed on him by the PCB, in the aftermath of Pakistan's disastrous tour of Australia. This means that six of the seven punished players have now lodged official appeals, the only exception being Mohammad Yousuf, who has retired from the game.

"Malik's counsel Ahmed Hussain has sent his appeal against the fine and ban, and now an independent arbitrator will deal with the case," PCB's legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi told AFP.

Malik, who was in India recently for his marriage with Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, was banned for a year and fined Rs. 2 million ($24,000) for his role in inciting player unrest within the team. His appeal comes a day after Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi filed their formal appeals. The Akmal brothers and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan lodged their appeals last week.

Rizvi had earlier clarified that the appeal process does not employ an appellate tribunal, but that under the PCB constitution, they will be sent first to the governing board and through them to one of a list of PCB-appointed independent arbitrators. In this case the arbitrators are two retired Supreme court judges - Muneer Sheikh and Jamshed Ali Shah - and a former high court judge, Irfan Qadir.

Commenting on a demand by Younis' lawyer that the appeal process be held in public, Rizvi said that was a decision for the arbitrator to make. "Usually, in-house tribunal proceedings are never held in public, but it will be up to the arbitrator to regulate the procedure, which will be decided after the deadline of the appeal [April 16]."

Afridi is the captain of the Pakistan team, for the upcoming World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies, which also includes the Akmal brothers.