PCB rules out dope tests before ODI series against Australia

Karachi:

Rubbishing speculation that Shoaib Akhtar would be made to undergo dope tests during the one-day series against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has insisted that the World Anti-Doping Agency rules do not apply on bilateral tournaments.

The PCB has not conducted dope tests on its players going to the Emirates for the one-day matches triggering speculation that Shoaib, who has made a return to the side, could be tested by the ICC during the series.

But a PCB official said since WADA rules didn't apply to bilateral series, the board intended to carry out dope tests only before the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June. "We didn't conduct dope tests because these were done just sometime back. But we will do it again before the T20 World Cup," he said.

But sources in the ICC insist that after the introduction of new anti-doping regulations this year, the governing body can carry out random dope tests during competitions. But they said reports about the ICC targetting Shoaib Akhtar for a dope tests were not correct.