Yasir Shah suspension puts selectors in a spot

Karachi: Pakistan cricket’s chief selector Haroon Rasheed on Sunday said that the provisional suspension slapped on leg spinner Yasir Shah by the ICC is a huge setback for the national team ahead of the upcoming New Zealand tour. “You wake up every day and are faced with a new problem in Pakistan cricket. We now have to revise all our plans for the coming events,” Rasheed said.

Meanwhile, a spokesman in the Pakistan Cricket Board made it clear that since ICC was dealing with the Yasir case under the anti-doping regulations, there would be no comments on the issue.

“As per ICC rules, a process would be followed now but at this time all we know is that he is provisionally banned and is most probably out of the tour to New Zealand,” he said.

A source in the PCB confided to PTI that Yasir could face a ban between one to two years as the banned substance he had used was also technically seen as a masking agent.

“Yasir apparently took some medicines for a blood pressure problem but didn’t inform the team doctor or the PCB medical panel, which was a grave mistake,” the source said.

“Obviously with Yasir out Pakistan’s bowling resources will be depleted. So there is a strong chance that if they are no visa issues Aamir will be picked for the New Zealand series,” the source said.

Yasir, 29, has been Pakistan’s mainstay in Test matches since last year, scalping 76 wickets in 12 matches to lead the ICC bowler rankings. He has also picked up 18 ODI wickets.

In the past, Pakistan fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif had tested positive for banned substances and were subsequently suspended from the 2006 Champions Trophy and 2007 World Cup.