Malik to get PCB’s green signal soon

Board to share its stance to the ICC before clearance.

LAHORE: Former captain Shoaib Malik, who has been under suspicion for dubious activities in the recent past, will soon be cleared to represent the country, as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) integrity committee has been convinced that the all-rounder is not a match-fixer.

The integrity committee, at its hearing on Monday, was satisfied with the explanations that Malik gave over his bank transactions. A meeting takes place this morning to finalise matters.

A PCB official told The Express Tribune that the board will soon be conveying their stance to the International Cricket Council (ICC) before going public with it.

“One thing must be understood that there are no match-fixing allegations or suspicions against Malik,” the official told The Express Tribune. “There were directives by the ICC over the integrity issue and hence we had to follow certain protocols by going through the details of the player’s assets.”

The former captain had submitted documents to the board explaining how he got an amount of £95,000 in his England bank account.

“There were some questions over Malik’s bank transaction but most of them are cleared and we’re satisfied, although we have sought some further documents from him. Once he submits those he’ll be cleared.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2011.