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ICC not probing Akhtar's action: Shaharyar
February 17, 2006 14:18 IST
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan has denied reports that pacer Shoaib Akhtar's [Images] action is once again under the ICC [Images] scanner and that the bowler was being deliberately kept out of the team to protect him from being reported.
"No report has been received, nothing has been done and the status quo that his action is fine remains," Shaharyar told Cricinfo.com.
"The ICC has told me there is nothing against Shoaib because if there was, it has to come out and be reported to them," he added.
Earlier newspapers in Pakistan had reported that the speedster's action was again being examined by cricket's governing body and the ankle injury was just an excuse to shield him from being investigated again.
"Nothing of the sort has happened. In fact, the ICC has said he has been reported three times and has been passed fit to play. There is nothing from the match referee or the umpires so there is nothing for us to do.
"His ankle is genuinely bad. He bowled when he shouldn't have had against England [Images] and he has damaged his other ankle by avoiding putting pressure on one ankle. It is a genuine injury and that is the only reason he is not playing," he said.
The PCB chief said he was quite concerned when Team India coach Greg Chappell [Images] reportedly called Shoaib's action "seriously different" but decided not to pursue the matter after Chappell clarified himself.
"We were concerned about the comments made about his action. I went to the ICC and said if Chappell has actually said that, then they are against the code of conduct.
"We received a reply from the ICC saying Chappell had been informally spoken to and he said he had been quoted out of context. If he says it is out of context then we don't lay a charge and it is over," he said.