The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday cleared maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar of indiscipline and suspended a 5,000-dollar fine, while warning him to stay out of trouble for six weeks.
The fast bowler had been fined 100,000 rupees (1,650 dollars) for leaving a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing manager Talat Ali, and 200,000 rupees for snubbing a subsequent hearing.
Ali said that after a fresh inquiry ordered earlier this week the paceman had been cleared. "Shoaib has been exonerated after a warning as he explained that the entire incident was the result of miscommunication," said Ali. Akhtar had appealed against the fine on the grounds that he was not given advance notice of the hearing, having only been told after the fine was imposed, PCB officials said.
The 32-year-old fast bowler also pleaded that he had told captain Shoaib Malik that he was leaving the camp. Malik agreed but said he had informed the paceman to also tell Ali, they said.
"Ali conducted the fresh inquiry after which it has been decided to suspend the fine for the next six weeks and in case of another breach the bowler will be fined 100,000 rupees," PCB spokesman Ahsan Malik told AFP.
An appellate committee had on Monday ordered a fresh inquiry into the alleged breach of discipline by the bowler. Shoaib Akhtar, also involved in a doping scandal last year, is gearing up to play his part in Pakistan's campaign in next month's inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
He missed the 50-over World Cup held in the Caribbean earlier this year due to a knee injury and his comeback was delayed after Pakistan's two matches - against Scotland and India - were washed out last month.
Shoaib Akhtar said the PCB's decision would put him in the right frame of mind to play. "The episode had disturbed me no end. Now I can focus on my game and play my part in the Twenty20 World Cup," said Shoaib Akhtar. Pakistan fly out to Kenya to play in a warm-up Twenty20 tournament which involves the hosts, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.
They play their opening match in the Twenty20 World Cup against Scotland at Durban on September 12 before taking on arch-rivals India at the same venue two days later.