PCB to give out verdict on Ahmed Shehzad's positive dope test soon

Not long ago, Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad was compared to Indian captain Virat Kohli, more for his looks than performance. But for the 26-year-old, those days look a distant past now with his country’s cricket board considering a six-month ban on the cricketer after his dope test proved to be positive.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will officially come up with the verdict in a day or two, Pakistani daily The Express Tribune said in a report on Monday, August 27. Shehzad was temporarily suspended and accused of violating anti-doping regulations after testing positive for a prohibited substance in the month of May. The ban could also be raised to two years if he is found to be guilty a second time. A third offence could see him getting banned for life.

Shehzad’s sample result was confirmed in June

Shehzad’s in-competition urine sample collected during the domestic Pakistan Cup competition in May tested positive and the result was confirmed by an independent review board in June.

“He has been given till July 18 2018 to advise whether he wishes to have his B Sample tested and till July 27 to respond to the charges levelled in the Notice of Charge,” the PCB said in a statement on its official website. “The PCB has also provisionally suspended Ahmed Shehzad pending the outcome of the charges.”

Shehzad, who made his international debut in 2009, has played 13 Tests, 81 ODIs and 57 T20Is for Pakistan till date. He has 10 international hundreds in all formats combined and has two wickets in ODIs as well. His most recent appearance for Pakistan came in June when he played Scotland in a T20I game.

He made his international debut at 18 and was considered to be one of the brightest prospects for Pakistan but he did not live up to the expectations. On the top of it, he was perceived to be a player with attitudinal problems that had made his team’s management to seek his removal from the squad in the past.

For all the latest cricket news and other updates follow CricTracker.