PCB defers Shoaib disciplinary decision

	Shoaib Akhtar will have to wait a bit longer to hear what the PCB decides to do with him © AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board has deferred a decision on disciplinary action against Shoaib Akhtar, who faces a possible life ban for violating the body's code of conduct.

"We have empowered the disciplinary committee to take a decision on Akhtar and legspinner Danish Kaneria after giving them a proper hearing," PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf told reporters. The hearing will be held within a week.

Shoaib is on a two-year probation and if found guilty of violating the PCB code, could face a life ban. Last month he accused the PCB of double standards over the awarding of central contracts to players and criticised facilities during a first-class match.

In October last year, Akhtar was fined 3.4 million rupees (US$52,000 dollars) and banned for 13 matches for hitting fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif with a bat, just days before the start of the ICC World Twenty20. He was put on probation for two years following the incident. Akhtar, 32, was also dropped from Pakistan's list of 15 contracted players in January after the he had another disappointing year, plagued by injures and discipline problems.

Earlier this month Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson, in his tour report on the away series against India, advised against the selection of Shoaib for Tests, so that the fast bowler could prolong his international career.

The case against Kaneria centres on a website column in which he expressed his anger after being demoted from a B category contract to a C category deal.