Yasir Shah suspended for doping offence

DUBAI: Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday.

“The sample Yasir provided in an in-competition test, which was conducted on 13 November 2015, was found to contain the presence of chlortalidone,” the governing body said in a statement.

Chlortalidone is a diuretic drug which features in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances.

“In accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code, pending the outcome of the disciplinary process, Yasir has been provisionally suspended,” the ICC added.

The 29-year-old was the second player from the subcontinent to be provisionally suspended for a doping violation recently.

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera faces a four-year ban after his ‘B’ sample tested positive for a banned substance.

Shah’s sample was taken in Abu Dhabi which hosted the second match of Pakistan’s one-day series against England. A wily leg-spinner who has bagged 76 wickets in 12 Tests, Shah has also played 15 one-dayers.

Pakistan’s chief selector Haroon Rasheed said that the provisional suspension would affect the team during its New Zealand tour. “You wake up every day and are faced with a new problem in Pakistan cricket. We now have to revise all our plans for the coming events,” Rasheed told a foreign news agency.

A spokesman in the Pakistan Cricket Board made it clear that since ICC was dealing with the Yasir case under the anti-doping regulations, there would be no comments on the issue.

“As per ICC rules, a process would be followed now but at this time all we know is that he is provisionally banned and is most probably out of the tour to New Zealand,” he said.

A source in the PCB said that Yasir could face a ban between one and two years as the banned substance he had used was also technically seen as a masking agent.

“Yasir apparently took some medicines for a blood pressure problem but didn’t inform the team doctor or the PCB medical panel, which was a grave mistake,” the source said.

He revealed that the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan was also upset with the team management for not keeping a closer watch on what medicines the players used for ailments.

Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif tested positive for banned substances and were subsequently suspended from the 2006 Champions Trophy and 2007 World Cup.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said Yasir’s ban would hurt Pakistan. “It is a big blow and in just one year’s time we have lost three of our best spinners in Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Yasir,” he said.

Yasir cannot play — or be involved in any capacity in — international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members.

He can request for his B sample to be tested, and if that test does not confirm a positive result then the entire test will be considered negative and the suspension will be lifted with immediate effect.

Yasir can also request for a hearing before an anti-doping tribunal through a written application that must be received by the anti-doping manager within 14 days. Should he want a hearing, Yasir must state in his application how he responds to the charge and his explanation for the same.

Yasir, 29, has been a key member of the Pakistan team since debuting in Test cricket in October 2014. Currently ranked No 4 in the Test bowlers rankings, he has played a major part in Pakistan’s success recently. Having taken 49 wickets in 2015, he is the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker overall this year till date.