Pak leaves for SA, Asif to join

The Pakistan team sans pacer Mohd Asif on Thursday left for South Africa to participate in the Champions Trophy.
Asif, 26, has not been permitted by the International Cricket Council to leave with the team as he is still serving a 12-month ban for having tested positive in a dope test during the Indian Premier League last year in India.
"Asif's ban ends on Sept 22"
Asif was banned by the drugs inquiry tribunal last September, a decision endorsed by the ICC but he has already been under a blanket ban since July last year from the PCB for his doping and disciplinary offences.
The pacer had also spent 19-days in detention in Dubai in June, 2008 for possession of a small quantity of hashish while returning from the IPL.
"Asif's ban ends on September 22 that is when he will become an official member of the team and can train and travel with the team," Team manager Yawar Saeed said.
"The ICC has made it clear he can't be considered a part of the team until the ban ends so he will travel on September 21 to join us," Yawar added.
Because of the fact that Asif was deported from Dubai last year the board has decided not to take any risks and send him to South Africa via London.
Asif's impressive record in 11 Tests and 31 ODIs helped his cause and the pacer was picked in the Champions Trophy squad despite the ban after the board sought special permission from the ICC.
"Selection committee will decide if Asif is match fit"
Yawar said the tour selection committee would take a decision on whether Asif will immediately play against the West Indies on the September 23.
"The tour selection committee will watch him bowl in the nets and decide if he is match fit for a comeback as he has not played for the last 17 months," he added.
Asif was also not allowed to train with the Pakistan team in the two camps in Lahore and Karachi and has been preparing for his comeback by training in national under-23 and under-19 camps set up by the board.
Captain Younis Khan insisted that Asif would not be an automatic selection for the first two matches.
"I have repeatedly said he is coming back after a long time and it takes time for any bowler to ease back into international cricket after such a long break. We really don't have high expectations from him," Younis said.
"We don't want to put any pressure on him," he added.
Pakistan squad: Younis Khan (C), Shahid Afridi (VC), Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Yousuf, Imran Nazir, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam, Saeed Ajmal, Muhammad Asif, Rao Iftikhar, Umar Gul, Rana Naved and Muhammad Aamir.

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