Hope of early return for Asif

KARACHI // The Pakistan Cricket Board has asked the Indian Premier League to revise the one-year ban on fast bowler Mohammad Asif, a top official of the PCB has said. "Since Asif was tested positive in July last year we want the IPL to end his ban on July 15," the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said. "We have written a letter to Lalit Modi [the IPL Commissioner] to look into this matter." Butt also said that a proposed tri-nation series with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the new Dubai Sports City next month was called off due to the unavailability of the Sri Lankan players.

Asif was formally banned on Wednesday for one year until Sept 21 after testing positive for nandrolone during last year's inaugural tournament. However, Butt said: "We received a letter about Asif's positive dope test on July 15 last year and we want his ban to start from this date instead of Sept 21." * Associated Press