| Pakistani
fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has tendered an unconditional
apology to a tribunal hearing his appeal against a five-year
ban, the tribunal head said Tuesday.
The
32-year-old paceman was banned earlier this month for
breaching the players' code of conduct by publicly criticising
the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he was not offered
a central contract in January.
The
three-member tribunal, headed by retired judge Aftab
Farrukh, met here Monday and will meet again on Wednesday
to take a decision on the maverick Akhtar's appeal.
"After
arguments from both sides, Akhtar voluntarily asked
to tender an unqualified apology to all the public,
the chairman of the PCB and all his teammates for his
actions," Justice Aftab said.
Akhtar
lashed out at the PCB in January after he was dropped
from the list of 15 contracted players, following Pakistan's
1-0 defeat against arch rivals India a month before.
He
was already on two-years' probation for hitting teammate
Mohammad Asif with a bat a few days before the Twenty20
World Cup in South Africa in September last year.
A
statement read by Akthar's lawyer said: "I (Akhtar)
would like to apologise from the bottom of my heart
for any grief or embarrassment that may have been caused
to the nation, particularly to the PCB chairman Nasim
Ashraf.
"I
have resolved to alter my habits to refrain from such
incidents in future and I will obey the PCB rules and
regulations," the statement said.
Justice
Farrukh said the tribunal will now wait for the PCB's
response.
"Though
Akhtar's apology has made the case easier to decide,
we have to see what is the PCB's response. His apology
may bring a mitigation factor in the case. The punishment
may be reduced or it can be increased too," Justice
Farrukh said.
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