Rana Naved Hopes to Have Ban Lifted in Appeal Hearing

Karachi: Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved ul Hasan is hoping to get the leniency that his other teammates got when his appeal against a 12-month ban comes up before a Pakistan Cricket Board-appointed judge on June 19.

Retired Justice Irfan Qadir, who has already lifted bans on former captains Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan and reduced fines on the Akmal brothers, will hear out an appeal from Naved against the ban and the Rs 2 million fine imposed on him in March for alleged indiscipline.

"I am very hopeful that the judge will remove the ban and also fine and allow me to represent my country once again. The team for England is due to be announced on Sunday and I have still not given up hope of making the squad," Naved said in an interview.

The PCB's inquiry committee charged Rana Naved with under-performing and some members and the former Pakistan team coach Intikhab Alam also raised doubts over his performances in a one-day and Twenty20 match during the tour of Australia.

Naved, who has played for Pakistan in 87 ODIS, said the charges of under-performing still haunt him as he had always given his 100 per cent.

"Playing for Pakistan is a great honour for me and I could never even think about being dishonest with my performances for my country which has given me so much to be proud about," he said.

The PCB inquiry committee questioned Naved about his performance in the Twenty20 match in which he scored only one run from nine balls as Pakistan chased a small total of 128 runs.

Naved said he struggled to score runs as he sustained an injury on his arm while batting after getting a short pitched ball from Mitchell Johnson.

"I said the same thing to the inquiry committee and informed them about the details of that injury and how I was in great pain during the innings, but they apparently saw things differently," he added.

"The allegations against me are disappointing and unfair and I hope that at the hearing, the charges are dropped."

Indications are that the judge will uphold Naved's appeal as the board has gone soft on the players after handing them out the strong punishments in March.