SRK hopeful BCCI will allow Shoaib to play for his team

Mumbai, Apr 5 : Bollywood superstar and owner of the IPL's "Kolkata Knight Riders" team, Shahrukh Khan has said that he was hopeful that Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar would be cleared of disciplinary charges and the BCCI will allow him to play for his team.

"We would stand by him during his hearing. He gets cleared, he will be on the board of the team and play. I have been assured that in a few days if the appeal is upheld, things go right. We are still hoping that it goes right. Otherwise I think IPL Chairman Lalit Modi has also clarified to us that we would be allowed an opportunity if the other seven teams agree to go for another player," said Khan.

He, however, added: "As far as the legality is concerned, as long as Indian Premier League (IPL), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), International Cricket Council (ICC), all of them decide that you cannot have a player play, we cannot go against that." Earlier, Khan had said that he would ask the BCCI to review its decision of disallowing Shoaib to play in the IPL until the PCB lifts its five-year ban on him.

Shoaib had been signed up for the Kolkata team in the eight-team franchise league, promoted by the BCCI and endorsed by all major national boards.

On Friday, Shoaib filed an appeal against a five-year ban imposed on him by the PCB.

The PCB had imposed a five-year ban on Shoaib for repeatedly breaching the players' code of conduct. The Board also sued him for three million dollars for allegedly defaming the board's chairman, Nasim Ashraf.

ANI