Fit Shoaib can be considered without paying fine

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi Monday said fit Shoaib Akhtar could be considered for selection even if he doesn't pay the fine of seven million rupees.

Shoaib was issued a legal notice by the PCB last month asking him to either pay the fine imposed on him by the PCB-appointed appellate tribunal or forget a national call-up.

But, Naghmi said despite the notice, national interest would be put before everything else when it came to selection matters.

"Let's just say we will prefer to give national and team interest priority and the reports we have got about Akhtar from our team trainer and coaching staff at the national academy is very good. So if he is fit we will definitely consider him when time comes," Naghmi said.

PCB legal counsel Taffazzul Rizvi had also recently said that even if the Champions Trophy, for which Akhtar was selected, had been postponed the condition of paying the fine first to play for Pakistan still stood.