Pakistani pace bowler Mohammad Asif was released by the authorities on Wednesday and all charges against him regarding the possession of contraband drugs were dropped and this was confirmed by the Pakistan ambassador to UAE and he told reporters that the speedster had been given a clean chit. Earlier Asif was held at Dubai airport for possessing contraband drugs as he was returning to Pakistan from Mumbai after his participation in the Indian Premier League. He plays for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL and he was taken in custody by the authorities at the airport. He is said to be in possession of drugs that are banned in the country and it was the second occasion when the pacer was involved in such an incident. Pakistan is scheduled to play in the India-Bangladesh tri series later this month and the speedsters absence could have been a major setback for the team. This was not the first time that Asif had been in trouble. He was banned along with Shoaib Akhtar for testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid Nandralone just before the ICC Champions Trophy on October 16- 2006. On November 1- 2006 the Pakistan Cricket Board PCB handed down a two-year suspension to Shoaib and a 1 year suspension to Asif. Both Shoaib and Asif appealed against the ban and a second tribunal was set up and on December 5 the same year both were acquitted. Asif was later withdrawn from Pakistans World Cup squad with an unrelated injury.
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