BBC Sport – Ex-Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik will not be joining Lancashire after having his international ban overturned.
The all-rounder was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board for disciplinary reasons after the tour of Australia.
But a successful appeal against the one-year ban frees Malik for the Asia Cup and next month’s tour of England. Lancashire, who had signed Malik, 28, earlier this month for their Twenty20 campaign, have now told BBC Sport that they are looking at other options.
Malik, who was sacked as captain after the one-day series against Sri Lanka in January last year, was due to join Lancashire’s overseas pair of Simon Katich and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and replace outgoing South Africa international Ashwell Prince.
He was scheduled to arrive at Old Trafford ahead of their Twenty20 campaign against Durham on Friday (4 June).
But Lancashire officials confirmed on Saturday evening, following the rained-off first day of the Roses match at Old Trafford, that they have been forced to look elsewhere, while also admitting that time is now against the 2005 beaten finalists.
Malik’s international suspension came alongside indefinite bans handed to key batsmen Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan.
They were accused of “infighting which… brought down the whole team” on the troubled tour of Australia, in which Pakistan lost all three Tests, five one-day matches and a Twenty20 international.
Prior to the suspension, Malik, who married Indian tennis player Sania Mirza in April, had played 29 Test matches and 190 one-day internationals.
Now an independent arbitration tribunal has “partially accepted” his appeal, overturning his ban while also halving his fine to one million Pakistan rupees (£8,100).
“I am very happy on getting this news,” said Malik.
“It’s a sort of new lease of life for me and I desperately want to play for my country again.”
Malik and Younus, who had both lodged appeals against their bans, were named in a 35-man “probables” squad on May 25 for the forthcoming Asia Cup, as well as this summer’s series against Australia and England.
