Quote:Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been provisionally suspended under the ICC's anti-doping code for testing positive for a banned substance. A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA's prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents.

While he is provisionally suspended, Yasir cannot play - or be involved in any capacity in - international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members. He can request for his B sample to be tested, and if that test does not confirm a positive result then the entire test will be considered negative and the suspension will be lifted with immediate effect.

Yasir can also request for a hearing before an anti-doping tribunal through a written application that must be received by the anti-doping manager within 14 days. Should he want a hearing, Yasir must state in his application how he responds to the charge and his explanation for the same.

Quote:The ICC accepted Shah’s claim that he had taken the banned substance for therapeutic reasons - namely to treat high blood pressure. The ICC said he had mistakenly taken his wife’s medication - which contained chlortalidone - instead of his own.

Shah added in a statement issued by the ICC: “I assure all fans and followers of the Pakistan cricket team that I have never taken a performance-enhancing substance nor have I ever had the intent of masking any such substance. I have always been careful to check my medication with doctors and medical support staff to ensure it does not contain any substance on the prohibited list.

“However, I acknowledge that I should have taken extra precautions to ensure that my blood pressure medication was stored separately from my wife’s medication so that there was no possibility of my wife’s medication being mistaken for my own. Therefore, I accept the consequences imposed upon me.”