Nov 13, 2006, 15:24 GMT
New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Sympathising with drug-tainted Pakistani fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, legendary West Indies speedster Courtney Walsh said here Monday that cricket should be cleaned of evils like doping.
'I have my sympathy for the both Shoaib and Asif. I don't know what is the truth but if anything like that has happened then we should go deep into the matter and clear the image of cricket,' said Walsh, who is here to promote tourism for Jamaica for the upcoming World Cup.
A specially constituted Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) medical tribunal banned Shoaib for two years and Asif for one year from playing all forms of cricket from Nov 1 after it was confirmed that they had taken banned steroid Nandrolone.
As a result, the Pakistani team will be badly hit by their absence, especially in the World Cup in the West Indies in March-April.
The PCB had conducted the tests in September and both players missed the Champions Trophy in India following the disclosure of their results.
'It is a gentleman's game, after all, and it should be played in true spirit,' said Walsh, who was epitome of gentleman cricketer.
He once refused to run out a Pakistani batsman when he left his crease at the non-striker's end while backing up too much. He stopped just before delivering the ball, arms folded, and quietly went back to his bowling run-up.
On the West Indies' chances in the World Cup, the 44-year-old Jamaican said: 'We have a good chance and I am confident that we will reach the finals. Hopefully, we will face India in the title clash.
'Our guys have done well in the recent past, but they lack consistency. (Batsman Chris) Gayle has been in fine touch and if he gets going it will be a cause of concern for other teams,' said Walsh, who took 519 Test wickets, a previous world record, and 227 in one-dayers in his illustrious career.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service
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