Karachi: The appellate tribunal, formed to hear Shoaib Akhtar’s appeal against the five-year ban imposed on him, allowed the fast bowler to file a fresh appeal after his lawyer complained of not receiving some documents from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday.

The three-member tribunal held its first hearing on the day in Lahore, but the proceedings were adjourned 45 minutes after Shoaib’s lawyer Abid Hasan Minto argued that the PCB had still not provided them complete documents relating to the case.

“We have now allowed Shoaib’s lawyer to file a fresh and revised appeal by April 21st after reviewing the additional documents,” Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh, who heads the three-member tribunal told a news conference.

He said the tribunal would now start proceedings from the April 26 and it would take around nine to 10 days to hear the arguments of both parties and then deliberate on the available evidence and arguments. The two other members of the tribunal include former Test player Haseeb Ahsan and a former minister Salman Taseer.

“I can’t give a date on when we can reach a judgement,” Farrukh said. Farrukh said both the parties would be given a fair chance to argue their case and if necessary personal and sensitive details disclosed during the proceedings would not be made public.

Shoaib said the hearing didn’t last long because of incomplete documents.

“My lawyers didn’t get all the papers despite reminders to the board. But I am still very confident about getting justice,” Shoaib told reporters.

The fast bowler was banned for five years on several counts of violating the players code of conduct by the PCB, earlier this month. (PTI)