New Delhi, Nov. 21: A group of Congress MPs met Sharad Pawar yesterday and requested him to get the Indian cricket board to lift its life ban on Mohammad Azharuddin.

Union minister Pawar, who is vice-president of world cricket body ICC, was said to be sympathetic. The move could be discussed at the board’s annual general meeting (AGM) but will take time to fructify because the matter is in court, sources said.

Azhar, 46, a former India captain and now Congress MP, was banned nine years ago for alleged match-fixing. He will be eligible for a job as a cricket administrator or selector if the ban is lifted. It may also allow his political career to come out of the cricket controversy’s shadow for good.

The MPs who met Pawar were Jitin Prasada, Rajiv Shukla, Raj Babbar, Sanjay Singh and Praveen Singh Aron. With them was Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh.

Shukla also spoke to board president Shashank Manohar, who said that if Azhar showed an interest, the subject could be discussed at the AGM.