Lahore, May 29 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday lifted the one year ban on former captain Shoaib Malik, which was imposed on him following an inquiry commission's report which blamed him for infighting in the team during the disastrous Australia tour.

Malik's lawyer told media persons here that the appellate tribunal headed by Justice Irfan Qadir, which was hearing the appeals of all those players who were banned and fined by the PCB on the recommendation of the inquiry commission, has abolished the ban imposed on the allrounder, and that he was now free to play for the country.

The PCB had imposed a year's ban and a fine of two million rupee Malik and six other senior players of the team, including former captains Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf after the enquiry commission, which was formed to probe into the reasons behind Pakistan's winless tour of Australia in January-February, held the players guilty of violating the code of conduct and of being involved in infighting.

With the discontinuation of the ban, Malik is likely to return to the Pakistan squad for important upcoming assignments. He has already been included in the list of 35 probables for the June 15-24 Asia Cup, and the exhaustive tour of England. (ANI)