Karachi, August 24:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday cleared maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar of indiscipline and suspended a $5,000 fine, while warning him to stay out of trouble for six weeks.

The fast bowler had been fined around $1,650 for leaving a training camp in Karachi earlier this month without informing manager Talat Ali, and $3300 for snubbing a subsequent hearing.

Ali said that after a fresh inquiry ordered earlier this week the paceman had been cleared. “Akhtar has been exonerated after a warning as he explained that the entire incident was the result of miscommunication,” said Ali.

Akhtar had appealed against the fine on the grounds that he was not given advance notice of the hearing, having only been told after the fine was imposed. Akhtar also pleaded he had told captain Shoaib Malik that he was leaving the camp. Malik agreed but said he had informed the paceman to also tell Ali, they said.