Inzamam hearing now at end of September

Inzamam-ul-Haq: Judgment day on hold until the end of September © AFP

Inzamam-ul-Haq's disciplinary hearing for the Pakistan team's actions in the Oval Test has again been delayed until the end of September.

The hearing was originally scheduled for August 25 but was postponed because Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC chief referee, was unavailable due to an illness in the family. Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan board, told Reuters this morning that the hearing was set for September 15, but the date has again been changed to the end of the month.

"When we met with the lawyers for the PCB yesterday - which was a very amicable meeting - we suggested that the hearing happen on the 14th and 15th, bearing in mind that the one-day series finishes the previous Sunday," Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive said. "That date did not suit them for one reason or another and they asked for it to be put back. We are looking now for a date that suits the key participants ... so at this stage we are looking at the last week in September."

Inzamam and his team have been charged with ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute. If found guilty of both charges, Inzamam could be banned for eight one-day internationals or four Tests.

Meanwhile, Shaharyar also confirmed that Pakistan's tour will go ahead despite all the controversy surrounding it. "I have spoken firmly with the boys and told them we have to fulfill our commitments even if they feel slighted by Hair and believe the hearing should have been held before the one-day series." Pakistan are scheduled to play a Twenty20 international on Monday, followed by a five-match one-day series which starts on August 30 and ends on September 10.