Shoaib pleads ignorance over doping row

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"There are so many vitamins, remedies, syrups that can produce steroids but we don't know about them, never learnt about them," Akhtar said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board's doping tribunal last month banned Akhtar for two years and Mohammad Asif for one year after both tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone - a decision reversed by the PCB's appeals committee.

"It's been a tough time but thank God it's over now," Akhtar said. "A lot has been said but now I just want to concentrate on cricket. I don't want to look behind now.

"We didn't take anything knowingly.

"I've had so many injuries in my career and I've taken so many medicines for them. Players are not doctors so they don't always know."

Akhtar said that players found it difficult to understand the literature on doping.

"Speaking English and reading English are very different things. Many people have little education too," Akhtar said.

Akhtar, also known as Rawalpindi Express, said that there must be a proper doctor and a nutritionist associated with the team so that players know exactly which dietary supplements were good for the players.

The PCB organized lectures on doping in 2002, but Akhtar felt that was not enough to educate the players.

"They only told us to give urine samples like this and that," Akhtar said.

"Lectures are fine but there is no education. We were not told this (supplement) you can take and this you can't."

The PCB has said that both fast bowlers have to prove their fitness to come under consideration for next month's tour to South Africa.

Akhtar has played one first class game in which he bowled 12 overs and also scored 28 runs.

"I had a good practice game. Unfortunately if the decision had come earlier I would have played more practice games."

Akhtar rated Pakistan as the second best team after Australia for next year's World Cup in the West Indies.

"We have the most balanced team in the world after Australia," Akhtar said.

"It's time to realize that we have to perform as a team, results come from a team not an individual as it has been in the past."