Pakistan court lifts life ban on Malik - lawyer

KARACHI (Reuters) - A court has lifted the life ban imposed on former Pakistan captain Salim Malik for alleged involvement in match fixing, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Shahid Karim said a civil court judge had removed the ban and fine, which were imposed following a probe into alleged match-rigging, declaring them illegal.

"It's decided that the imposition of penalty and life ban were beyond the powers of the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and could not have been done and had no legal basis," Karim said.

Malik, who played 103 tests, was banned by the board in 2001 on the recommendations of a judicial inquiry commission, which carried out a 18-month probe into allegations of match-fixing made against Pakistani players.

The commission recommended a life ban for Malik and fines on other senior players including Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis.

Malik had challenged the ban in the Supreme Court, which referred the case to the civil court.

"It is a big day for me," Malik told Reuters. "I am overjoyed that finally this stigma of match fixing is gone."

Malik said he would be discussing the possibility of filing a lawsuit for damages against the board.

"I am relieved to be exonerated of these charges," he said. "But I have suffered a lot of mental trauma and loss of reputation in these last seven eight years."