Karachi, Mar 14 Amid strong indications that the Pakistan Cricket Board may severely discipline Shoaib Akhtar this time, the fast bowler is making all possible efforts, including approaching a top Indian cricket official to speak to the PCB Chief to bail him out of the current situation.

Having already been banned for 13 matches last year and fined 3.4 million rupees for having a brawl with teammate Mohammad Asif before the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, Shoaib is facing a situation where he could be banned for a long period and fined heavily again.

The governing body of the Board will meet on March 22 in Lahore to discuss recommendations of the disciplinary committee, currently hearing charges of misconduct and violation of the players Code of Conduct against Shoaib.

Sources said that besides charges of speaking publicly against the policies of the Board, Shoaib has also been charged with misconduct and spoiling team spirit in the 'Federal Areas' dressing room when he captained them in the first match of the Pentangular Cup last month in Lahore.

Shoaib was dropped from the Federal Areas team after going wicketless in the first match.

A Federal Areas official said the manager and coach had submitted a strong report on Shoaib's conduct to the Board and asked for action to be taken against him.

"Shoaib knows he is in a tight situation and even got a top Indian official who closely involved in the Indian Premier League to try to get a pardon for him from the PCB," one source confirmed. PTI