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If Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI's chief administrative officer, has the last word, Shoaib Akhtar may not be able to take part in the ongoing IPL despite being allowed to play by the PCB. The BCCI has disallowed Shoaib from playing in the IPL tournament in view of Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to ban him for five years.

The PCB’s disciplinary committee had earlier allowed pacer Shoaib Akhtar to play in the IPL as well as in the county cricket. Climbing down from his confrontational stand against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Monday agreed to accept any disciplinary action taken by the board.

Akhtar left everyone surprised at the first regular hearing of the appellate tribunal which is hearing his appeal against the five-year ban imposed on him by PCB by agreeing to its disciplinary action.

A statement read by Akthar's lawyer said: "I (Akhtar) would like to apologise from the bottom of my heart for any grief or embarrassment that may have been caused to the nation, particularly to the PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf. I have resolved to alter my habits to refrain from such incidents in future and I will obey the PCB rules and regulations," the statement said.

The 32-year-old paceman was banned earlier this month for breaching the players' code of conduct by publicly criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he was not offered a central contract in January. Shoaib can still not play for Pakistan as he is serving a five-year ban.