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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has urged Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to debar paceman Ata-ur-Rehman from playing first-class cricket.

Highly placed sources said the ICC made the request earlier this week. No PCB official was available to confirm or deny the report.

The ICC made the request after Ata appeared for Allied Bank in the just concluded Patron's Trophy.

"If there is a ban on Ata, it automatically means he can't play at any level of cricket. No where it is written that he cannot play international cricket but can appear in first- class competition," sources said.

Ata was banned for life on the charges of perjury by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum who investigated the allegations of corruption over Pakistan players.

Salim Malik was also slapped with a lifeban after he was found involved in betting and match-fixing.

Ata was banned after he made several changes in his testimony. Initially, the lanky pacer said Wasim Akram had offered his bribe to under-perform in a one-day international in New Zealand in 1994.

He later withdrew his statement and said he was not offered bribe by anyone nor he was aware if any player was involved in match-fixing.

© Dawn