Younis Khan at a press conference on Thursday

Chandigarh: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)-appointed tribunal, set up to probe the doping scandal featuring speedsters Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif, will formally meet for the first time Friday. Earlier, the session was to have been held Thursday.

“Everything had to be postponed by a day because the two-day Id holidays began a day late... However, there won’t be any more postponements,” a PCB source told The Telegraph from Lahore.

Two of the three members — chief Shahid Hamid and Intikhab Alam (a former captain, coach and manager) — did meet the tainted duo last Saturday, but a formal session wasn’t held as Dr Waqar Ahmad, the sports medicine expert, couldn’t make it to Lahore from Islamabad.

Meanwhile, talking to the Media in neighbouring Mohali, stand-in captain Younis Khan reiterated his support for Shoaib and Asif. “There’s no change in my stand... I supported them then (when the scandal broke) and I continue to support them... A player has to support fellow-players... My good wishes are with them...”

If held guilty, they face a ban.