Lahore, Jan. 24 : Banned Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Asif could be facing a two year ban from all forms of cricket when he faces a three-man tribunal hearing into the drug abuse case involving him during the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year.

The tribunal consisting of former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, the former vice-chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Dr. Ravi Bapat and lawyer Shirish Gupte would be hearing Asif's plea in Mumbai today.

According to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official there is a very slim chance of Asif getting away from the charges, and he would be probably banned from all forms cricket for two years.

However, Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim has denied the charges of him (Asif) taking the banned steroid nandrolone.

Karim charged that the whole procedure of the IPL regarding the matter was imperfect.

"Our stand is very clear that Asif did not take any banned substance and we feel the procedure adopted in the IPL was flawed," he said.

It is also expected that in case the tribunal imposes a ban on the tainted fast bowler, his (Asif's) lawyer would demand that the ban be back-dated to July last year, when Asif was banned from all cricket by the PCB, The Nation reported. (ANI)