PTI

Islamabad, Jan 27: Suspended fast bowler Mohammad Asif on Monday claimed that the Indian Premier League drugs tribunal has accepted his argument that the banned substance found in his urine sample was due to the herbal eye drops he had used.

"The IPL drug tribunal has accepted my argument that it were the eye drops which I used that contained nandrolone," Asif said on his return from Mumbai after his IPL hearing.

The hearing into the doping charges against him was adjourned on Saturday to a later date and he said he would be cleared.

"I am quite hopeful that I will be cleared. It's up to the tribunal now, but my doctors and lawyers have strongly pleaded the case," Asif said.

The tribunal, which included former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, lawyer Shirish Gupte and Dr. Ravi Bapat, heard the Pakistan paceman's case for more than four hours on Saturday before deciding to meet again.

Asif, who has denied any wrongdoing at the hearing, was granted a release from his IPL contract with the Daredevils last Monday, and he said he requested for it as he wanted to devote tome to play for Pakistan.

"I just want to focus on playing for Pakistan and that was the only reason I quit my IPL contract," Asif said.

Asif was embroiled in another drug controversy last year, being detained in the United Arab Emirates for 19 days in June after 0.24 grams of opium were found in his wallet at Dubai Airport.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended Asif from playing domestic and international cricket until the IPL decision comes. It has also formed a three-member committee headed by former Test wicketkeeper Wasim Bari to investigate Asif's 19-day detention in Dubai.