Cricket: Further blow for Pakistan

Yasir Shah bowls during the second test between Pakistan and New Zealand in Dubai. Photo / Getty

Pakistan's bowling attack for their tour to New Zealand has taken another hit with spinner Yasir Shah suspended for a drugs violation.

Shah who has taken 76 wickets in 12 tests, is facing a four year ban after testing positive for a diuretic during his side's recent series against England in the UAE.

His ban comes a week after captain Azhar Ali and Mohammed Hafeez refused to attend a training camp because fast bowler Mohammad Amir had been included after serving a five year ban for corruption.

Amir served time in an English jail for his involvement in a match-fixing no-ball scandal at Lords in 2010.

Pakistan are due to arrive shortly for an itinerary of three Twenty-20 games and three one-dayers starting on January 15.

The 29-year-old Shah wants to be compared to his idol Shane Warne and he has taken a further step in that direction by testing positive for a banned diuretic. Warne received a 12 month stand-down but Shah faces a much longer time out of the game.

His failed test came after Pakistan's second one-day international against England in November before the ICC investigated some unusual tactics from Pakistan in the third limited overs match.

Sri Lanka's wicket-keeper batsman Kusal Perera was sent home before the start of his side's tour of New Zealand, after testing positive for steroids.

Other Pakistan players to land in hot water with the ICC:

November 1, 2006: Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were banned for two years and one year respectively after both were found guilty of using the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. Both were absolved by a tribunal because the tests were conducted out of competition.

October 2, 2012: Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman was banned for 12 weeks by the England and Wales Cricket Board under its anti-doping rules after testing positive for the recreational drug cannabis during his stint with Somerset county.

May 7, 2014: Kashif Siddiq was banned for two years for violating anti-doping rules.

May 25, 2015: Pakistan's spinner Raza Hasan banned for two years after failing a dope test in national competition.

Dec 27, 2015: The International Cricket Council provisionally suspended leg-spinner Yasir Shah for violating anti-doping rules.