South Africa's Parnell to appear in Mumbai court

Chittagong, March 26 (IANS) South African pacer Wayne Parnell will be missing his team’s ICC World Twenty20 match against the Netherlands slated for Thursday since he has to appear in a Mumbai court in a drug related case.

Parnell allegedly tested positive for recreational drugs after a police raid on a rave party in Mumbai in 2012 when he was playing for Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Pune Warriors. He is among the 35 wanted foreign nationals.

Parnell is being accompanied by his manager Donne Commins and Mumbai-based lawyer Makrand Narwekar, reports Independent Online (IOL).

South Africa’s World Twenty20 preparations were dealt a blow Tuesday with Wayne Parnell being forced to leave the Proteas team camp in Bangladesh to appear in a court in Mumbai.

“Wayne Parnell has been called to appear before the court in Mumbai, India, purely for procedural purposes in relation to the court’s ongoing administration of the case,” Commins was quoted as saying by South African daily Cape Times.

“Our understanding is that there will be no substantive inquires made of him and that his bail will in all likelihood be extended. While respecting the Indian legal process, Wayne continues to deny the charges,” he added.

Parnell last year was granted bail by a Mumbai court after he surrendered before it on charges of testing positive for recreational drugs.