Thaindian News

By Omar Khalid
Karachi, March 10 (IANS) Pakistan’s cricket authorities Wednesday dropped a bombshell by imposing life bans on former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf and taking stern action against five other national cricketers on charges ranging from misconduct to ball tampering.

Those punished included former captain Shoaib Malik, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers - Kamran and Umar - the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced.

“Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan were banned keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the reputation of the whole team. Their attitude has a trickledown effect, which badly affects the whole team, and they should not be part of the national team in any format,” said a PCB statement.

Acting on the recommendations of its inquiry committee, the board also slapped a one-year ban, as well as fines of Rs.2 million each, on former captain Malik and Rana for misconduct during the tour of Australia, where the duo were reported for non-cooperation with the team management.

Afridi was fined Rs.3 million for ball-tampering.

“For the shameful act of Shahid Khan Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute, he is being fined Rs. three million. A warning is being issued to him by the PCB Chairman and he will be put on probation for six months, during which his conduct will be strictly monitored,” said the PCB statement.

The Akmal brothers were also heavily fined for indiscipline during the tour of Australia where Pakistan lost all the matches.

“Kamran Akmal is being fined Rs. three million. A warning is being issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for 06 months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.

“Umar Akmal is being fined Rs. two million. A warning will be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he is being put on probation for six months, during which his conduct would be strictly monitored,” the statement said.

The PCB inquiry committee comprised Wasim Bari as chairman and Wazir Ali Khoja, Yawar Saeed, Zakir Khan and Taffazul Haider Rizvi as members.

The statement said the probe panel conducted detailed interactive sessions with the persons appearing before it and confronted the officials and the players of the Pakistan cricket team with reports submitted to it and other material available on print, internet and electronic media. The transcripts and team management reports form an integral part of the committee’s report.

“Recommendations of the inquiry committee have been accepted by PCB in totality,” said the statement.

“The recommendations of the committee will go a long way in arresting the continuing decline of Pakistan cricket and improve the state of cricket in Pakistan. It is a landmark exercise which is an outcome of the hard work of the committee members,” it said.