August 29, 2002	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Saani 19,1423

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LAHORE, Aug 28: Pakistan batsman Yousuf Youhana admitted Wednesday that he was involved in a verbal outburst with captain Waqar Younis which resulted in his being sent home from Nairobi.

Youhana met the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman  Lt Gen Tauqir Zia on Tuesday night as well as a telephonic discussion on Wednesday. Later the PCB issued a press release.

Talking to reporters here, Youhana said that he felt pain in his shoulder in Tangiers during the Morocco Cup. On reaching Nairobi the right-hander informed about his discomfort to Dr Riaz, the team doctor, who belatedly attended to the problem.

Youhana stressed when Waqar called him for training, he refused and informed the skipper about the shoulder injury. And when the Pakistan captain insisted Youhana to follow the instructions, the latter he could not restrain himself and got himself embroiled in a spat. The team management then decided to  send him back to Pakistan, he said.

According  to the PCB press release Youhana had  informed  the PCB  chairman  that he had been carrying a shoulder  injury  from Tangiers, Morocco, which was not given due attention by the  team doctor at an early stage. The injury was confirmed from  a  MRI scan in Nairobi.

“I was doing individual training at the  ground, but  did not go for nets because my shoulder was under treatment then,” said Youhana.

“In  any  case,  let me state that I want  to  perform to the best of my ability. And I have utmost respect  and regard not just for the Pakistan captain but all seniors as well. I  regret any unintentional offence that I may have caused,” the press release quoted Youhana.

The PCB chairman said that the board was likely to  take a sympathetic  view in case of Youhana because of his unblemished disciplinary record. He had immediately been handed in to the care of Dr Tauseef Razzaq to attend to his shoulder injury so that he regains full fitness as soon as possible, the  press  release stated.

The press release also mentioned that the PCB chairman had a detailed telephonic conversation with the team management and skipper Waqar Younis on the issue.

“The tour disciplinary committee was fully authorised to take the action that they have and indiscipline  should  neither  be tolerated nor condoned. Still in my considered opinion, the whole incident was a bit overblown,” said the PCB chairman in the press release.

“So while the PCB would be making every effort that there is no compromise on discipline, at the same time  every endeavour would also be made that team spirit and camaraderie was not sacrificed by magnifying events and incidents that were otherwise not grave in nature”, said Tauqir.

Both Youhana and Waqar wholeheartedly agree  to this assessment of the situation, the press release claimed.

However, the press release failed to mention about Dr Riaz inability to perform his duty diligently by not taking care of Youhana properly as well as the lack of coordination between between the players, team management and the PCB higher-ups which resulted in another unnecessary controversy and adverse publicity.