1 May 2005	Sunday	21 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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LAHORE, April 30: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will announce its decision about the disciplinary case of Shoaib Malik on Monday. Shoaib, the captain of Sialkot Stallions, was involved in throwing a match of the first Twenty20 Cup at Qadhafi Stadium on Thursday and later admitted on TV that he did that deliberately. The PCB had formed a three-member committee including Shafiq Ahmed, Haroon Rasheed and legal advisor Syed Asghar.

The committee heard Shoaib on Saturday and sent its recommendations to the PCB for further action.

“We have received the recommendations and a decision will be taken after consulting the disciplinary committee and also getting its approval from the ad hoc committee which is also meeting on Monday,” a PCB official said.

“The PCB chairman has taken a serious note of Shoaib Malik’s decision to deliberately concede the match against Karachi Zebras and Shoaib’s action has tarnished Pakistan’s cricket image internationally and at home. It has also shown disrespect to the sponsors of the competition and to the substantial crowd that had gathered to watch a fair contest,” the spokesman said.

“Shoaib has publicly admitted his error and has apologised for his action. Nevertheless, PCB has instituted an inquiry and its findings will be conveyed to the disciplinary committee and to the chairman, who has stated that disciplinary action would be taken in consonance with the serious implications of the offence and after consulting ad-hoc committee members on Monday.”

However, skipper Inzamamul Haq had other views on the issue. “Though Shoaib committed a serious offence, he publicly apologised and the issue should not be blown out of proportion any further,” he said on Saturday.