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| November 15, 2005 | Tuesday | Shawwal 12, 1426 |
Yousuf accused of violating ICC regulations
MULTAN, Nov 14: Mohammad Yousuf could find himself in hot water after reportedly violating an ICC regulation on Monday during the third day of the first Test against England. The senior batsman, who remained off the field throughout the first session to rest a chronic left shoulder problem, had purportedly used the mobile phone in the dressing-room. The set belonged to Pakistan team’s liaison officer, Mazhar Alam.
According to an International Cricket Council clause, players and team officials are strictly prohibited from carrying or using the mobile phones in the dressing room while a match is in progress.
In fact, all such mobile sets are handed over to the team manager, who keep them under his custody as long as the players and other team officials are present at the ground, especially changing room, during a Test or One-day International match.
Yousuf, who was universally known as Yousuf Youhana before converting his religion from Christianity to Islam, had apparently used the mobile while resting in the dressing-room and talked to someone, presumably his wife Fatima — a version given by Mazhar to Col Khawaja Nur, the ICC’s Anti-corruption unit (ACU) officer for the Asian region.
Shaharyar M. Khan, the PCB chairman, was infuriated at the incident that was obviously going to be a source of great embarrassment for Pakistan cricket, in front of the large contingent of English media covering the series.
Interestingly, the Pakistan side is currently without a team manager since Haroon Rasheed’s two-year contract expired earlier this year and the cricket board decided against appointing anyone in his place.
Salim Altaf, director cricket operations of Pakistan Cricket Board, acted as team manager during this year’s tours to India and the West Indies.
The top PCB management, for reasons best known to them, have not yet announced a full-time team manager following Haroon’s departure, but instead attached Mazhar as the liaison officer to the national team.
Yousuf, meanwhile, had to take a couple of painkilling injections to ease the pain in his shoulder. He was able to come out immediately after lunch for the remainder of the England’s first innings that lasted a further 55 minutes after the break.
But he was certainly not comfortable and could struggle to make any significant contribution as Pakistan fight to stave off defeat in this opening match of the three-Test series.
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