October 03, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 20, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 2: Pakistan’s enigmatic paceman Shoaib Akhtar will appear before a disciplinary committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later this week charged with five counts of misconduct.

The fast bowler was sent home from South Africa last month for brawling with team-mate Mohammad Asif just before the Twenty20 World Championship.

Although most of the charges relate to the fight, Shoaib is also being brought to book over several other violations of the players’ code of conduct.

“What happened in South Africa is a serious matter and no one can be given the license to behave like this,” Pakistan manager Talat Ali said on Tuesday.

Talat is one of the witnesses who have been asked to appear before the three-member disciplinary committee on Oct 6 to give evidence against Shoaib, who, in his 43 Tests career, has had several run-ins with the PCB over disciplinary issues.

Talat said an immediate hearing was held in South Africa during which Shoaib had admitted his mistake and apologised for hitting Asif with a bat. “After that we sent him home,” Talat said.

The five charges against Shoaib involve rowing with Asif, violating the players’ code of conduct while on a six-week probation period, playing a charity match in England without the PCB consent, making serious and unsubstantiated allegations against team-mate Shahid Afridi and holding an unauthorised news conference after being sent home.

During that conference, Shoaib had accused Afridi of instigating the row with Asif.

A PCB official said Shoaib would be treated fairly and given a chance to reply to all the charges.

“This is not a witch-hunt against him but at the same time we are going to maintain our zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline,” Shafqat Naghmi, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the PCB said.

Apart from Shoaib, Asif and Afridi besides other players will be called as witnesses if required, he added.

The PCB has said the committee will make its ruling on Oct 8, which will also be the opening day of Pakistan’s second Test against South Africa in Lahore.

Shoaib escaped Rs300,000 fine in August after he left a national training camp in Karachi without informing the team manager.

He had appealed against the decision, saying he had told captain Shoaib Malik about his plans.—Reuters