April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 1: Former Pakistan greats on Tuesday condemned a five-year ban on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, saying the country’s new parliament should sack PCB officials to save the sport in the country.

“Disappointing is no word to describe Shoaib’s ban, I would call it pathetic and request the new political government to sack Nasim Ashraf-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB),” Sarfraz Nawaz, the former Test fast bowler and once Shoaib’s coach, said.

Sarfraz said he would urge new Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other coalition leaders to take “a serious notice of this unjust ban because Shoaib is the only match-winner in the team.”

Sarfraz predicted the current PCB members will be removed from office in the next few days.

“I have come to know that this PCB set up, which has a personal vendetta against a talented bowler, will be removed and the high-ups have also decided on who will take over,” said Sarfraz, who played 55 Tests.

He did not say who he thought was lined up.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif termed the ban “damaging for Pakistan cricket.”

“Banning Shoaib will harm Pakistan cricket,” said Rashid, adding he thought the team would be significantly weaker as a result.

“PCB should have supported Shoaib more because there have been characters like him — there was John McEnroe in tennis and our own Aamir Sohail — who were temperamental yet talented and gave sports a lot to cheer.”

Rashid said he believed the ban will be lifted in two months.

Hanif Abbasi, a newly-elected member of the National Assembly, also said Shoaib’s five-year ban was unjustified.

“The people who have banned him will not stay (in power) for long with the new government in,” said Hanif. “This issue will be discussed in parliament.”

—Agencies