April 03, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1429

LAHORE, April 2: Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) attempt to defend its decision about banning Shoaib Akhtar for five years through some members of the Governing Board went futile after a reported statement from the Prime Minister of Pakistan asking the authorities to review their action.

PCB on Tuesday announced the punishment for the pacer for breaching the players’ Code of Conduct by issuing a press statement against the PCB.

It is learnt that three members of the Governing Board, namely, Mian Munir, Shakeel Sheikh and Wasal Durrani, who were in Lahore for a meeting regarding improvement of grounds, were requested to speak to the media in order to defend PCB’s decision.

But then some TV channels broke the news that Prime Minister Yousuf Gillani had taken notice of the punishment and was asking the authorities to review their decision regarding the matter. That was when the members of the Governing Board changed their minds about meeting the press.

However, some former Test cricketers like Haroon Rashid, Mohsin Khan and Aaqib Javed, who are on PCBs enrolment, have made press statements in favour of this decision.