Shahid Afridi. —AFP photo

KARACHI: While the raging dispute between Shahid Afridi and the Pakistan Cricket Board has come to a close, the governing body of the game in Pakistan has succeeded in avoiding many important and pertinent questions which were raised during the last two weeks.

This was stated by Mehmood Mandviwalla who appeared as counsel for Shahid Afridi in the case.

Mehmood felt that the main question is whether there is a link between the grant of the NOC to play for Hampshire with the disciplinary proceedings since the ICC clearly lays down the guidelines for refusal of NOC by a home board.

“The question is whether the PCB follows such guidelines or again uses its own judgement to grant, refuse or take away an NOC that has already been given,” Mehmood pointed out.

He added that the ICC recognises that players have a fundamental right to earn a living and hence cannot be deprived of an NOC by a home board and that an NOC is only a guarantee that the player should remain available to play for the national side and the player’s fitness should not be comprised while playing county cricket.

He further stated that the PCB does not appear to have a permanent disciplinary committee and it functions on a need-basis with excessive authority that is delegated to them.