No rift between players and staff: PCB media manager

E-Paper | April 24, 2026

The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) media manager on Wednesday denied rumours of any internal rift between players and team management.

Agha Akbar, PCB media manager, said the team is focusing on the World Cup and that the rumours of rift between players and staff had no authenticity.

Members of the Pakistan cricket squad were shocked to see media reports claiming internal rift between team's trainer Grant Luden with some players.

A senior player strongly reacted against the reports and said, "During events like World Cup, a team needs support of media and its people...with such rumours it would only demoralise the confidence of the players."

Read: Fielding coach Grant Luden quits over players’ attitude

Earlier, it was learnt that fielding coach-cum-team trainer Grant Luden, dejected over the attitude of some players, had tendered his resignation soon after the Adelaide defeat.

According to sources, South African-born Luden was upset after some cricketers expressed dissatisfaction over his working ways.

The fielding coach then decided to call it quits but the team management managed to convince him to withdraw his resignation after assuring that all his grievances will be addressed.

Pakistan team is currently training in the Christchurch ahead of their Pool B World Cup clash against West Indies on February 21.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Sport

HBL PSL 2024: United edge Kings in high-stakes encounter

Babar Azam slammed for poor captaincy

All to play for after Australia, England clash washed out

Basit Khan

Feb 18, 2015 01:34pm

So it's confirmed, there is a rift.

Recommend 0

PAK is in Me

Feb 18, 2015 01:35pm

Please save cricket,don't let any player become bigger than game.

Recommend 0

The Pakistan Lover

Feb 18, 2015 01:43pm

Pakistan cricket and controversies are like body and soul.

Recommend 0

Abu.Ashhad

Feb 18, 2015 01:55pm

Chalo its good to hear this news :)

Recommend 0

Goga Nalaik

Feb 18, 2015 01:55pm

If these players are found guilty, then they should be sacked from the next game.

Recommend 0

Khurram

Feb 18, 2015 01:59pm

Cumon PCB. We know the politics also. Don't try to fool us please.

Recommend 0

A Pakistani

Feb 18, 2015 02:08pm

We need only two changes. Misbah from captaincy and Najam sethi from PCB. Everything will be back on track.

Recommend 0

Abdulla Hussain

Feb 18, 2015 02:31pm

The coach is a sane person he will not resign in the middle of a major tournament for nothing.

Recommend 0

Ali Abbas

Feb 18, 2015 02:32pm

Afridi always had discipline problms, Now Shahzad and Akmal have also joined the gang thinking that their positions are safe in team so they can do whatever they want. Pakistan has no chance in this world cup anyways, PCB better set an example for the players by punishing whoever is not cooperating rather than covering thm up and hiding the facts.

Recommend 0

Qasim

Feb 18, 2015 02:43pm

And it took these senior players until after 1st match of world cup to show their dissatisfaction - And management simply ran to him assuring "His" greviences will be addressed - what about player's genuine complains ??

Recommend 0

Surya

Feb 18, 2015 02:58pm

Good. I am convinced that there is no rift between players and management since PCB confirmed it. It such a relief now. I can now concentrate on other important things in life.

Recommend 0

shezad

Feb 18, 2015 03:06pm

Misbah and Afridi will be out. So PCB is training the next generation to be subservient

Recommend 0

Kublai

Feb 18, 2015 03:21pm

Er...nobody believes the PCB media manager.

Recommend 0

Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Feb 18, 2015 04:05pm

first hear the players side of the story then decide who is right and who is wrong. All is well that ends well. Just concentrate on cricket Pakistan team. The nation is with you. Win against WI, make us proud

Recommend 0

mrme

Feb 18, 2015 04:46pm

My best wishes to team West Indies for February the 21st clash!

Recommend 0

Fiz

Feb 18, 2015 05:26pm

Where there is smoke, there is a fire. Got it?

Recommend 0

Harsh

Feb 18, 2015 05:27pm

Afridi is always the bad influence but Pakistanis will never realize this.

Recommend 0

rathorew

Feb 18, 2015 05:35pm

@A Pakistani Are you really a Pakistani? You want to change the one batsman who is carrying the side?

Recommend 0

Shehz

Feb 18, 2015 05:54pm

@rathorew That one batsman is a disgrace to Pakistan; as a Pakistani we have to do the right thing. Is this what you have been taught, to look away because it benefits you?

Recommend 0

Ash

Feb 18, 2015 06:25pm

Gone are the days when there were educated people in and around pak team. Therefore such incidents are bound to happen on regular basis.

Recommend 0

Ahmed Saeed

Feb 18, 2015 06:42pm

Very unfortunate. Every world cup starts with a rift in Pak team.

Recommend 0

MyTake

Feb 18, 2015 07:30pm

Why often these things happen with Pakistan team members. When Wasim and Imran were captains despite their fame and legend status they never had these issues. Tendulkar was 100 times more popular than Afridi but was very descent. Afridi is over rated who over promises and under delivers. As a senior most player he should be serving as a role model.

Recommend 0

Prince

Feb 18, 2015 07:38pm

Do not embarrass your country any further. Pakistanis are laughing stock around the world because of infighting, terrorism etc. So please come back home soon.

Recommend 0

M1968

Feb 18, 2015 08:12pm

The 3 stooges (Afridi, Akmal and Ahmed Shazad) are the problem. They need to be straightened out especially the two minnows.

Recommend 0

dr Sikander Sher

Feb 18, 2015 08:23pm

our team has confidence ????

Recommend 0

Junaid

Feb 18, 2015 08:28pm

there is definitely a rift. How many times we have seen our cricket management stating every thing is OK and a week or 2 later we find out they were just buying more time. besides if they have convinced the trainer to take his resignation back, this mean obviously there is some thing wrong. Another feather in Pakistan cricket cap.

Recommend 0

A Pakistani

Feb 18, 2015 08:43pm

@Ahmed Saeed ... No this world cup also starts with selfies. :P

Recommend 0

Abdul Malik

Feb 18, 2015 08:56pm

It is Agha Akbar's job to deny such true happenings. This is how he keeps his lucrative job. Ther e is no denying the fact that Luden did got dejected by the players attitude and he resigned for a short while before the team management convince him to come back.

Recommend 0

nasim khan

Feb 18, 2015 09:12pm

@Harsh Players like Misbah, Afridi, Akmal, Wahab Riyaz are always having discipline problems

Recommend 0

seemi

Feb 18, 2015 09:21pm

Thats good! Now players should start focusing on cricket.

Recommend 0

Milind Dave

Feb 18, 2015 10:23pm

PCB making big mistake for saving such players but never think about their reputation in cricket world no one be ready for coach for your team when there is gross indiscipline in their players but on top of that board it self protect them and defend them and put all blame on others if you want to save your game forget cup but they should be sacked immediately and start with new and as such i do not see any more cricket in Pakistan

Recommend 0

Manish Desai

Feb 18, 2015 10:45pm

Luden appears to be hypersensitive and might be going through some personal issues. Afridi has played over 500 games internationally and has never been reported for indiscipline... So, I would be inclined to think Luden was over-reacting to disagreements.

Recommend 0

Bad shah

Feb 18, 2015 10:56pm

WhenHaveez andFawad Alamn are out then what rifts?

Recommend 0

Kirther

Feb 19, 2015 12:57am

Pakistan is full of talented and budding players but unfortunately lack of domestic cricket coupled by incompetent Cricket Board with no sport development plans and Selection Committee has made things worse than expected, people will be surprised if Pakistan cricket team make it to elimination round, thanks to Misbah, Captain and member of tour Selection Committee.

Recommend 0

imtiaz hamid

Feb 19, 2015 03:15am

Nothing seems further from truth.

Recommend 0

Mitts

Feb 19, 2015 06:23am

Methinks that Pakistan didn't want to do fielding drills and intensive practise.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

The Bank of Punjab signs strategic MoU with Stacks to advance digital remittances and financial innovation

As part of this initiative, the two organisations will also undertake a pilot transaction to explore the use of stablecoins for remittances.

Koç Group’s home appliances company Beko invests $20 million in a manufacturing transformation at Dawlance

The inauguration underscores Koç Group’s continued commitment to advancing industrial capability and long-term investment in Pakistan.

Fatima Fertilizer and Multan Sultans celebrate Title Sponsorship with a grand meet and greet in Karachi

The event brought this partnership to life, giving Fatima Fertilizer’s dealer network and farming community an up-close experience with their cricket heroes.