Pakistan chief selector frustrated by unending stream of controversies

Published December 27, 2015
Pakistan cricket was jolted by Yasir Shah’s suspension before it could put an end to the controversy regarding tainted bowler Mohammad Amir. — AP/AFP/File
Pakistan cricket was jolted by Yasir Shah’s suspension before it could put an end to the controversy regarding tainted bowler Mohammad Amir. — AP/AFP/File

Pakistan chief selector Haroon Rasheed has expressed frustration over the never-ending stream of controversies that the country’s cricket team seems to attract after leg-spinner Yasir Shah was suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for failing a dope test.

Shah was at the center of the latest setback after a sample taken from him during the Pakistan-England ODI series was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA's prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents. He was provisionally suspended by the ICC on Sunday after his sample.

“Shah has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation on a sample he provided in an in-competition test,” an ICC statement announced.

Haroon said the suspension of Pakistan’s go-to Test leg-spinner was a huge blow for the national side ahead of the upcoming New Zealand tour.

"You wake up every day and are faced with a new problem in Pakistan cricket," Rasheed told Press Trust of India (PTI) on Sunday.

“We now have to revise all our plans for the coming events,” he added.

Shah's suspension comes just days after a rebellion within the Pakistan team over the inclusion of Mohammad Amir in a training camp for the New Zealand tour.

Former T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez and current one-day captain Azhar Ali had boycotted the camp on Thursday, refusing to train alongside the spot-fixing tainted player.

The issue is now said to be under control as the Pakistan Cricket Board chief Shaharyar Khan said: “The matter has been resolved.”

“Both listened to me and agreed to join the camp unconditionally and will have to support Amir when he returns to the team,” Khan told reporters on Saturday.

The Pakistan team kicks off the New Zealand tour with a T20 at Auckland on January 15.

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