LAHORE, Aug 13: While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received an appeal from enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar against the Rs300,000 fine imposed on him recently, it will not take any action for his another act of alleged indiscipline – using harsh words against some of the board’s officials on Friday.
Shoaib filed the appeal on Monday against the fine the board had imposed on him for skipping the national training camp in Karachi without any permission on Aug 4.
The PCB also docked Shoaib’s 1.5 points from the total of 20 allocated for each central-contracted player for discipline.
Shoaib forwarded the appeal, containing just one and a half line, to the PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shafqat Naghmi on Monday.
While Shoaib could not be contacted despite many attempts, Naghmi told Dawn a special committee would be formed to hear the paceman’s appeal.
“The PCB chief will constitute a special committee which may consist of three members, one of them to be a member of the board’s ad hoc committee, to review the appeal in Shoaib’s presence,” he said.
“Shoaib met me in my office to submit the appeal and the bowler has the stance that he left the camp after informing captain Shoaib Malik,” the COO claimed.
Asked how Shoaib could file an appeal as on Friday the bowler had reportedly told him (Naghmi) on telephone that the board had rightly announced the punishment, the COO said: “I can’t say why he changed the decision. On telephone he did not raise any objection over the punishment, but had some other complaints and now he entered the appeal,” he said.
The PCB has a four-member committee, dealing with such cases, including Naghmi as head, with DCO Zakir Khan, CFO Hasan Khan and Media Director Dr Ahsan Hameed Malik as members.
“As my committee has already announced the punishment for Shoaib it has no right to hear the appeal, therefore, another committee will be formed by the chairman,” he stated.Naghmi’s committee announced the decision on Wednesday on a report lodged by manager Talat Ali Malik. However, the bowler did not appear before the committee, claiming he could receive the letter summoning him on Friday, two days after the announcement of the fine.
To lodge his protest against the decision made in his absence, Shoaib allegedly came to the PCB offices on Friday and used harsh words against some officials; he was facing the threat of another inquiry but the PCB decided to ignore his act.
“I inquired the PCB staff about Friday’s incident and it was the considered opinion that though Shoaib came to the PCB offices in angry mood he was not involved in any serious violation of discipline,” said Naghmi while playing down the incident.
He further said that Shoaib was eager to represent Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Championship and was very much optimistic to play a key role there.
Meanwhile, on the issue of Abdul Razzaq criticising the board on a private TV channel over his omission from the Pakistan squad named for the Twenty20 World Championship, the COO said the PCB could not decide any action against the all-rounder.
“We have been considering different options but could not take a final decision regarding Razzaq’s issue,” he said.
