Dawn Pakistan's most widely circulated English language newspaper.

PCB contradict themselves in Husain's case

By Our Sports Reporter

30 December 1997


KARACHI, Dec 29: The Pakistan Cricket Board bypassed its own policy when it included spinner Mohammad Husain in the 14-man Dhaka-bound Pakistan cricket team.

The cricket administrators had expressed annoyance over hearing that Husain and Shahid Afridi had gone in mid-November to play in Dhaka. The disciplinary committee summoned both the players but only Afridi appeared before them. The one-day opener was penalised Rs 25,000 besides being given suspension from two first-class matches.

Husain, who was equally guilty in the eyes of PCB, was, however, only fined Rs 25,000 as he didn't appear before them. Husain, in fact, only returned from Dhaka last week.

If one goes by the decision against Afridi, Husain also deserves similar suspension. It is besides the point that both the cricketers were fined even though they were not contractually bound to remain available for the PCB during the period they were in Dhaka.

Here, the PCB Executive Council owes an explanation to the cricket followers as in September, they had excluded the name of Shoaib Akhtar on the recommendation of a Councillor despite the fact that he was picked in the team by the selectors.

Akhtar was dropped on the recommendation of Justice Ijaz Yousuf who was the manager of Pakistan A team that toured England earlier this summer. The Balochistan High Court Judge had complained of Akhtar's indiscipline.


Source: Dawn
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Date-stamped : 25 Feb1998 - 14:47