Feuding, 'shameful' Paks slapped with bans, fines
The Age
Thursday March 11, 2010
FEUDING former Pakistan captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan have been banned from representing their country for life because of their bickering during and after the disastrous tour of Australia, which included the loss of the unloseable Test at the SCG.The Pakistan Cricket Board yesterday reacted with venom to the miserable, winless tour of Australia. Yousuf and Younus were told their services were no longer required in all three formats of the game, ending their international careers. Younus only joined the beleaguered touring squad for the one-day series but engaged in a slanging match with Yousuf, who had been skipper for the Tests and ODIs, immediately upon their return home.One-year bans were slapped on Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan as punishment for undisclosed disciplinary problems. It is understood they clashed with Yousuf on several occasions. Malik has been accused of orchestrating factionalism within the team since he was stripped of the captaincy last year.Ball-biting Shahid Afridi and the argumentative Akmal brothers €” Kamran and Umar €” were fined $A50,000-$70,000 and placed on six-month probations for their contributions to the rabble. Afridi bit the ball while captaining Pakistan in the last one-day match of the series in Perth. He bizarrely claimed later that he was merely trying to smell the ball.The PCB yesterday called his behaviour shameful and an act that had brought cricket and his country into disrepute.Australia is scheduled to play a series against Pakistan, in England, in July.PCB chairman Ijaz Butt demanded the investigation by a six-man committee into the circumstances surrounding Pakistan losing three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 clash while in Australia.The SCG defeat came from a position of near-invincibility at stumps on day four. Bizarre field placements, dropped catches and risky batting gifted Australia a victory that stunned spectators as much as bookmakers.Kamran and Umar Akmal were fined for their rebellious behaviour leading up to the final Test in Hobart.Kamran was insistent he would be picked despite a PCB release stating he would be dropped after his terrible wicketkeeping in the Sydney Test.Umar allegedly feigned an injury and threatened not to play in protest of his brother's omission.The recommendations released last night said:1. Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, keeping in view their infighting . . . their attitude has a trickle-down effect which is a bad influence for the whole team and should not be part of national team in any format.2. For the shameful act of Shahid Khan Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute . . . A warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for six months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.3: Kamran Akmal be fined [and] a warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for six months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.4: Umar Akmal be fined [and] a warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for six months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.5: Rana Naveed ul Hasan and Shoaib Malik be fined . . . They should not be part of national team in any format for a period of one year.The PCB said the recommendations had been accepted "in totality" and "will go a long way to arrest the continuing decline of Pakistan cricket and improve the state of cricket in Pakistan. It is a landmark exercise which is an outcome of labour and hard work of the members of the committee".
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