Former skipper Shoaib Malik and pacer Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan have been banned for one year while Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal, who were found guilty of defying the PCB's orders, have been fined Rs three million and Rs two million, respectively. All-rounder Shahid Afridi, who was involved in a ball-tampering incident, was also fined Rs three million and he along with Akmal brothers will be kept under probation for six months.
A PCB spokesman said here Wednesday that recommendation of the inquiry committee regarding Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan is not for a life ban. "There is no specified term in the recommendation for these two players. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team," he said.
Sources in PCB told Business Recorder that Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan had only been banned for international cricket. They will not be part of national team, but they can play domestic cricket. After the dismal tour of Pakistan cricket team to Australia, the Chairman PCB constituted a Committee to assess and evaluate the performance of players on the tour.
The Committee consisted of Wasim Bari (Chairman), Wazir Ali Khoja, Yawar Saeed, Zakir Khan and Taffazul Haider Rizvi as Members held a series of meetings and finalised recommendations. Wasim Akram was also appointed member of the body but he did not join it.
Sources claimed that all the seven penalised cricketers have a right of appeal against the punishments and they can lodge appeal with the Chairman PCB. According to them, Younis and Yousaf had to face action due to their infighting, which resulted in bringing down the morale of the entire team. Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed had to face one-year ban and a fine of Rs two million each for indiscipline. Shahid Afridi was punished with fine for the shameful act of ball tempering by biting the ball, while Akmal brothers had to face action for defying the PCB's orders.
Pakistan lost three test, five one day international series besides losing the lone T-20 match in its tour of Australia. Moreover, former cricketers expressed mixed reaction over action of PCB. The former Pakistan captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, opposed the ban imposed on Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan.
He said, "These decisions were taken by the PCB employees, as no member of the Inquiry Committee was impartial except Wasim Akram, who had not joined the inquiry proceedings." He said the ban on the two senior most players is unfair.
Former chief selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Abdul Qadir in his reaction hailed the PCB's decision to ban Mohammed Yousuf and middle order batsman Younis Khan besides imposing ban and fines on other cricketers. Qadir termed the PCB's decision as 'bold' and said the board should stick to its decision, as the decisions taken by it in the past were never put into action.