ISLAMABAD: Bizarre things are known to happen in Pakistani cricket. But what transpired on Wednesday went beyond that.
First, the Pakistan Cricket Board dropped a bombshell by announcing life bans on captain Mohammad Yousuf and ex-captain Younis Khan over 'misconduct'. A few hours later, under attack from the media and the cricket fraternity, it made a U-turn saying the bans were open-ended and could be reconsidered "as and when PCB deems fit".
As a face-saver, PCB blamed the media for 'misinterpreting' its earlier statement. The two players have been the mainstay of Pakistan batting for many years.
In what many described as a medicine worse than the disease, the board also handed out stiff penalties to many other top players. Rana Naved-ul Hasan and another former captain, Shoaib Malik, were fined Pak rupees 20 lakh each and banned from the national team for one year.
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and T20 skipper Shahid Afridi were fined Pak rupees 30 lakh each while Umar, Kamran's younger brother, was fined rupees 20 lakh. The three were also put on probation for six months during which time their conduct would be 'strictly monitored.'
The sweeping action was the result of a probe into Pakistan's crushing defeats during the recent Australian tour. The board felt indiscipline and misconduct led to the team's poor show.
"Both Yousuf and Younis were involved in infighting during the tour. Their attitude has a trickle-down effect which was a bad influence on the whole team," the PCB said in a statement.
While the PCB later released a statement to clarify that the inquiry committee has not recommended life ban on Yousuf and Younis, in the morning it announced that the two players would never again play for Pakistan in any format. They, though, were allowed to play domestic cricket in Pakistan and other countries.
Highly-places sources said the PCB's U-turn might have been caused by pressure from influential quarters.
"I will be talking to the board about this and see what happens," Younis told reporters from Australia. Meanwhile, Rana said, "I want to know what I did wrong." Former captain Inzamam-ul Haq questioned the credibility of the probe panel itself, saying, "The committee comprised PCB employees and there was no neutral person in it. You cannot ban someone from playing international cricket on just disciplinary grounds."
Later, PCB's changed stance immediately provoked an angry reaction from the chairman of the National Assembly's standing committee on sports, Jamshed Dasti, who has summoned the board officials next week to explain the affair. "This board is rubbish and the latest episode proves that it's time for Ijaz Butt (PCB chief) to go," Dasti said.
The inquiry committee said it had had passed the judgment "after careful and detailed analysis of the events, the personal accounts of the team management and players and examination of record, videos and statistics".
While most former Pakistan players expressed shock at the severity of the punishment, many said indiscipline in the team had reached unacceptable proportions. The Akmals, for instance, were fined for their behaviour after the Sydney Test.
Wicketkeeper Kamran insisted publicly that he would be selected in the run-up to the third Test after being dropped from the side. Younger brother Umar allegedly feigned an injury before the Test in protest, though he eventually played. Afridi was punished for the ball-biting incident in the Perth One-dayer, when he was leading the side. The ICC has already punished him by imposing a two-match ban.
Younis had twice given up captaincy last year and some senior players had revolted against him. His batting form had suffered as well as his image. The charges against Yousuf were less clear but he was anything but statesmanlike during the tough Aussie tour.
Former captain Rashid Latif blasted the board for mishandling the issue. "I don't understand why did it took them so long to realize the technical hitch in the statement. Why didn't the PCB officials in the first instance clarify that there was no life ban on the two players?" Latif asked.
First, the Pakistan Cricket Board dropped a bombshell by announcing life bans on captain Mohammad Yousuf and ex-captain Younis Khan over 'misconduct'. A few hours later, under attack from the media and the cricket fraternity, it made a U-turn saying the bans were open-ended and could be reconsidered "as and when PCB deems fit".
As a face-saver, PCB blamed the media for 'misinterpreting' its earlier statement. The two players have been the mainstay of Pakistan batting for many years.
In what many described as a medicine worse than the disease, the board also handed out stiff penalties to many other top players. Rana Naved-ul Hasan and another former captain, Shoaib Malik, were fined Pak rupees 20 lakh each and banned from the national team for one year.
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and T20 skipper Shahid Afridi were fined Pak rupees 30 lakh each while Umar, Kamran's younger brother, was fined rupees 20 lakh. The three were also put on probation for six months during which time their conduct would be 'strictly monitored.'
The sweeping action was the result of a probe into Pakistan's crushing defeats during the recent Australian tour. The board felt indiscipline and misconduct led to the team's poor show.
"Both Yousuf and Younis were involved in infighting during the tour. Their attitude has a trickle-down effect which was a bad influence on the whole team," the PCB said in a statement.
While the PCB later released a statement to clarify that the inquiry committee has not recommended life ban on Yousuf and Younis, in the morning it announced that the two players would never again play for Pakistan in any format. They, though, were allowed to play domestic cricket in Pakistan and other countries.
Highly-places sources said the PCB's U-turn might have been caused by pressure from influential quarters.
"I will be talking to the board about this and see what happens," Younis told reporters from Australia. Meanwhile, Rana said, "I want to know what I did wrong." Former captain Inzamam-ul Haq questioned the credibility of the probe panel itself, saying, "The committee comprised PCB employees and there was no neutral person in it. You cannot ban someone from playing international cricket on just disciplinary grounds."
Later, PCB's changed stance immediately provoked an angry reaction from the chairman of the National Assembly's standing committee on sports, Jamshed Dasti, who has summoned the board officials next week to explain the affair. "This board is rubbish and the latest episode proves that it's time for Ijaz Butt (PCB chief) to go," Dasti said.
The inquiry committee said it had had passed the judgment "after careful and detailed analysis of the events, the personal accounts of the team management and players and examination of record, videos and statistics".
While most former Pakistan players expressed shock at the severity of the punishment, many said indiscipline in the team had reached unacceptable proportions. The Akmals, for instance, were fined for their behaviour after the Sydney Test.
Wicketkeeper Kamran insisted publicly that he would be selected in the run-up to the third Test after being dropped from the side. Younger brother Umar allegedly feigned an injury before the Test in protest, though he eventually played. Afridi was punished for the ball-biting incident in the Perth One-dayer, when he was leading the side. The ICC has already punished him by imposing a two-match ban.
Younis had twice given up captaincy last year and some senior players had revolted against him. His batting form had suffered as well as his image. The charges against Yousuf were less clear but he was anything but statesmanlike during the tough Aussie tour.
Former captain Rashid Latif blasted the board for mishandling the issue. "I don't understand why did it took them so long to realize the technical hitch in the statement. Why didn't the PCB officials in the first instance clarify that there was no life ban on the two players?" Latif asked.
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