Shahid Afridi will not face further action from the PCB for ball tampering despite calls from Pakistan politicians.
Pakistan all-rounder escapes further sanctions from PCB for ball tampering
Shahid Afridi will not face further internal action for ball tampering despite Pakistan politicians calling for the PCB to more impose more sanctions on the all-rounder.
Pakistan's Twenty20 captain was banned for two matches by the International Cricket Council after being caught biting the ball during the final one-day international against Australia in Perth last month.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has been called upon by members of the senate standing committee on sports to inflict more punishment on Afridi for his actions.
However, as he come sin for criticism for Pakistan's poor performance in Australia, Butt has resisted calls for more punishment on Afridi.
"If Afridi bites the ball like an apple there are lots of problems behind it," Senator Haroon Akhtar said. "If you don't take action this will happen again.
"The team lacks discipline and you (Butt) have to rectify the problem."
ICC rules
Butt, though, is reported to have told the committee that ICC rules prevent him from imposing further sanctions against the all-rounder.
"The ICC has told us clearly that you cannot punish a player twice for one offence," Butt said.
"Their lawyer has also suggested that if we handed more punishment to Afridi and he challenges it in court, the PCB would be in trouble."
The matter is just one of several troubling Pakistan cricket at present, including a public war of words between team-mates Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Yousuf.
Former Test batsman Mudassar Nazar has now called for the duo to be sacked following a verbal spat between them being played out on national television.
"Both players are under central contract and should not have been allowed to behave in such a way in front of the whole world," Nazar said.
Examples
"What sort of an example are they setting for the younger players with this kind of behaviour? Both Malik and Yousuf should be made an example of and kicked out of the team."
Wasim Akram, one of the six members on a PCB committee discussing the failings in Australia, believes Pakistan's problems would be set right if a strong coach was appointed.
"What Pakistan needs is a passionate coach who is more involved with the boys and can form an effective strategy for the team," Akram said.
"A good coach, foreign or local, with a high energy level is needed in modern cricket."
The PCB have installed Malik as captain for Pakistan's two-match Twenty20 series against England in Dubai starting later this week.
