PCB Recommends Action Against Afridi

Karachi: The PCB inquiry committee, probing into Pakistan's poor performance in Australia, has recommended disciplinary action against five players including former captain Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi.

According to reliable sources, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt has discussed the report with the national selection committee.

"The inquiry committee has recommended that the board should suspend former captain Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved and fine Shahid Afridi, Kamran and Umar Akmal for various violations of the code of conduct," one source said.

The source said the captain, coach and the manager on the Australian tour had reported Malik and Rana for misbehavior and not cooperating with the management.

"The committee has recommended fines on Afridi for his ball tampering act and on Kamran and Umar Akmal for giving press statements against the will of the management," the source disclosed.

He said the inquiry committee had also advised the Board to make no compromise on discipline and not select any player who was found guilty of violating the code of conduct.

The Chairman of the Board, the source said now had the final authority to accept the recommendations of the committee or dismiss them.

"But by the looks of it, the report of the committee will have far reaching effect on the selection process and appointment of captain for the T20 World Cup," the source stated.

Indications are that with Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Malik all recommended for disciplinary action, the Board is likely to pick either Misbah-ul-Haq or Abdul Razzaq as the captain for the coming T20 World Cup.

The board has said it would announce the captain and team after releasing the report of the inquiry committee later this week.