Just another day at the PCB

[The One]

http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/451392.html

Rana, Malik get one-year bans, Younis and Yousuf axed from teams

The PCB has handed out the most comprehensive set of punishments to national players in recent memory, banning a number of senior players and implementing heavy fines on others on the recommendations of an inquiry committee formed to look into Pakistan's disastrous tour to Australia. The biggest and most unexpected action is the implementation, in effect, of life bans on Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, a wholly unexpected development. Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan have been banned for a year and the Akmal brothers and Shahid Afridi will be put on probation for six months and have been fined between Rs 2-3 million for various misdemeanours.

Yousuf and Younis, Pakistan's two seniormost current players, will not play for Pakistan again but will be eligible for county and domestic cricket.

The six-man committee completed its report last week and sent it to Ijaz Butt. The chairman held a meeting with the selection committee on Monday in which he briefed them on the contents of the inquiry committee's report. He warned the selectors - now headed by Mohsin Khan - that he had "shocking news" for them and proceeded to inform them of the details of the report.

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the yo-yos can take solace in the fact that a life ban in pakistani cricket usually lasts a few months. incredible fall-out from the aussie tour

this would of course mean they will win the world t20 and the test series in england

[tac]

TO, you're right about this hardline approach probably being reversed in 6 months (if not sooner), and I guess it's good that the PCB exist . .they make the BCCI seem almost resepctable and efficient . . .

[The One]

yeah. sometimes i wonder when the pakistani players get time to practice their game. they seem more interested in the game of politics

malik not wanting yousuf, yousuf not wanting younis, umar not wanting to play because kamran is not picked, afridi getting into physical fights with younis and akhtar, etc etc. if the pcb is looking for some revenue streams maybe they should start a reality show

[tac]

yep

[Red]

You have to take these bans with a grain of salt. Change is the only constant in Pakistani cricket and these will be reversed in time with a smorgasbord of excuses, reasons and explanations to accompany the reinstatement notices.

[philcric]

Wow this is strange even by PCB standards. If the fines and the bans stand, it'll probably be a good thing for Pakistan cricket in the long run.

[Henry Nolonga]

If these punishments were based on what we heard happened in Australia, surely the Akmal brothers should get more than fines. Not to mention Afridi. Let's face it, nothing is going to come from them being on probation.

Doesn't seem like the punishments handed out are consistent. Then again, that may be too much to ask...

[Batman]

It's just stop gap chaos which will be reversed soon. Most of these will move Pak courts and will be back in action by the the time Pak starts a new series soon again. These guys couldn't even keep Asif and Akhtar out of the side more than 2 months after banning them for 2 years for drug abuse. These very people made Salim Malik and Ata Ur Rehman scapegoats in the match fixing scam and allowed the likes of Akram and coterie named as the biggest problem makers in their internal investigation to go scot free with some meagre fines. The next time Pak Sets out to play a rubber, the punishments will be history and the players will pay some fines at most to have their sentences reduced.

[Fred Nerk]

Yes dear....

[The One]

seems almost everyone likes the decision. must be very deep problems. some say match-fixing was a major reason for the bans

'A good decision even if we lose T20 World Cup'

Players' power was affecting team's performance badly. There was no discipline in the team and it had become impossible for the board to tackle the players. That was why the board has been budging down to players' pressure. The decision is beneficial even if we lose in the Twenty20 World Cup. The move has a lesson for budding players. They will always have in mind that if senior players can be punished, then they too are no exceptions

Zaheer Abbas, former captain

Younis and Yousuf should go to court to challenge the decision. This is not a good decision for Pakistan cricket. The board is not setting a good example before young cricketers. I don't understand the thinking that led them to take such a decision. The committee comprised employees of the PCB and there was no neutral person in it. What sort of message are we delivering to the world by taking such decisions at a time when nobody is agreeing to come to Pakistan to play cricket?

Inzamam-ul-Haq, former captain

Our main problem was discipline, but barring players, I am not sure, it doesn't look nice to just end the international careers of such talented players. It is surprising, but at the end of the day, the PCB needed to make an example and took a step to clean up the lack of discipline in the team. I am sure the players will challenge the life ban though.

Ramiz Raja, former captain

It's a brave step. It's a good decision and will go a long way to arrest the continuing decline of Pakistan cricket and improve the state of cricket in Pakistan besides improving the discipline.

Abdul Qadir, former chief selector and legspinner

It's the end of players' power from our national team, which is a very good sign. From now on, every player will be very careful because they know that they can be fined or banned if they violate discipline. Younis and Yousuf had played their innings in international cricket as they have got too old, but Naved and Akmal should have also been banned for one year.

Sarfraz Nawaz, former fast bowler

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/451415.html

[Rachel]

Inzi's quote is a classic.

..."go to court to challenge the decision. This is not a good decision for Pakistan cricket. The board is not setting a good example before young cricketers. I don't understand the thinking that led them to take such a decision."

Was he talking about the latest situation, or about the Oval Test Match 2006?

[JKLever]

PCB are a bunch of drama queens, all of them will be available to tour England.

You know it, I know it and the players know it.

[DJ_Smerk]

Lever in saying it as he sees it shocker.

[Brass Monkey]

Well, as mentioned their bans mean nothing. Was shocked to hear though. Afridi's 'sentence' was for biting the ball, apparently.

[Merlin]

His repetoire grows by the day .. first the Charleston, danced to exploding cannisters and now an eating competition!
Are there no bounds to this man's abilities?!