The Pakistan Cricket Board has dropped a bombshell: Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan have been banned. While Yousuf and Younis have been banned indefinitely for causing in-fighting, Malik and Naved will only be eligible to play for Pakistan after a year.
Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi’s ball-biting antics have landed him a six-month probation and a three-million-rupee fine. Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal have also been fined three million and two million rupees, respectively, for their tantrum-throwing and injury-feigning episodes during the Australia tour.
These punitive measures have been taken right before Pakistan is set to defend its World Twenty20 title in the West Indies in April and May.
Do you think the bans and fines are too harsh or too lenient? Will Pakistan be able to defend its title successfully without players like Rana Naved and Shoaib Malik on the field? And who will take on the troubled side’s captaincy? Salman Butt? Abdur Razzaq? Or dare we say, Shoaib Akhtar?
The following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Look any activity motivated by hate for the opponents will always result in any sports or competition.
You will never excel in any thing, take an example of Hockey.Pakistan and Pakistani players are so much obsessed with India that their training is done by keeping this objective,It is overlooked that rest of the world is learning better techniques and using more superior equipment to train their players.So rest of the world is busy in making their players stronger and better and we India and Pakistan are so much preoccupied by training our players just to beat each other.This practice is more prevalent in Pakistan then in India who are atleast making better cricket players.Only way Pakistani cricket will get better is by letting their players understand that it is a team sport and all have to play to win with playing better and not by tricks or hatred.The Pakistani players should be encouraged to play in IPL. I think Pakistan should make their own franchise to compete in IPL,because it can give their new players international experience.
Punish only those who brought shame to Pakistan by cheating openly and not those who were out performed by their opponents.
I think its Younas Vs. Dasti + Yawar Saeed. PCB chairman Vs Dasti helped to decide the case of Younas. Younas was vocal to protest against the allegation by Mr. Dasti which backfired on Dasti. But he didn’t forget that. Again, Yawar Saeed didn’t like Younas for his style and openness. But when Younas was captain of the performing team they could not dare to talk against him, rather every time they tried it backfired on them. Now when PCB chairman is on weak grounds and Younas no more there, then the PCB chairman sacrificed Younas to appease Mr. Dasti just for his desire to feel good. Otherwise, Younas Khan is the individual who sacrificed his captaincy against this spirit of infighting in the team which was/is the brainchild of Shoaib Malik and steered by Stupid Shahid Afridi–who could be convinced to chew ball to win match infront of millions of people–and others.
Our 60 years old plus management, coaches, everybody can do anything but to reform cricket. Mohad Youasaf , the innocent of all, must be hurt. I think students in Pakistan should come out in the streets to protest against these old house PCB and force them to retire.
I do not think that this is the right action, but I am really happy because atlast we thought about changing the team composition. I would rather suggest banning the selectors including Mr Wasim Bari (former selector) for sicking to players without any consistent performance. Younis Khan, M.Yousuf,Misbah ul Haq and Salman Butt should have not been sent to the Australian tour in the first place as there were no commendable performance from those players. It is time to realize that we cannot win matches on NAMES, we need consistent performers.
Whether PCB puts the ban or not, I think these players should not be selected until they prove their form and that too with some serious consistent cricket and not a mere 50 or 60 runs innings in a dozen of matches.
Fawwad Alam should be groomed for number 3 slot and bring some new players in the Middle order. It was also very shocking when M Yousuf asked to send in Misbah-ul-Haq for the last test match (his performance was not at all good) while there were two players who broke the record of highest partnership record just days earlier.
I would also suggest that Salman Butt should be kept out of the side. Instead give Imran Nazir the chance for such long time would do good for the team. Imran Nazir has been badly used by just giving him T20 matches leaving him to prove his worth in a very short time. I am sure if given a chance for the duration like Salman Butt, he would prove himself with his attacking cricket.
I would again recommend to take strict action against the PCB for being so ignorant by sticking with such players for so long time. With their current form, I am sure that they would not be considered for selection in any international team.
Our board should be sacked for waiting for such humiliating defeat, to think about changing the team.
Spirit of sportsmanship should triumph over indiscipline. That’s going to make a credible Pakistani cricket team eventually. (memories of Imran Khan, Asif Iqbal, etc).
Any time a nation or organization enforces discipline, it is a healthy habbit even if it will cause short term problems. I think the country needs more such disciplinary actions across the board for normalcy in life (and sports).
These actions were very much needed and i hope they wont be taken back on anyone’s pressure. I hope this proves to be the a turning point for our cricket and things would go upwards from here.
The punishment imposed on player is quite fair. The tour was the disastar in many ways. Victory has turned into a loss. Despite learning lesson players are showing pride over their performances. PCB fails to evaluate post tour each time. When things move well they ignore or compromise on disciplinary action ultimately it is qutie apparent when the failure of tour exposes. If things are taken on time to time then PCB would improve as organization. An adhochism has to be finished because it is taking the organization into decline. These are serious issues need to be resolved which is causing nepotism, accountability is absent.
This is becoming trend in Pakistan cricket, to ban players. It has happen before, during 2000 and after 2003 world cup defeat, and now also after getting defeat from Australia. I am sure this will continue in future also.
Banning is not the solution to solve this problem, until we diagnose and find out the root cause of the problem.
Sorry to say, but there are unprofessional people in PCB who are running the board. Every post in PCB should be filled with professional, who should be having knowledge and skills of their own field and on other side international cricket law maintained by ICC should be implemented in domestic match. For example if someone is involve in ball tempering in any domestic match then there should be serious action against that player, but what is happening now our cricket board is waiting for our players to repeat same action on international level and to get bad name for the country. Over here I want to mention 20/20 semi final incident recently played between Sialkot and Karachi, where Mr. Rana naveed was involved in ball tempering issue and I cannot see any action taken from PCB in regarding this issue.
Now it is the time that PCB should learn lesson from previous mistake and should select every player on merit. Kamran Akmal do got fine but he was in bad form in Australia, and in UAE sarfaraz did good job, so sarfaraz deserve place in playing 11 of Pakistan for 20/20 world cup.
Yousuf and younis should be part of Pakistan and where as shoaib malik is the person, who should get life time ban.
I guess Mohammad sami has shown skills of captaincy in domestic level, and why he was dropped after second test in Australia where he performed very well.
misbah, salman and razzak do not have skills of captaincy and same problem will happen that happened in yousef case.
I think, our team needs a good psychiatrics to have a regular session to motivate and educate team integrity and basic ethics. Players should not only to be trained for playing only but requires training for self respect, honesty, co-operation, co-ordination, national pride before self pride and not to be shelfish. The previous all behavioral mistakes should be noted and brain wash all the players not to repeat the same or similar mistakes/offences (e.g. match fixing, drug abuse, womanizing etc) at any cost. Also to train how to reflect to the world the good image of the team & country.
This type of training should be integral part of the mandatory coaching which should be continued in regular basis to all players in the team or in the reserve team.
Once good foundation is laid, all concern PCB officials are to ensure the practice is sustaining. Even PCB is recommended to attend the same behavioral coaching in higher level.
I think the PCB should look at the prons and cons of decision, leaderships matters in a team and I don’t see any one in our team right now, who is fit to lead the team. It does not mean that we don’t have good cricketers but am concerned with leaders like Waseem Akram, Waqar, Inzamam etc and Younas offcourse have the personality to do the job. Therefore, the ban should not imposed for life time, it should be a warning and by now I think the players learned a lot once the news is published.
cricket should be banned in pakistan
You said it………. they are playing with the emotions of all Pakistanis.
Barring anyone will never solve anything
Ijaz Butt on Pressure took that decision to show he can take actions
Its a total drama.some how an other all bann palyers will be in action soon.
I fine on akmal bors , afirdi , rana seemed ok, I don,t understand why they have imposed ban on yousuf and younis. What was their fault. can some one explain to me. To me it seems unfair for these senior players.
yonus the real hero of 2o/20 world cup,was punished in such a bad manner,that no one will now think of becoming hero.the most disciplined man in pakistan team is younus khan.why he was punished.?HE WON WORLD CUP FOR PAKISTAN.
i dont think this decission will bring improvement unless we, as a nation get rid of influential people. there is no lack of real talent in Pakistan but can not flourish unless the cover of these people is removed.
I am in favour of PCB decisions, players should keep country interest instead there own specially the seniors ones. This is not new it an history for which no body until this decision dare to check, BRAVO PCB players must under stand their responsibilities and they should pay for their blunders.
If these fines/bans have been imposed by a competent board than it was not a problem at all. The only concern is that all the board officials including chairman are appointed by a the government and we can’t expect good from them.
Akmal you are absolutely right, I agree with you.
Well it seems like Pakistan Cricket Board is about to repeat the same mistake or they design the scenario as such so that they can deploy their own members as a captain / vice captain and even on strong position on board.
They wiped out all strong contestants and provided the lay off to the personal, whome needed bigger punishment then they got by the PCB panel. I am talking about Akmal’s brothers. What they have done is the serous offense, and should be banned at least for a year. Afridi, Shoaib and Rana’s punishment was ok, but didn’t understand the nature of crime on Yousuf and Younus part, if they are being penalized then board members should also be in the same line.
well losing and winning is part of the game and losing with spirit even makes one a hero at times.the way our team played against australia and lost, i m positive the PCB must be aware of what the HITLER done to his german cricket team after DRAWING the test match. well the PCB should also be competent enough to LOOK into the matter the Hitler’s way.either we shall have worthy field heroes.
Sir
If I am not wrong, Mr. Younis Khan was not a member of the Pakistan team that toured Australia recently and fared extremely badly. In fact, I understand he had opted out of the tour by choice. Why then he has been punished when he had no role in the performance of the team?( I stand to be corrected if my information is wrong).
On the other hand, I believe Shahid Afridi brought more shame to Pakistan cricket when caught on camera while chewing the ball during the ODI. In fact, he deserved a still stricter punsiment , irrespective of his value to the Pakistan team.
Regards
BNA
Read a couple of weeks ago that General Musharraf said that Pakistan is the most happening place to be in right now. I guess he is sounding more and more credible as days pass as we see everyday some or the other action drama taking place in Pakistan – be in politics, sports, entertainment…Jokes aside, PCB need to disclose and make public the findings of the committee consituted to find out what went wrong with Australian tour. There are many unanswered questions and as is the usual practice merely pushing the dirty laundy under the carpet will not solve anything.
I think there is some match fixing element involved in this … otherwise this harsh action is not at all justifiable …
I think the punishment awarded to players would set an example for the future if the Board sticks to these punishments.
For the ban on Younus and Yousif, It is very imaginary and they do not give any reason also for the ban. I think it has already been lifted now by the Board and they also realised that they will have to fact the court for this ban.
As far as I know, Younus and Yoused are both good friends and mates and any infighting between them would be just a quarrel.
PCB has tried to exonerate itself from the whole game. They are the ones who could control it before it happened. Pakistanis are smart enough to see it through Mr. Butt. Besides, why didn’t you banned Kamran Akmal for life on technical incompetence?
I was the happiest man on earth, after I heard about the imposition of bans on the so-called ‘cricketers’. This is the best thing that could have been done to these players after they well and truly sullied the remaining (if at all) image of Pakistan cricket team. As far as I think, the ban should have come a ilttle too long ago, and that the players should been more harshly penalized. At least, this is something worth learning for the new talent seeking to play cricket for Pakistan in the future. A very nice step taken by the PCB. Well done.