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.
Now all banned player will approach IPL and say now we are not Pakistani players but are independent and will get chance to play in IPL.
I think, the board missed an importan aspect is this whole saga. Shoaib malik rana and Yousaf are needed to be punsied butnot banned. All have a history of indescipline and betting. Shoia malik throw away a match in domestc cricket and Yousaf ran to ICL. Younas does not deserve to be banned but shoud be helped to lead the team. Also there should be some punshment for Intikhab alam, yawar and others in the managment.
This is a joke, Pakistan lost to a better team. Pak lost to Australia not to Bangladesh or zimbabwe. Has PCB looked at australia’s record this year , they have just lost 2 close games to NZ
They even came close to win a test. The issue was Yousuf’s ability to lead a side. He may be good batsmen, but a clueless as a leader He may have been made captain based on certain promises made to him before.
They should have just dropped them and moved on, Shoaib Malik does not even merit a place in the side, so why bother.
In few weeks they will make a U turn and make Shahid Afridi captain and Karam vice captain. yousuf and younis will be back in the side, happy and friendly till their next fight.
just like anything in pakistan, total disarray and it will only get worse. look at the state of hockey in pakistan , same story there
The punishment were handed to all the players so that people like Butt can still get paid. With the alarming consistancy that PCB is plunging themselves into bankruptcy, money from players would fill up their pockets. Sometimes I think that we as Pakistanis are ill confident and stupid which is why our institutions are run by such pathetic and empty headed people like the fat pig Mr. Butt.
What on earth does he know about cricket and how not to just tarnish people. Did Afridi already serve a punishment? What did Younus and Yousuf did beside fighting with Malik?
If match fixing is proved , which infact it is , thats why these harsh steps, they should be given atleast same punishment as was given to Azharuddin and Jadeja.
As long as PCB sticks to their decision only then these bold step matters. Shoaib, Rana, Shahid Affridi definiely needs to go. These guys have not matured, and will not mature. Bring-on Misbah as captain. I’m sure with the in-house talent, he can group a figthing team together to defend the title.
dont worry guys ,PCB will make a u turn ,,,,watch
1. The PCB punishments should be consistent, timely and justified.
2. Yonus and Yosuf should not be banned for life, maybe received monetory punishment.
3. The other players recevied the right decision, especially the Akmal brothers. They should try to develop the correct attitude towards the game and should only play for the name of their country.
I do not think that the punishment forced on Yonus and Yosuf will stay for a long time. I remember that the PCB has already enforced punishment on Shoaib Akthar many times and revoked it after a few months. Hence, I doubt if the punishment on both will stay for even a month.
The Akmal brothers deserves punishment and they received it.
But I don’t think Afridi received proper punishment. In the ball biting issue, he and Naved Rana were actually cheating. Cricket is gentleman’s game and not cheaters game. He is a person representing Pakistan, more over captaining Pakistan that day. His action suggested that he will do anything for a victory.
God help Pakistan if Afridi becomes captain in any format.
The roller-coaster ride continues. I reckon a U-turn is on the cards. Honestly, what sin did the two Ys commit? They would have flourished in any other country. Relatively speaking, the bigger culprits – Afridi & Malik- got away lightly. Wonder what the criterion was- discipline or utility?
The Board has made one biggest mistake, they have punished too many and too severe. Soon the Punished will have a secret meeting, in which they will sort out all their differences in the best interest of their career and then they will force Board to make a U turn. Most of the commentators and critics are under estimating the power of players.
The decision to ban and fine is welcome though I fear the management has come out smelling of obnoxious odor though not punished.
We are 170 million citizens of this country. We can not afford any Madonnas in our poor country. The size of the fines reflect the earnings of these individuals, which are obscene and morally repugnant in a country of “Kachi abadies” and knee deep poverty.
Failure in 20Twenty is unimportant if individuals like these bring Cricket into disrepute , I thought the cricket builds character!
what they do is not cricket whatever else it may be.
They should disclose the reasons and incidents leading to these BANS! specially of Yusuf and Yunas who seem to be victims!
Malik should be banned for almost destroying bright carears of Razaq and Yusuf for so long!
The decision related to Yousaf and Yousaf is completely unjustified. Both players have served their country well in the past and for me the reason to ban them indefinitely is unintelligible. They should have only been penalized with fine only so that we can enjoy their batting for one or two more years. The decision related to Afridi, Malik and Akmal brother is right step in right direction. There is dire need to bring discipline in the national team. I would say they deserve even more severe punishment.
Right decision ….PCB should also take some long term measures like grass root cricket grooming etc. Good job PCB.
One surprising thing is that the main culprits Shoaib Malik, and the two Akmal brothers who actually started all this were given only one year ban
1. The bans on Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan should have been for a certain period, thus giving the players an opportunity to redeem themselves. Sensibly, the bans are not for life but indefinite, thus leaving them open for review.
2. The penalty should have been harsher for Afridi for blatantly and foolishly disregarding the rules of the game while captaining the team, and for bringing the nation’s name in to disrepute, and for making Pakistan cricket a laughing stock around the world. I guess he was reprieved because of the importance of his presence for the T20 championship. This leaves a message for the younger players that if the PCB needs you bad enough you can get away with utterly disregarding the rules and spirit of the game.
3. Most importantly, starting with the school level cricket, the game should be coached and conducted with strict adherence to the ICC rules. And, it should be ensured that that the captains and vice captains are well versed in the ICC Code of Conduct, particularly, the rules that come into play only infrequently.
This is totally looks that PCB wants to destroy cricket in the country by gives such an harsh decision before the start of the T20 world cup and, if see other countries where players have done many bad acts but nobody was banned by there own board, its looks like that board by it self involved in the match fixing case.
I think this is the right message sent out by the cricket board, we are just fedup to see the infighting in the pakistan team, this is not a new problem, this problem started right after Imaran Khan retiring. banning the players for indiscpline will definately send out a strong message to the pakistan team to cooperate and stop fighting, even in India for any indoscpline cricketers are banned or fined (mohinder ammarnath was such example)
I think it is really unfortunate when players actually get banned… these guys are professionals and they rebel when something goes against their grain. I think the Sports (cricket) Management authority is actually responsible for this whole mess… if they noticed something was going wrong then they should have addressed and acted on it right there and then. The Cricket Board has to nuture and mentor their players… Sports is an institution not not a corporate entity!
Its a pity when players like Yousuf, Younis are banned for life… does it mean these guys are beyond redemption? …. Iam an Indian and I do miss players like Shoaib Akhtar… who are victims of this same indifference!
This is a ludicrous decision as I see it. I was angered and disappointed to watch Pakistan loose all matches against Aussies. We played well in patches, but the mental strength was needed. I believe players should have been summoned to public inquiry committe, where they should have been confronted with the allegations. They should have been confronted with a serious allegation of putting down pride of nation for their pitty self interests. If the algeations are proven and they don’t repent, then there should have been serious reprecussion/ consequences for them. You have to look at PCB conduct to see where the things went wrong. The admin of PCB is full of incompetent people starting with Ijaz Butt. He should have been first person to be sacked. I can’t also believe that Waqar Younis is hired, he lacks leadership and mental strength that our team need. Muhammed Yousef acted badly after tea lost, he should have shown more grace and class. It is not very important to be a captain, it is an extra responsibility. They should still not deserved to be banned for life, someone should send our to theraphy on team bonding (hehe). PCB should Resign
Can any one share here the reasons given by PCB for imposing punishment for each player.
Looks like these guys have plenty of outsourcing opportunities available.
Putting an expiry date on the players is an embarassment for these playes and shows no regard to whatever they have done in the past for cricket…Another immature decesion by PCB… treating the team like students in army camp
Well some late action by board but world will see that this Butt would not stick to his own decisions. Already he has issued a statement that ban on two Ys isn’t not lifetime & they can be considered any time for country. I think first of all he must himself go simply because he let the player power grow to its height. Example. Why his picked captain Younus has to resign twice and each time he gave the details of the problem & root-cause players were consistently played thus he had to leave. Second, ban on two Ys is in no way justified. They are accused of bad relationship which trickled down to cause infighting in the team. Well this is completely baseless. 2 Y’s never engaged in media war or else. We never sort of thing. Rather It was SHOAIB MALIK who appeared time & again on media against every captain. It were him to be banned for lifetime. Other bans a justified & should be sticked to.