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.
Mark my words: This is the making of another massive U-TURN by PCB. A thousand bucks that both Yousuf and Younis will be back in the team shortly.
Right Decision With Younis & Yousuf
Ban on yousaf and younus is highly unjustified. Instead shoaib malik, akmal brothers, afridi and rana naveed should be banned for life because they are producing a bad name to the country as well as if Pakistan is secondary for these players then they should be made alone to get their primary needs. We don’t need these players. These sort of controversies will keep on arising if present PCB board will continue.
This is PCB which once was too much leniet about players role that they almost used to control the administrative tasks,and again this is PCB which is too much harsh in imposing bans that they banned players like yosuf and yonus for life long.
I think there should be no compromise on discipline but life time ban on your stars leaves your team very in the open sky.Imagine your test team without yosuf and yonus.It was necessary to slap them for their misdeeds but the force applied makes it unjust.
This is completely unjustified and completely irrational. Every time Pakistan has managed to score in excess of 300 in an ODI or score over 500 in a test match, it is always either younis or yousuf leading the charge. Without them, there is a massive void to fill in the already fragile middle order which I think no other Pakistani batsman can come close to filling. The Karachi Domestic League and The ICC Champions trophy are two very different arena’s after all…
I think the bans on Younis, Yousuf and the penalty on Afridi and the Akmal brothers are rightly justified. No individual should be left to assume invicibility and complacency in the national squad and when these gentlement take the liberty to assume no accountability, i think the PCB did the right thing to remind them they are not bigger than the team itself. Besides, Yousuf doesnt deserve a place in the 20 20 squad anyways.
Have players of any other international team never lost a series? Do you think it is a good tactic to scare the poor players who are like puppets in this case to somehow win us matches? I completely agree with Inzamam when he says that a committee comprising of PCB employees have handed out these bans. PCB is the one who assigned the manager, coach and captain for all the series in question. They are just trying to save their own “butts” by punishing players. Shahid Afridi was already punished by ICC.
By looking at the comments of some so called fans of Pak cricket, I can tell that they don’t even know the meaning of discipline because then they should also demand that there be some discipline in PCB and it is honchos.
The entire inquiry report should be made public letter by letter. It has got nothing to do with national interest and in no way should be kept confidential. Let the people know why such punishment has been meted. Don’t make it another Hamood ur Rehman Commission report. It is not cricket to hide it.
Well this is really funny to ban yosuf and younus. What fight they are talking about. Younus was not even the part of the team in most of the australian tour. He just went there to play few one dayers. and yousuf was insisting to call younus to join the team to improve the batting. Only today I came to know from PCB that these two were fighting before that there was no news like that. Infact younus himself stepped down from captaincy then why he would fight with some one. Even if they were fighting, does it justify to ban them for whole life. This is a political decision. I have no problem with thier decision for Shoiab Malik and Rana Naved. Rana naved does not even deserve to be in the team and shoaib malik is a one dirty fish in the pond and he should go forever. his performance also below average. Interesting when every one was pointing fingre on Shoib Malik, he was banned only for one year,,,,, I guess he will get back captaincy after one year of rest.
hahaha. I just read in Jang that Ijaz butt has changed his mind and over turned his decision of lif ban on yousuf and Younus. What a interesting day we have today.
Just few days ago, he claimed few players are under match fixing alegations and suddenly he changed his statement and said, he was talking about 10 years old case. Now this one.
Dont we have any sensible guy in pakistan to be the chairman of the board.
The whole episode is laughable.
I think this decision clearly shows an under table deal between PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and Shahid Afridi as both have become successful to save their necks, despite being responsible for the poor performance of the team and involvement in the crime of ball tempering respectively. It is a bit surprising that Younis Khan has been banned for indefinite time period although he resigned due to players’ power. Afridi was considered to be the architect of rebellion against Younis Khan. So how this decision will end players’ power its a million dollar question. The decision exposes mean nature and nefarious designs of those persons who now may be thinking that they have saved their skins by producing some scapegoats and hiding the real culprits who have been continuously defaming the game of cricket. If PCB really thinks that it cannot go against few prominent players keeping in view their importance in the team then it should relinquish all its powers to those players because when you compromise then you should compromise to the fullest.
This is a great movie of comic characters
Look at a series of resignations from Yunus
1. after T20 worldcup win, retirement , no reason.
2. after attending the National Assembly meeting,resignation, personal reasons
3. after series with Newzealand, final resignation. Loss of Player’s confidence
PCB selected him again for Australia’s tour, no performance
PCB announced Afridi to be next T 20 captain, ball chewing performnce
This decision has come as a rude shock to alot of us. I believe the decision of slapping a life time ban on younis and yousuf was way too harsh. I really dont see a justification behind this decision. Fine, maybe they did spoil the team discipline, culture etc of the team but how can PCB just ban them from playing international cricket. These guys was the back-bone, the stalwarts of pakistani batting line up and just one bad series cannot be justified them in banning them. The other decisions in imposing fines and banning (malik and naved) the players are fine but banning yousuf and younus for life time is absolutely not justified. The PCB should not have taken this decision in a haste but rather shouldve waited for the t20 world cup to get over. Pakistan is defending the title and with such decisions looming over the players, it would be all the more difficult for them to lift their morale and perform. All I can say is that pakistani cricket is plunging deeper and deeper into turmoil and they better get their act straight soon otherwise its bye bye T20 world cup and bye bye Pakistani Cricket!!!
So the PCB has taken a decision, though controvercial and somewhat partisan.
The life ban on Yunus and Ysuf is not understandable. If Yusuf was not the captain stuff, which is also true, why the Board ofrced cpaitancy on him for the down under tour. Those who selcted him as cpatain must also face similar penalty, and Mr Butt should be among them. How long he will use his relationship with Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar to ruin cricket? It seems that Mr Butt has shielded some conspirators who are responsible for indissciplne and throwing away matches for becooming captain. Action agaisnt Yunus and Yusuf is just like the rebellion incited by Imran against Miandad’s captaincy. Action against Malik, Rana, Afridi and Akmal brothers is not so harsh. Since the decision is going to be challeneged, it is time Board made reports of the fact finding committee known along with the reports submitted by the coach, manager and Waqar and captian’s version. I do agree that it was time Pakistan needed fresh blood and perhaps a new team, just like the one raised when some leading players had joined the circus i Australia. But Mr Butt and company must also be axed for damaging Pakistan cricket. Let the affected players explain their point of view in the media. Ibn-e-batoota
PCB decision, this is yet another shocking news of life ban on two pillars of Pak cricket team. I guess this is gift to Younis Khan for winning us the T20 world cup and a gift to Yousuf for stepping in for captaincy when PCB was out of all choices. They cream the player to unacceptable height and then rubbish them aside. This is the policy of PCB. I consider Ijaz Butt is solely responsible of the state of team today as all this dirty politics started from the day he took to chairmanship of board. BUT HE GOES UNPUNISHED!!!!!! Yet another surprise from PCB and yet another shame they brought to players, team and the country.
I hope they stand by decision to keep AFRIDI as captain……..
I PROTEST THE LIFE BAN ON YOUNIS AND YOUSUF AND VERY UNJUSTIFIED. I ALSO SUPPORT AFRIDI IS ONLY CHOICE FOR CAPTAINCY.
TAIMUR.- DUBAI, UAE.
Ijaz butt should also go . Afridi, Malik & Naveed should be banned for life time as first one brought a bad image for Pakistan and later Two constantly creating grouping in the team including Akmal’s brothers. Sohaib Malik is doing this dirty business since long time.
Younis & Yousaf punished without any fault except poor performance. Both of them are honest and one what can do if team does not listen to captain they can complain only and in proteat they can stepped down. This is the job of management that they should listen captain complaints not to ban him.
I guess Younis khan should not have been banned for life. He is the best batsman in the line up and always gives up his 100%. His inclusion in the one day series in Aus was not necessary. He should be only considered for test matches and should have been in Australia. I don’t know what wrong he has done but a fine should have been more than enough for him.
Yousuf’s batting has been below par ever since he came back from ICL and if some one can leave country for money then I won’t be disappointed in his exclusion.
Its a blessing in disguise that they have banned Shoaib malik and Rana. Both are total waste and don’t know why the have been playing for so long. Kamran akmal should also be axed as his keeping is below par.
Umar akmal should learn a lesson that this is not a galli cricket so if he wanna stay then play for the country and not for Akmal family.
As if anybody cares. Pakistan sports is going down the tube. No one wants to play in this country which is understandable and when Pakistanis play, it results in a disaster. They are paid huge amounts of money, are provided with every facility possible but the players prefer to play politics instead. I dont really care about it anymore and would rather watch and enjoy other countries play.
I THINK PAKISTAN TEAM LACKS IN COURAGE NOWDAYS EITHER THEY ARE NOT FOCUSED OR SOMETHING ELSE .TODAYS TEAM SEE TOWARDS PLAYER LIKE IMRAN,WASIM,WAQAR AND MANY MORE HOW THEY WERE DEDICATED TOWARDS THE COUNTRY AND HOW PROFESSIONALS THEY WERE.HOW THEY EARNED RESPECT ALL OVER THE WORLD SPECIALLY IN INDIA.
I think I tend to agree with Ramiz Raja, fines are fine, but ban and ban for life for your two of the most experienced, was like a real bomb shell. PCB acted too harshly. They may have fined them, put them of probation, but banning them for life, was not even thinkable.
I am pleased to see bold decision being made, however PCB has a precedence of making tough decisions only to reverse them after sometime. Will the life bans materialise to set an example for future players?
I could not understand what exactly they did that they were asked to pay the price. Defeat in a series cannot be a reason to spoil someone career
Very good decision. should have taken it long before
yousaf, my friend, winning and loosing is part and parcel of the game, but indiscipline and grouping are the prime reasons for the disarray in which the Pakistan team is, at the moment.It is a good decision on part of PCB
Mansoor what if we loose Wc T20?? should the new captain be banned for life???
if yes then Y u r making him captain?? y u r playing with his career??
The life ban on Younis & Yousuf is not justified, they were also be punished like others. Ban on Shoaib & Rana is justified & nothing will happen without these two players as we have replacements of them & be sure we can defend our title. In my point of View the new Captain should be Shahid Afridi as he is agressive & having leadership qualities.
Gud Luck Pakistani Team…………
Yes, i think Shahid Afridi should be the captain, as he has got the best set of teeth on this Planet.
My dear Pakistanis. It was about time that someone should take responsibility and fix the mess. Cricket is like a life for many of us and I would like to mention specially our senior citizens for whom cricket is everything. we are an emotional nation and we love our country. I don’t understand why our players don’t realize the very fact that they are representing the whole nation in front of the whole world. I salute PCB for their bold action and like my other brothers have mentioned above ” we don’t need people who are not sincere with Pakistan”. we have plenty of talent available and we can produce better Pakistani sincere players than the once we have now. it is shame to see this and it has surely caused humiliation globally for all of us. May Allah help us as a nation. Long live Pakistan.
After reading the above comments very carefully, I beg to differ to most of the views shared by the writers.I think that whole drama was created in a haste. Cricket board announced its verdict without considering many implications. Nobody has a right to ban any player in the present circumstances. Ijaz Butt , as a chairman of the Board is not lawfully elected chairman, he was only appointed by the present Govt.. One should be asking about his own credability and his services towards Pakistan cricket. And, also, who are the committee members, who complied the report about the player’s conduct in Austrailia? By culling that many players in one stroke, to me, is just trying to get as much media attention, as possible. This is, wholly a hastey and emotional decision, which has been done so many times before. Remember banning Shoaib Akhter!! And then what happened afterwards. The Cricket Board had to go back on its words and called Shoaib back. This is no different to that.
I am an Indian and I hate to see Younis and Yousuf out of the team.
You fear to see Pakistani team because you are an Indian.