Friday, August 24, 2007

PCB's about face on Shoaib fine

In another about face by PCB, Shoaib Akhtar has been cleared of indiscipline charges by the cricket board after being penalised for leaving a training camp without the team manager's permission. Akhtar was fined 300,000 rupees ($5,000) and docked 1.5 from the available 20 disciplinary points for leaving the camp and then not appearing for the board's hearing this month. However, manager Talat Ali said"It was a case of miscommunication which has been sorted out.
"I had a meeting with him and he said he had informed the captain (Shoaib Malik) before leaving the camp. That has been confirmed." "We have accepted his assertion that he left the camp after informing the captain who could not tell us about this due to a communication gap," However, Akhtar has been warned to be on his best behaviour for the next six weeks and would remain on a watch list, he said.
Akhtar had filed an appeal against the punishment last week and an appellate committee suspended the action, asking the board to review the case. The 32-year old strike bowler has returned to the team for next month's Twenty20 World Cup having played just one test and four one-dayers in the last 15-months due to fitness problems, which also kept him out of this year's one-day World Cup. Akhtar said he could now focus on the World Cup.
"It is a big load of my mind now as I don't like being charged with indiscipline when I have done nothing," he said.

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