Shoaib up to his old habbits…
KARACHI: “Discipline” is the key word in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ranks today following the World Cup debacle but, apparently, those running the cricket affairs practically still have to learn their lessons.
The Board Chairman Lt. General Tauqir Zia, in fact, said here categorically that there would be no compromise on discipline with any player no matter who that person is. Then it is rather surprising to learn that till three days back Shoaib Akhtar was allowed to stay independently at a five star hotel in Lahore whereas the other players in the Pakistan training camp were put up at the three star Sunfort Hotel.
“The News” has learnt that Shoaib, in fact, got special permission from the Board and checked into the Hotel Avari around 16th April when the selectors started the process of trial matches and the Board had put up the outstation players at another three star hotel.
Shoaib, however, was allowed to stay separately on his own expenses. Sources in the board say that even after the selectors announced the camp trainees and the training camp began Shoaib continued to stay at the Avari and it was only after captain Rashid Latif reached Lahore and inquired about his whereabouts that matters took another turn.
The source said that Rashid had taken an immediate stand as to why Shoaib was staying separately when all the other players were in the same hotel including himself and the team management.
“Yet it was after two days reminders from Rashid that Shoaib finally checked into the team hotel,” a source said.
Interestingly, sources say that Shoaib also had to check into the team hotel after an incident at the Avari involving him and a foreign national which didn’t please the Board at all when it was reported to them.
A source, who is Karachi-based and was staying at the hotel the same day the incident took place, confided that the Pakistan fast bowler and his foreign national “friend” had been pulled up by the hotel management when some guests complained off their “unruly” behaviour.
The matter was than also brought to the notice of the Board whose Chairman is said to be very unhappy with the situation and chances are the disciplinary committee of the Board might convene to discuss this matter.
The point is what discipline is the Board hoping to implement when it itself continues to give preferential treatment to Shoaib Akhtar.
The simple question being why was he allowed to stay independently at another hotel even at his own expenses when all the other players were put up by the Board at another hotel?
