Shoaib Malik's one-year ban lifted

Shoaib Malik's appeal against the punishment handed out to him by the PCB earlier this year has been "partially accepted" by an independent arbitration tribunal, which has overturned his one-year ban and halved his Rs 2 million fine.

"The board's legal advisor has reported to me that after monitoring Malik in the last three months they feel he has improved his behavior and attitude," Irfan Qadir, the arbitrator, said. "I have decided to uphold his appeal and lift the ban as the purpose of disciplinary action against players was to make them rethink about their careers."

Malik was relieved after the decision and said the purpose behind his appeal was to "clear this stigma" against his name.

"His appeal has been partially accepted," the PCB's legal advocate Talib Rizvi told Cricinfo. "The ban has been lifted and his fine has been halved. The board has the right to review the decision but as of now he is eligible to play for Pakistan again."

"I am very happy that with the blessings of Allah my stand has been vindicated and all the baseless charges and allegations have been quashed," Malik, 28, said in a statement. "It's a sort of new life for me and I am very happy."

The charge against Malik was never clearly explained by the inquiry committee that decided on the punishment but it was widely thought to be for what a number of management officials and players called his negative influence on the side. This was confirmed in a subsequently leaked video of the inquiry committee meetings, in which Malik's role within the squad was blasted by a number of players including Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf.

Qadir, a retired judge, will now send a report to the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, who will put the decisions in front of the board of governors. "We're going according to our constitution which says an appeal can be filed in such cases," Butt told Cricinfo. "I will now receive the report from the arbitrator and then put it up in front of the board of governors for their approval."

Though Butt refused to say so, it is expected he will approve the findings and that the board of governors will ratify it as well, thus removing legal obstacles from the way of Malik's potential return. Malik was named in the list of 35 probables for Pakistan's next two assignments, in Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup and then a long summer tour to England, but it is unlikely he will make the cut for the first task. The 15-man squad for the Asia Cup is to be picked in the first week of June and the governing board's next meeting is likely to be after that.

The decision also paves the way for some of the other players' punishments to be reduced or removed. The board has eased its stance in recent days against the punished players. Butt first told a national assembly meeting that he would review the punishments again before lavishly praising Younis Khan - another player punished by his board. Younis' hearing, which was due to take place immediately after Malik's, was adjourned to June 5.

Malik's relief, Cricinfo understands, is part of an agreement the board has reached already with at least three other players. According to board sources, like Malik, Afridi and the Akmal brothers will also see their monetary fines cut by half. Of the other players punished, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan's next hearing is scheduled for June 19, while no dates have yet been set for Afridi and the Akmal brothers.

When and if players such as Malik and Younis return - and if Mohammad Yousuf comes back from retirement - questions are likely to be asked about how cordial Pakistan's dressing room will be, given the startling levels of mistrust and disunity in the side. The PCB says they have given the team's manager Yawar Saeed and other officials greater authority in clamping down against any future incidents.

"I have instructed the team manager and other officials including the captain that any act of indiscipline, any such problem, and they have my full backing in immediately sending a player back," Butt said. "They need not even refer the case to me, they can send the player back immediately as they will have full authority to do so."

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Former Pakistan players slam overturning of Malik's ban

Former Pakistan players, Aamer Sohail and Abdul Qadir, have criticised the decision taken by arbitrator Irfan Qadir to overturn Shoaib Malik's one-year ban and cut his fine by half. Speculation in Pakistan has suggested that political pressure was brought to bear on the PCB regarding Malik's ban.

"By lifting the ban on Malik, the PCB has succumbed to political pressures," Qadir, a former chief selector, said. "If the board had taken a strong decision, it should have stuck to it come what may, but their decision will now encourage the players to violate discipline and get away with it."

Since Malik had been pardoned, Qadir said, the PCB would have to do the same with the other players. "Now it's the duty of the board to clear other players also because it will be blamed to have done preferential treatment to one player after Malik is cleared," he said.

Sohail called the decision a "hasty" one. "To hide its own incompetence, the PCB targeted the players and, after pressures from outside, they abruptly lifted the ban."

The PCB had banned Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, from playing for Pakistan in any format for an indefinite period, while handing out one-year bans to Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan following the team's disastrous tour of Australia in 2009-10. Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers were fined Rs 2-3 million [$24,000-35,000] for various misdemeanours and put on six-month probations.

The charge against Malik was never clearly explained by the inquiry committee that decided on the punishment but it was widely thought to be for what a number of management officials and players called his negative influence on the side. This was confirmed in a subsequently leaked video of the inquiry committee meetings, in which Malik's role within the squad was blasted by a number of players including Afridi and Yousuf.

Sarfraz Nawaz, a former fast bowler, was scathing in his criticism of the PCB, saying it had taken "a coward's stance". "It's a decision taken under political pressure and will damage Pakistan cricket in the future," he said. "PCB took a decision against discipline breaches but couldn't stand the pressure from political forces. I also question the authority of the arbitrator as well who doesn't have the credibility and authority to take such a decision."

All of the punished players, apart from the retired Yousuf, had appealed against their bans and fines and will have hearings in June. Younis' appeal was scheduled to be heard immediately after Malik's but it was pushed back to June 5, while Naved-ul-Hasan's hearing was set for June 19. However, Iqbal Mohammad Ali, the head of parliament's sports committee, felt the delays were a deliberate attempt to keep them out of the Asia Cup in June.

"I believe the only reason in delaying the appeals of these two players is that the PCB does not want to include their names in the Asia Cup squad," Ali told AP. "He [arbitrator] should have given decisions on all the six appeals yesterday, but he just lifted ban from Shoaib Malik and reduced the fine.

"It surprised me that they kept only Malik under observation. PCB should treat all the players equally. If they had decided to lift the ban on Malik and reduce the fine, they should have taken the similar decision on all the players."

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Younis' request for open hearing turned down

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan's request to have his appeal against the indefinite ban imposed on him by the PCB heard in presence of the media has been turned down by the arbitrator hearing the appeals, former high court judge, Irfan Qadir. Younis' hearing will now resume on June 5.

On a day when Qadir decided to overturn the one-year ban on Pakistan allrounder Shoaib Malik, Younis' lawyer Ahmed Qayyum demanded that his client's hearing be conducted in front of journalists. Qadir denied the request and was willing to announce his verdict on Younis' appeal, but the lawyer refused to hear a decision "behind closed doors".

"The judge told me he would hold my hearing in camera and didn't allow the media representatives Younis wants to attend his hearings," Qayyum was quoted as saying by PTI. "Before the hearings I requested the judge to allow the media reps in but was told this was not possible as it was a confidential hearing. I was indirectly also told that the judge wanted to give a ruling on Younis Khan's ban immediately behind closed doors but I refused."

Younis has been picked in Pakistan's preliminary squad of 35 for the Asia Cup and the tour of England. He was banned indefinitely by the PCB along with Mohammad Yousuf in the aftermath of a winless tour of Australia for reasons of indiscipline, but his being considered for Pakistan's upcoming international assignments could be an indication that the PCB is willing to leave a door open for a possible return.

The reason for demanding a hearing in the presence of the media, Qayyum said, was to get the board to highlight the evidence based on which it decided to impose the ban. "Now they are saying it is not a ban and the Chairman of the board can include him (Younis) anytime in the team. But my client is adamant that he wants his case to be heard openly because he has done nothing wrong," Qayyum said. "My client wants the truth to come out and my client wants the board to show the evidence on basis of which they banned him."

Qadir said the board had explained its position on the issue, as a result of which he was ready to "wrap up" the pending appeals. "I wanted to give a ruling on Younis Khan's appeal but his lawyer said he wanted more time to talk to his client," Qadir told reporters. "I want to wrap up these appeals because the board has made its stance clear to me now."

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Cornered Butt clips Bari's wings

With pressure mounting on Ejaz Butt, the PCB chief went into damage control mode and clipped the wings of his chief operating officer Wasim Bari, one of his most trusted men.

In a major upheaval in the board, Butt has taken away the administrative powers of former Test captain Bari and given them to Subhan Ahmed who has been appointed senior general manager.

In another significant move, Butt also instructed the human resources department to report to Subhan Ahmed.

Bari has been blamed for playing a key role in sidelining former Test captains and players, including Salim Altaf, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir and Aamir Sohail.

While Altaf was removed as CEO and Bari was elevated from GM human resources to his position, Qadir and Sohail had resigned as chief selector and head of game development last year after differences with the Chairman.

Miandad who was brought into the board with great fanfare as head of cricket affairs and advisor on cricket to the Chairman is restricted to just coaching assignments and looking after domestic cricket.

Observers blame Bari for creating misunderstandings between Butt and the former players leading to their exits or reduction of power.

But sources said these changes were unlikely to save Butt in the long run as there was a lot of discontent against him in the government circles.

"The heads of the Senate and National Assembly standing committees have openly complained about him and urged his removal in communications to President Asif Zardari who is chief patron of the board," one source said.

He said Butt, who enjoys great political clout in the present government because of defence minister Chaudhary Mukhtar Ahmed who is a close relative, has sensed something is wrong and is now taking damage control steps.

"Butt's recent allegation that two members of the Senate committee were blackmailing the board into paying outstanding money to a construction company have not gone in his favor," one source said.
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Imran backs Afridi for Pakistan long run

KARACHI — Pakistan's legendary former captain Imran Khan spoke out in support of Shahid Afridi on Friday, saying the all-rounder should be given a long innings to stabilise a team hit by controversy.

"Afridi should be given a long run as Pakistan captain," Khan told AFP, saying that frequent rotations at the top destablise the team.

"Since I retired in 1992, Australia has had only three captains while Pakistan has had more than two dozen and that is why there is a big difference between Pakistan and Australia."

Facing a captaincy crisis after Younus Khan stepped down and Mohammad Yousuf was sacked, Pakistan on Tuesday appointed Afridi captain for next month?s Asia Cup and a subsequent tour of England.

Khan said Afridi, already leading Pakistan in the Twenty20 format since last year, was the only real choice.

"Who else if not Afridi?" said Khan, Pakistan?s most successful captain with a World Cup triumph in 1992.

"I think if they had made anyone else captain, problems would surely have persisted, so I think Afridi was the best choice available."

"Afridi has been leading the team well in the Twenty20 format. A good captain should be brave, can handle pressure and should have the respect of the team, so let us give Afridi some time to settle and then judge him.

"You can never predict about him as a Test player and a captain until you give him a chance. If he was not playing Tests and now he intends to play, then maybe with responsibility he performs better."

Afridi, who has not played a Test since 2006 because of family commitments, made himself available for the longer version of the game last week.

Khan said he does not agree with the idea of separate captains for different formats of the game.

"Cricket is the only sport where you need able leadership and if a captain is successful in one format he could be successful in all three," he said.

Khan sympathised with banned former captain Younus Khan.

"Younus won Pakistan the World Twenty20 title," said Khan of Pakistan?s triumph in England last year. "And then after one defeat an MP levelled allegations of match-fixing against him and that was very unfair on him."

Khan referred to allegations leveled by MP Jamshed Dasti after Pakistan lost the semi-final of the Champions Trophy held in South Africa last October.

Khan said Pakistan will need Yousuf for Tests in England.

"Pakistan needs someone who can stay at the wicket for longer and Yousuf has that quality," said Khan. Yousuf retired in protest after the Pakistan Cricket Board banned him indefinitely over infighting in the team.

Pakistan will feature in the four-nation Asia Cup one-day tournament in Sri Lanka from June 15-24.

They then play two Twenty20 and two Tests against Australia and four Tests, two Twenty20 and five one-day games against England -- all in England.

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Pakistan senators allege underperformance in Australia

Members of Pakistan's senate standing committee on sports believe, on the evidence of the inquiry committee report they have seen on Pakistan's tour to Australia, that "one or more" players in the national side are involved in deliberately under-performing for money, though they admit concrete evidence is lacking. The Pakistan Cricket Board said that the conclusions and the comments were made by the senators on their own.

The senate standing committee members - Tahir Mashadi, Abdul Ghaffar and Haroon Akhtar - met the PCB at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday afternoon and held a three-hour meeting in which they were given a presentation by board officials on the report. Last week the board acted on the report's recommendations and punished seven leading players.

"We were given a presentation today by the PCB, including video, audio evidence and the matter was discussed thoroughly with them," Akhtar told Cricinfo. "The PCB has done the investigation well and has been thorough with it. One or more people, we believe, is directly involved in some form of match-fixing and others indirectly.

"There is more than just one problem in the team. There is discipline, there are issues of grouping, there are instances of people deliberately under-performing to undermine captains and there are instances of people making lapses clearly where monetary interests are involved. If there is a lapse that nobody can explain or answer and there is no logical reason to it, then the assumption is that these are lapses where monetary interests are involved. There is no concrete evidence because you cannot track money changing hands."

Asked specifically whether the senators' conclusions were shared by the board, Akhtar said, "Members of the PCB were involved in the investigation. We saw video clips where the investigation was done by the PCB. There were several experts involved in the making of this report and were there in the meeting today and the conclusion that we reached was also reached by some of the experts involved."

Cricinfo understands, however, from officials involved in the committee and the subsequent report that match-fixing wasn't even within the terms of reference of their investigation. The committee never felt that there was any problem with match-fixing after their investigation, honing in instead on issues of discipline and friction within the side. It is also believed that after the meeting on Monday, board officials specifically and repeatedly requested senators not to go public with their beliefs and conclusions about match-fixing. The senators, however, held a press conference immediately after their meeting in which they made their conclusions public.

The board officially refused to comment on the conclusions. "We have done our work, what decisions were made are public, the decisions were taken for the good of cricket and our job is now finished," Wasim Bari, chief operating officer PCB, told Cricinfo.

Bari was head of the six-man committee that compiled the report. "We gave them a presentation on all of this, including a video presentation, of the inquiry we carried out," he said. "We always said that we'll give you a frank and honest presentation and they were very pleased with that. What we did we have showed them. The conclusions and comments they have made are their own and we will not comment on that."

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England thrash Australia in final of World Twenty20

Australia’s cricketers crashed to a seven-wicket defeat against England in the World Twenty20 final in Barbados on Sunday.

Michael Clarke’s side had gone into the final without a defeat in the Caribbean tournament but were never in the hunt after losing 3-8 in the first 2.1 overs.

David Hussey played a determined innings of 59 to lead Australia’s recovery for a total of 6-147 but England were untroubled, reaching 3-151 in 17 overs.

South African-born duo Kevin Pietersen (47) and Craig Kieswetter (63) added 117 for England’s second wicket in a match-winning partnership.

Kieswetter was named man of the match and Pietersen, who missed a game during the tournament to attend the birth of his son in London, was player of the series with 248 runs at an average of 62.00.

"Losing those three wickets early certainly didn’t help us and put a lot of pressure on our middle order," Clarke said.

"But we did well to scrape to 140-odd. In the end we were probably 30 runs short.

"But in saying that, the way England came out and batted we were probably 50 runs short.

"That’s the way it goes. We got beaten by a better team today."

After Shaun Tait removed Michael Lumb (2) in the second over, leg-spinner Steven Smith and left-armer Mitchell Johnson dismissed Pietersen and Kieswetter in the 14th and 15th overs.

But England settled with skipper Paul Collingwood unbeaten on 12 including the winning boundary and Eoin Morgan 15 not out.Collingwood had invited Australia to bat first and left-armer Ryan Sidebottom (2-26) claimed Shane Watson (2) and Brad Haddin (1) while David Warner (2) was run out.Clarke (27) chipped a catch to rival skipper Paul Collingwood at 4-45 in the 10th over.

Cameron White crunched 30 from 19 balls, adding 50 in a crucial fifth-wicket partnership with David Hussey who was dropped by Stuart Broad at mid-wicket on 25.David Hussey’s 54-ball knock included two fours and two sixes.

The right-hander was run out in the final over after a 47-run partnership with brother Mike who was unbeaten on 17.

Spinner Graeme Swann was economical with 1-17 from his four overs.

Australia would take little comfort in the fact this was a step forward for the team after failing to reach the final in two previous World T20 events.

It’s England’s first win in a major limited-overs trophy event, after making the decider in the Champions Trophy once and the World Cup three times.

The ICC later announced Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin had been fined 10 per cent of his match fee for a violation of the Code of Conduct.

Haddin pleaded guilty to a charge of showing dissent after an umpire’s decision.

He batsman was given out caught behind down leg-side for one off the bowling of paceman Ryan Sidebottom.

But the ball appeared to miss the bat and strike Haddin on the hip and the Australian stood at his crease and pointed to his hip after being dismissed.

MAN OF THE MOMENT - Craig Kieswetter who hit 63 off 49 balls to win the man-of-the-match award. The wicketkeeper/batsman shared a 111-run partnership with fellow South Africa-born England player Kevin Pietersen (47).

KEY MOMENT - Australian opener Shane Watson slices a high catch to wicketkeeper Kieswetter off the bowling of Ryan Sidebottom from the third ball of the day. The gloveman drops it but Graeme Swann grabs the rebound and the England side have their tails up and never looked back.

STAT OF THE DAY - 92 runs at 15.33. Australian captain Michael Clarke’s modest batting tally for the tournament means his place in the team is under threat, according to Clarke himself.

QUOTE OF THE DAY - ‘‘There is no doubt the selectors will need to have a look at my performances. I certainly know they haven’t been up to scratch and as good as I would’ve expected throughout this whole tournament, and probably Twenty20 cricket in general.’’ - Clarke.

SUMMARY - Australia’s weary cricketers travel home for a few weeks of time off ahead of a one-day series in England in June, having at least ticked off the box of reaching a World Twenty20 final for the first time.

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Will Mr. Imran Khan Come forward to reform Cricket?

Sports have captivated masses and, surprisingly, in this age of Science and Technology, nations get passionately, rather hysterically, involved in sports. The West, and now Arab-African countries too have developed a do or die craze for soccer. The game has become a way of life for the enthusiasts. I can recall the euphoria when France was playing the final of 1998 FIFA World Cup and French President Jacques Chirac was among a crowd of 69,000 in the stadium. The whole of the country exploded with joy when Zidane, a devout Muslim born to Algerian immigrant scored the goals that helped the host nation to win the Cup for the first time.

While France celebrated the World Cup victory, many observers took note of the multi-ethnic nature of the team at a time of racial strife. "I had never seen French people so happy with each other," Nick Fraser wrote in London's Guardian. So sports also have a role as unifiers.

In this part of the world where British ruled till the end of the Second World War and left their deep impression on the way of life of the people of the sub-continent and, of course, that includes deep fascination for Cricket a gentleman's game as the British people prefer to say. Indeed, Cricket requires a particular environment. It is extremely absorbing game which has an element of drama, Hitchcock-like suspense and surprisingly fluctuating fortunes of the teams in a few moments. It is particularly fiercely contested game and generates a lot of tension when arch rivals like India and Pakistan face each other in the ground. “It is a question of life and death”, as some enthusiasts describe an Indo-Pak Cricket clash.

What a phenomenon that failure of Pakistani team in a fixture particularly in the World Cup or in the T-20 tournament dismays not only the team members and the management but also the whole nation. People, on the whole, are left heart- broken. Their annoyance and reaction go to the extreme. On the other hand, when the team achieves an incidental success, the whole nation stands on feet and there is an atmosphere of jubilation with ordinary people distributing sweets and dancing in the streets. I have seen some pious ladies offering Nawafil of thanks to God when the Green Shirts win a Cricket clash. I hope no one has forgotten that all divisive tendencies went under carpet and the whole of Pakistan looked like one celebrating the victory of Green Shirts during the last Twenty-20 World Cup. Even suicide bombers too were, perhaps, enjoying the glorious victory of Pakistan as there was no incident of blasts on that day. Incidentally, the nation displayed a mature and balanced response to Pakistan's unfortunate defeat in the semi-final on Saturday last.

It is in this perspective that in Pakistan everybody appears to be concerned with the state of affairs of Cricket. Reports emerge frequently regarding corruption, favouritism, nepotism and above all appointments of Presidents of BCCP on considerations other than merit. This has totally torn off the whole fabric of Cricket in Pakistan. There are various dimensions of the whole saga which if not addressed including match fixing, indiscipline and grouping, night activities of Cricketers as well as favouritism in selection, will totally mar Cricket, the most popular among the people of Pakistan.

I hate to mention certain players who have been named in the report of in-house Inquiry Committee of the PCB over defeat in the last Australian tour of the national team. These revelations about certain players have ashamed the entire nation.

Other national players who were not part of the team like speedster Shoaib Akhtar who emerged as a terror to batsmen fell to the charm of night clubs and TV commercials. He was king of lethal yorkers and awkward bouncers making it difficult for a batsman to negotiate the ball. He destroyed himself by the charm and is now playing local Cricket and making comments in TV channels only.

Now that the Cricket has assumed the heart-throbbing importance of more than a game having the potential of plunging the nation into deep sorrow or euphoria and availability of massive funding and perks to the high-ups of BCCP and the Cricketers, there is a need to think how to get rid of the dead wood involved in corruption and all sorts of conspiracies to protect their interests and windfalls.

Nowadays, there are also talks of starting Major Cricket League (MCL) on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL). That would be another disaster for the Cricket set-up in Pakistan and there would be people who intend to make massive fortunes out of it. The example of the scandal of IPL and the fate of Lalit Modi is before us, and, therefore, we should not emulate the Indian precedent. Huge payments to players in such tournaments and involvement of bookies would destroy the national team as the players would compete in matches to earn rather than to play for the country for its honour. We have seen the fate of Indian Cricket team in the last two T-20 tournaments as they could not reach the semi-finals as they have lost interest in international encounters or become so tired that they cannot deliver.

To get out of this mess and check the lust for money by a group of Cricket-related people, the country needs to make a major shake-up in the entire set-up. Kardars are not born again and again. A.H. Kardar, Captain of the young Pakistan Cricket team in good early days was a stalwart, a disciplinarian and legendary Cricket leader, respected in Pakistan and in every Cricket-loving country. He would ensure that every player of his team, when on tour abroad, goes to his hotel room not later than 9:30 p.m. However, there are a few who can help restore the prestige of the country and the game.

In my view, the country needs a charismatic personality whose professional competence and honesty are above board, to head the BCCP. He should be tasked to revisit the entire Cricket structure, throw out the weeds in management and the players and lay the foundation of the game on a firm footing where only deserving youngsters make up for the team on merit and only on merit.

I would have recommended Dr. Zafar Altaf, a respected name in Cricket and a doer and achiever to take the reins of Pakistan's Cricket. But he is rendering more valuable services to the State of Pakistan as vibrant Chairman of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council.

Therefore, after a lot of thinking and interaction with many experts of the game, I have come to the firm conclusion that only Mr. Imran Khan who superbly led his boys and won the World Cup in 1992 for the first time is the only choice left. He has many characteristics of late Kardar and he can ensure discipline in the team selected for test, one dayers and T-20 fixtures. He had been giving suggestions about forming Cricket teams on regional basis rather than the present set-up of teams of different institutions. He has incidentally entered the field of politics but one is sure that he can spare some of his time from politics for this national game of immense interest to all, and which made him a hero of the Cricket lovers and even people at large. After Cricket, he did another great national service by opening the much needed hospital for the treatment of cancer patients and named it after her late mother Shaukat Khanum. He is also busy in the establishment of a prestigious model educational institution in Mianwali, which is another great national service.

May I suggest to Mr. Imran Khan that instead of campaigning against the deeds and misdeeds of the incumbent Government and coming out with statements of all sorts, he may agree, at least for a couple of years, to take over the affairs of Cricket? I am sure if he gives it a serious thought, it will add another feather to his cap and make him more popular and respected personality of Pakistan.

I wish the President, who is Patron-in-Chief of the PCB would also give due consideration to my humble request as the Board and the entire Cricket set-up are at the crossroads and if not checked, it would bring a bad name to the country and destroy the Cricket which is played and loved in every nook and corner.

All Cricket loving people including myself will be thankful to Mr. Imran if he volunteers to take over the whole cricketing system, restructure it and produce master stroke players, dreaded bowlers and weavers of spin to restore Pakistan's glory in the game of Cricket.
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