PCB slaps Afridi with hefty fine
KARACHI: Shahid Afridi will leave here for London on June 21 to join Hampshire’s Twenty20 campaign after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) granted him a No Objection Certificate on Thursday.
But the NOC didn’t come for free. A PCB disciplinary committee headed by Sultan Rana — one of the Board’s directors — slapped the former Pakistan captain with a hefty fine of Rs4.5 million for disciplinary breaches.
Afridi, 32, appeared before the three-man committee at the PCB headquarters in Lahore on Thursday. He admitted to violating the Board’s Code of Conduct and expressed ‘regrets’ over it.
The star allrounder later said that he was happy that the issue has been resolved amicably.
“Whatever happened over the past few weeks brought a bad name for Pakistan which is why I’m happy that it’s all over,” he told ‘The News’.
“I appeared before the (PCB) committee and gave them, in detail, my side of the story. It was good that they listened properly and I’ve accepted their decision,” he added.
Following hectic developments at its headquarters, the PCB issued a statement on Thursday evening.
“Shahid Khan Afridi today appeared before the PCB disciplinary committee comprising Sultan Rana (chairman), Shafiq Ahmed and Usman Wahla (members) at National Cricket Academy Lahore. Taffazul Rizvi (legal advisor PCB) assisted the Committee,” said the statement.
“Shahid explained his position and clarified his conduct which has been reported in the media recently and has resulted in suspension of his central contract and revocation of his NOC.
“After a detailed hearing, Shahid Afridi regretted and pleaded guilty and requested the committee to decide the matter. The committee appreciated Afridi for recognising his indiscretion and is treating the same as a mitigating circumstance.
“For reasons, to be announced later through a detailed order, the committee has recommended to impose a fine of Rs4.5 million for breach of various clauses of the central contract and code of conduct.
“As Shahid Afridi has been awarded penalties, therefore on his request committee recommended to PCB that he be issued a NOC for playing for Hampshire. Chairman PCB has endorsed the recommendations of disciplinary committee,” the statement concluded.
Thursday’s development brought the curtains down on what was a bitter dispute between the PCB and Pakistan’s most popular cricketer.
It all started late last month when Afridi, then the Pakistan one-day captain, hinted at disharmony within the national team management. In response, the Board decided against retaining him as captain for the two-match series against Ireland.
It prompted Afridi to announce his ‘retirement’ from international cricket. Afridi also flayed the Board for its ill-treatmentà towards him and declared that he will not play for Pakistan under the current PCB set-up.
On May 31, PCB suspended Afridi’s central contract and revoked all NOCs granted to the player. Two days later, it formed a three-man disciplinary committee and asked Afridi to appear before it in Lahore on June 8.
Afridi, who was in London at that time, returned home but decided against facing the PCB committee. Instead he filed a petition against the PCB and the Sindh High Court ordered the Board to stop its disciplinary proceedings against Afridi.
At that time when it seemed that the Board and Afridi were set for a long drawn court battle, some influential quarters came into action. A meeting was arranged between Afridi and PCB chief Ijaz Butt in Islamabad and according to sources both parties reached a compromise. Afridi agreed to withdraw his court case after receiving assurances that he will be given an NOC to play for Hampshire.
[Courtesy The News International]
But the NOC didn’t come for free. A PCB disciplinary committee headed by Sultan Rana — one of the Board’s directors — slapped the former Pakistan captain with a hefty fine of Rs4.5 million for disciplinary breaches.
Afridi, 32, appeared before the three-man committee at the PCB headquarters in Lahore on Thursday. He admitted to violating the Board’s Code of Conduct and expressed ‘regrets’ over it.
The star allrounder later said that he was happy that the issue has been resolved amicably.
“Whatever happened over the past few weeks brought a bad name for Pakistan which is why I’m happy that it’s all over,” he told ‘The News’.
“I appeared before the (PCB) committee and gave them, in detail, my side of the story. It was good that they listened properly and I’ve accepted their decision,” he added.
Following hectic developments at its headquarters, the PCB issued a statement on Thursday evening.
“Shahid Khan Afridi today appeared before the PCB disciplinary committee comprising Sultan Rana (chairman), Shafiq Ahmed and Usman Wahla (members) at National Cricket Academy Lahore. Taffazul Rizvi (legal advisor PCB) assisted the Committee,” said the statement.
“Shahid explained his position and clarified his conduct which has been reported in the media recently and has resulted in suspension of his central contract and revocation of his NOC.
“After a detailed hearing, Shahid Afridi regretted and pleaded guilty and requested the committee to decide the matter. The committee appreciated Afridi for recognising his indiscretion and is treating the same as a mitigating circumstance.
“For reasons, to be announced later through a detailed order, the committee has recommended to impose a fine of Rs4.5 million for breach of various clauses of the central contract and code of conduct.
“As Shahid Afridi has been awarded penalties, therefore on his request committee recommended to PCB that he be issued a NOC for playing for Hampshire. Chairman PCB has endorsed the recommendations of disciplinary committee,” the statement concluded.
Thursday’s development brought the curtains down on what was a bitter dispute between the PCB and Pakistan’s most popular cricketer.
It all started late last month when Afridi, then the Pakistan one-day captain, hinted at disharmony within the national team management. In response, the Board decided against retaining him as captain for the two-match series against Ireland.
It prompted Afridi to announce his ‘retirement’ from international cricket. Afridi also flayed the Board for its ill-treatmentà towards him and declared that he will not play for Pakistan under the current PCB set-up.
On May 31, PCB suspended Afridi’s central contract and revoked all NOCs granted to the player. Two days later, it formed a three-man disciplinary committee and asked Afridi to appear before it in Lahore on June 8.
Afridi, who was in London at that time, returned home but decided against facing the PCB committee. Instead he filed a petition against the PCB and the Sindh High Court ordered the Board to stop its disciplinary proceedings against Afridi.
At that time when it seemed that the Board and Afridi were set for a long drawn court battle, some influential quarters came into action. A meeting was arranged between Afridi and PCB chief Ijaz Butt in Islamabad and according to sources both parties reached a compromise. Afridi agreed to withdraw his court case after receiving assurances that he will be given an NOC to play for Hampshire.
[Courtesy The News International]
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