PCB officials to be grilled by Standing Committee over action against cricketers

Lahore, Mar. 15 (ANI): The National Standing Assembly's Committee on Sports will grill top PCB officials on Monday about their decision to take disciplinary action against seven national cricketers.

"We have invited the PCB chairman and other officials to attend the hearing because we want to know on what basis was this action taken. We have also heard complaints about the board announcing action against players without first taking approval of governing council of the board," the Daily Times quoted Senate committee chairman Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, as saying.

There is increasing pressure on the PCB to reveal the basis on which it enforced the punishments.

Acting on the recommendations of an inquiry committee set up after Pakistan's dismal performance in Australia, the PCB dropped senior batsmen Muhammad Yousuf and Younus Khan for indefinite periods.

The board banned Shoaib Malik and Rana Navedul Hasan for one year besides fining them Rs 2 million each. It also fined Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal Rs 3 million each, besides imposing a fine of Rs 2 million on Umar Akmal.

"The issue here is that the senators want to know the charges against the players and also details of the management reports but will Ijaz Butt agree to reveal details," one source close to the Senate committee said. (ANI)