PCB imposes heavy fine on top players

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New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board handed out life bans to top players Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf following an inquiry into the team's disastrous tour of Australia.

The PCB also banned Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved for one year, along with a fine of Rs two million, for breaking the team's 'code of conduct' during the tour of Australia.

Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal have been given final warnings on disciplinary grounds and are all on a six-month probation period. Kamran was handed a fine of Rs three million and younger brother Umar was fined Rs two million.

Afridi was fined Rs three million for ball tampering during the one-day series against Australia.

The PCB on Wednesday implemented the recommendations of an inquiry committee formed to evaluate Pakistan's dismal performance against Australia in December and January. The committee was led by Wasim Bari.

The inquiry committee had recommended that Yousuf and Younis should no longer be part of the national team in any format because of their bad influence on the team and that Malik and Rana be banned for 12 months.

"Younis and Yousuf both cannot represent Pakistan in any international games, but they can play in domestic cricket and compete in county cricket," PCB legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told the Associated Press.

Both Yousuf and Younis were involved in infighting while on tour, which resulted in bringing down the whole team, the PCB said in a statement.

"Their attitude has a trickle down effect which is a bad influence for the whole team," it said.

The punishments are set to impact the composition of Pakistan's World Twenty20 championship. The team is the defending champion in this format and the 15-man squad for the event is due to be out by the end of this month.

According to reports, the national selection committee was taken aback by the recommendations by the inquiry committee with the team set to defend its World Twenty20 title in the West Indies.

The inquiry committee apparently had serious reservations over the attitude and commitment shown by Malik and Rana in Australia where they were accused of not cooperating with the management.

It is said the captain, coach and manager on the Australian tour had reported Malik and Rana for misbehaviour and not cooperating with the management a fact confirmed by some other players who appeared before the probe committee.

Former Pakistan test captain Ramiz Raja said the national team needed certain direction on discipline, but felt barring players from international competition was extreme.

"Our main problem was discipline, but barring players, I am not sure, it doesn't look nice to just end the international careers of such talented players," Raja told The AP.

"I think the PCB should have fined both Yousuf and Younis like they did to the others and set an example for other players, but banning them is a bit harsh to me."

Another former Test captain Inzamam-ul-Haq questioned the formation of the committee and described the banning of Yousuf and Younis as the "totally wrong decision."

"The committee comprised employees of the PCB and there was no neutral person in it," Inzamam told Geo Television. "You cannot ban someone from playing international cricket on just disciplinary grounds."

This is the first time in Pakistan cricket history that the Board has taken such strong disciplinary action against so many players at one time.

(With Agency inputs)