SYDNEY, JANUARY 6: The controversy surrounding Shoaib Akhtar over his bowling took another twist on Thursday when it was revealed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) committee which banned the Pakistan paceman lacked quoram.
Australian cricket officials had claimed the decision on Akhtar was taken by the committee which included all nine members of the Test playing nations.
Facts now suggest it’s not true. Members from India and Zimbabwe were not part of the verdict and even did not give their opinion on the matter telephonically. India’s representative Erapalli Prasanna was not consulted by the committee while Pakistan’s Imran Khan was excluded as per ICC rules which prevent member from the country concerned taking part in the discussions. Zimbabwe’s Andy Pycroft, too, was neither in England for a committee meeting nor give his opinion on phone.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has claimed that both Prasanna and Pycroft were not part of the telephonic hookup on December 30 which ruled against Akhtar.
PCB has also objected to the decision as it was taken on the basis of only one or two deliveries.
Meanwhile, PCB chief Tauqir Zia spoke to ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya on the issue on Wednesday.
“In my opinion, ICC has done injustice to us. You cannot throw somebody out by raising objections on one delivery. We are not going to let his future be spoiled. Such bowlers are not born everyday. Bowlers like Shoaib are treasures of the game,” Zia said on Wednesday.
“The relation with the board and future of a player is at stake and if it is on one delivery, it is unfair,” Zia quoted the ICC Chief as saying.
Meanwhile, Akhtar is staying back in Australia and will spend several days in Perth to work on his action before receiving more help from Michael Holding and Imran back home.
Akhtar left his teammates before they arrived in Brisbane for Thursay’s day-night clash with Queensland. He will be filmed from a variety of angles and the film will be used as further evidence to support the Pakistani grievance.
PCB has reportedly sent a three-page letter to ICC outlining its objections and claiming the ruling was invalid because the panel had examined isolated deliveries and not all six of a given Akhtar over.
CALCUTTA: Dalmiya said here on Thursday that the ICC will take a final decision by Friday on Akhtar’s immediate cricketing future. “A final decision will be taken by tomorrow after consultation with Sir Clyde Walcott,” ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya said here on Thursday.
“I have asked the ICC office to send me certain relevant documents and papers. A decision will be taken after these papers reach here,” he said.
The suspension of Akhtar had taken another twist on Wednesday when ICC’s Advisory Panel referred the issue to the president and the chairman of cricket’s world governing body.
After the ICC’s advisory panel banned Akhtar from playing, the PCB had lodged an appeal which asked the ICC Advisory Panel’s decision to be suspended.
Since PCB’s appeal was an unprecedented development and with no formal procedure currently existing, the Advisory Panel had referred the matter to ICC president Dalmiya and Sir Walcott, chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee.
The ICC is keen to take a final decision on Akhtar before the three-nation one-day series involving Pakistan, Australia and India starts on Sunday.