PCB chief pardons Shoaib Akhtar

KARACHI - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt Tuesday pardoned Shoaib Akhtar after the controversial fast bowler apologized for criticizing the PCB and the national team management in a television show.

“We don’t want to further continue this matter as Shoaib has apologized for his mistake,” the PCB chairman said.

“It was very nice of Shoaib to acknowledge his mistake and the matter is closed now,” Butt added.

Shoaib was issued a show cause notice by the PCB for appearing on the television show in violation of his central contract.

The pacer said in the TV show that the Pakistan team management conspired against him to get him out of the country’s Twenty20 squad for the ICC World T20 championship in England last June. He also took a swipe at the PCB’s policies during that show.

A couple of weeks after receiving the notice, Shoaib apologized to the PCB chairman over his outburst on the TV show.

Shoaib, 34 was not considered for the Test and one-day series in Sri Lanka earlier this summer and was also ignored for the ICC Champions Trophy which gets underway in South Africa from September 22.

The Rawalpindi Express is now eyeing an international return with the tour of New Zealand which gets underway in the mid of November. Pakistan will play three Tests in New Zealand in Nov-Dec and will later go to Australia to play the Tests and five one-dayers there. The fast bowler will have to prove his match fitness to be included in the squad.

Shoaib, meanwhile, has said that he would work hard on his form and fitness by attending a strict training regime.

The pacer said that he would soon start competing in domestic matches to prove his fitness.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and captain Younis Khan have said in recent times that they would want to have a fit-again Shoaib back in the national team.

Younis has made it clear that Shoaib, who has a history of disciplinary problems, can stay in his team as long as he performs.

“I am not bothered about what he does in his own time. That is not my concern as long as he is committed to the team and 100 per cent fit to perform for Pakistan,” Younis said in an interview last month.