New Delhi. A report has claimed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed displeasure to Shadab Khan for making fun of former players after the match. Along with this, the board has advised the all-rounder to take care of his language during the current World Cup. Shadab had responded to the criticism made by former stars sitting on different television channels who asked questions on his selection in the team. During Pakistan’s 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday, Shadab Khan scored 36 runs and took 3 wickets for 19 runs. Shadab said, “Former cricketers have their own opinions. They (former players) were legends, but even they could not achieve what we have done. We have defeated India in the World Cup.”
The PCB, through team manager Navid Cheema, told the all-rounder not to say negative things about former great players. Sources told TelecomAsia.net, “Naveed Cheema has called Shadab to tell him that he was out of line in the press conference on Wednesday night. Shadab should know that all the former players, including his father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq, are respectable and great players of Pakistan. Shadab should respect them and should not use such language.”
Shadab Khan
According to the report, Cheema has been asked to tell other players to comment on the match and not cross the limit, otherwise action will be taken against them.
Shadab’s father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq has also expressed his displeasure over Shadab’s comments. “Those were unsolicited comments. Most of the players had played with me. In fact, I am one of them who had not won any ICC event, but we had won many big matches for Pakistan,” Saqlain told TelecomAsia.net.
Another former player, Kamran Akmal, said that Shadab’s statements were unsolicited. The report quoted Kamran as saying, “There is a need to be cautious in saying such words against former players.”
The Pakistan team management has been very cautious about pre-match and post-match media interactions. Before the important match against India, no player from Pakistan came in front of the media for two consecutive days.
When Usman Tariq arrived for Namibia’s pre-match media session, the media manager stopped him from answering a question. The question was why Tariq was used late in the match against India, when he was brought in to bowl in the 11th over. On this, media manager Naeem Gilani said, “Tariq will not answer this question, because after the match against India, head coach Mike Hesson has already answered it.”
Pakistan will play its first Super-8 match against New Zealand cricket team in Colombo on Saturday. After this, the team will face the England cricket team in Pallekele on 24th February and four days later, it will play against the Sri Lankan cricket team on the same ground.