Hours after the postponement of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar fumed over the “incompetency” of the country’s cricket board and also asked Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the matter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday indefinitely postponed the ongoing season of PSL after three new positive cases of Covid-19 emerged.
Lashing out at PCB’s medical panel and the current PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, Akhtar said: “It is time for blame-game. But you have to admit that this the responsibility of the medical panel and the bio-secure bubble should have been properly maintained. There should be strict inquiry against the medical panel… The medical panel should not be spared.”
“The medical panel should be punished and I request the higher authorities because they played with the lives of the people… All the blame has been put on Wasim Khan and he has been asked to face everything. Who has brought Wasim Khan? Ehsan Mani (brought him). Where is Mani Sahab? Is this the responsibility of Wasim Khan to answer here? Ehsan Mani should give the answer,” he added.
PCB said that the decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on February 20.
Akhtar said that PCB CEO Wasim Khan is the only person in the board who wants to help Pakistan cricket. “No one should have a doubt about PCB`s incompetence. Only Wasim Khan is logical and he is the only one who wants to help Pakistan cricket… Now is it the responsibility of Wasim Khan to look after the medical panel. Earlier also I asked Wasim Khan to change the medical panel so that such a situation does not happen,” he said.
Also, Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz and coach Daren Sammy had breached the Covid-19 protocols last month. However, the PCB had allowed the duo to join the side after testing negative for the coronavirus.
Requesting higher authorities to look into the matter, Akhtar said PCB played with the lives of the people. “Aren`t you (PCB) that smart to book an entire hotel. People are getting married there, getting haircuts. Daren Sammy getting out. I fail to understand, why would you (Javed Afridi) breach the bio-secure bubble. I am asking the same question to Wahab Riaz,” Akhtar said.
“You (PCB) played with the lives of the people and at the same time you played with the reputation of the country… Where is the Chairman of PCB, he has to be answerable. I request the higher authorities and to the honourable courts to take a very good look at this matter… Where is Mani? Come to the front and answer. You have damaged Pakistan’s reputation by ruining PSL. I am asking the higher authorities and the Prime Minister, sir look into this matter. This is an insult to Pakistan and Pakistan cricket,” he added.
Citing an incident when he used to play, Akhtar said: “PSL brand got destroyed again just because of the incompetence. And the one’s who do not even know how to write a prescription or see X-rays are PCB`s doctors. I have witnessed this when I used to play, they (PCB doctors) did not know how to see X-rays. Nothing has changed so far.”
– with ANI inputs
