Pakistani Cricketers Appeal Process
Pakistan cricket seems to be going through its worst days with some of their players having to face hefty fines or indefinite bans due to their dismal performance and for creating negativity in the team during the Australian tour. However there are certain players who have appealed to the fine and bans, but only one so far had his appeal accepted. Luck seems to be shining bright on Shoaib Malik who not only recently tied the knot with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, but also got his ban reversed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Moreover it seems as if former captain Younis Khan and pacer Rana Naved ul Hasan still have a long way to go before facing the same fate. Their appeals are still lying with the arbitrator awaiting a hearing.
Delays in the hearings of the player’s appeals made usually means that it is very possible that their availability might be at stake for the upcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. According to Iqbal Mohammad Khan, who is the chairman of the National Assembly’s standing committee on sports, suggests that the delay in hearings of the appeals is on purpose. He pointed the fingers at the arbitrators for not hearing their appeals against the suspensions to keep them out of playing in next month’s Asia Cup. He came to this conclusion as Younis Khan’s hearing date is not been set for June 5 and Naved ul Hasan’a appeal will be taken up on June 19. So, in the case of the former, it is most likely that the final squad would have been chosen by then and in the case of the latter, the team would be five days into the series anyway. Thus in both cases their participation in the Cup seems highly improbable.
Younis Khan, was handed down an indefinite ban after the PCB concluded that the infighting between Khan and the former captain Mohammad Yousuf during the Australian tour went against the spirit of team unity and spread negativity in the dressing room. On the other hand all rounder Rana Naved was slapped a one year ban and fine two million rupees for his dreadful performance during the same tour. Both these players have filed their appeals, wanting to get back into the game, which are yet to be heard by an arbitrator.
Due to the poor performance of Pakistan early this year on their tour to Australia, seven players received bans and/or hefty fines. Only one player so far has benefited from the appeal process. Shoaib Malik had his ban revoked and fine slashed by half after a decision pronounced by arbitrator Irfan Qadir. The reason that was given was Malik’s good behaviour during the last three months, which was accounted for by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Following the advice given by the PCB, the arbitrator took this decision. This gave both Khan and Hasan a glimmer of hope which was soon taken away after a delay in the hearing of their appeals. Iqbal very strongly felt that if the arbitrator was handing down the decision on one of the appeal’s case, he should have heard the other six cases as well and pronounced his decision. The chairman of the committee has also expressed his utter surprise that only Shoaib Malik was under surveillance of the PCB, whereas the other players are being left out in the dark.
It was indeed the Standing Committee on Sports which recommended that all players be given a chance to begin over and their fines and suspensions be revoked last week. Thus Iqbal firmly believes that PCB should have treated all its players on an equal footing before deciding to lift the ban on only one player.
The overturning of the ban on Malik has also received severe criticism from former players to critics alike. Former pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz called the stance taken by the PCB as a “coward’s stance. He strongly believes that these tactics are sure to damage Pakistani cricket. Echoing his sentiments was former opener Aamer Sohail who felt that the decision to revoke Malik’s suspension was taken in haste.
The critics may say what they want but it is Shoaib Malik who had the last word by being allowed to play for Pakistan. It is now the future of Younis Khan and Rana Naved that hangs in the balance.
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