Sports

Hafeez, Azhar face disciplinary action over Amir boycott: PCB

PCB chief says Amir also apologised to his fellow players on Friday

Afp December 25, 2015

PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Shaharyar Khan on Friday warned players refusing to train alongside tainted pace man Muhammad Amir during an on-going fitness camp for the national side that they faced fines and suspensions.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan said he was optimistic Mohammed Hafeez and Azhar Ali would end their boycott of the camp after meeting with the two players on Friday.

Former Twenty20 captain Hafeez and current one-day skipper Ali refused to train with Amir on Thursday, threatening renewed controversy for a Pakistan side looking to reintegrate Amir, who was jailed in 2011 and hit with a five-year ban for spot-fixing.

A team divided: Hafeez, Azhar snub camp to protest Amir’s inclusion

"I had a very cordial meeting with the two players for 30 minutes and I told them that they were going against the policy of the PCB," Khan told AFP.

"I told them that this could go against them and they could face disciplinary action."

Hafeez had told head coach Waqar Younis on Thursday he would not attend any part of the camp in which Amir was participating, sources close to the matter said, and Ali told reporters in Lahore: "Hafeez and I can't accept Amir's presence in the camp."

Khan said, however, the matter could be resolved early Saturday.

PCB mulls disciplinary action against Azhar, Hafeez

"Both the players told us that they were not against PCB's policy and after I told them that Amir has completed his ban and a rehabilitation programme" the two players would confirm by Saturday morning whether they would attend the camp, Khan said.

The PCB chief said Amir also apologised to his fellow players on Friday, adding that the bowler "will remain under the microscope whenever he plays, so I am satisfied with the meeting and hope the matter will be resolved".

Amir, then Test captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were charged with accepting money in exchange for arranging deliberate no-balls during a Test match at Lord's in England in 2010.

The three players and their agent Mazhar Majeed were jailed by a British court in 2011. Amir, Butt and Asif were also banned from cricket for five years.

Azhar, Hafeez boycott camp, refuse to train alongside Amir

But in September this year the International Cricket Council lifted sanctions against the three players. Amir's ban was relaxed in January this year and he was allowed to play domestic matches.

At the time of the ban, Amir was tipped as one of the most talented fast bowlers in the world.

Since his return, he has taken 22 wickets in four non first-class games, while his tally of wickets in the qualifying rounds of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy stood at 34.

The Pakistan players are training ahead of the national side's upcoming tour of New Zealand, where they will play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches.

COMMENTS (16)

T20 WC Prediction | 8 years ago | Reply Hafeez is a fair player. He is polluted. He played with an unlawful activity and was banned from rocking the bowling alley by the ICC. He duped his nation as well as ICC and the round of cricket. He appears to have done as such to protect his spot in the national group, where he would not be chosen in light of his capacity as a batsman. In doing as such, he denied chances to another player. To put it plainly, he conveyed offensiveness to the diversion, tricked ICC, his nation and fans, and denied numerous more youthful players chance to be in group. Amir duped his nation and fans. His activities really offered the resistance some assistance with teaming. Amir's wrongdoing is over and he has paid his cost for it. He has earned to be restored once more into group, in light of his capacity. Azhar does not have a place with the one day group. He will fizzle and be uprooted naturally.

T20 WC Prediction | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistani team is more agressive player to win t20 wc 2016

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Arif | 8 years ago | Reply We home India will win the T20 World Cup 2016.

T20 World Cup 2016 | 8 years ago | Reply Hafeez is a mediocre player. He is tainted. He bowled with an illegal action and was banned from bowling by the ICC. He not only cheated his country but also ICC and the game of cricket. He seems to have done so to preserve his spot in the national team, where he would not be selected based on his ability as a batsman. In doing so, he denied opportunities to a new player. In short, he brought disrepute to the game, cheated ICC, his country and fans, and denied many younger players opportunity to be in team. Amir cheated his country and fans. His actions actually helped the opposition team. Amir's crime is over and he has paid his price for it. He has earned to be rehabilitated back into team, based on his ability. Azhar does not even belong to the one day team. He will fail and be removed automatically.

Pakhtun | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Your Master selected Najam Sethi as top boss of PCB without any qualification and your are calling others as dishonest. Go and eat your Qeemay wala naan

RF | 8 years ago | Reply No names trying to make name for themselves but I hope that backfires.

Chaigram | 8 years ago | Reply Inspiring future Pakistani politicians? Good move.... But you are no Imran Khan. You have no Oxford degree or Jamima or Raham as you ex-wife. Good get back to cricket.......

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Betting Mafia is controlling dishonest and inept PCB officials. These filthy people will destroy cricket to fill their own pockets. It looks that Azhar and Hafeez have also succumbed to the pressure. Therefore our only hope rests at New Zealand High Commission who should refuse visa to this criminal.

Muhammad | 8 years ago | Reply Dear Hafeez, I and my friends have decided never to watch you playing, thanks to your hypocritical tendencies. In fact we wish you are sacked from cricket until you come to your senses. Shame on you for showing your immaturity in opposing Amir's inclusion into the team.

Iqrar | 8 years ago | Reply Dear Sheheryar Sir, I approve your stand against those players who are opposing Amir. If they do not comply they, particularly Hafeez who seems the main culprit in recruiting other team members to unite with him to resist Amir's re-entry, please use your good office to send them home should they continue to be non-compliant.

Afzal | 8 years ago | Reply I am thoroughly disgusted at the behaviour of those opposing Amir's return. I used to respect Hafeez for his ability to score although he often failed to show consistency. His refusal to accept Amir as a team member tells us how narrow minded and jealous person he is. Is he afraid of Amir's rise or is he worried that in the presence of Amir he himself could be caught cheating. As a Pakistani I would love to see him warned if not dismissed from the team. It seems other players like Azhar are being influenced by Hafeez to gang up against Amir and they require some counselling.

AIjaz | 8 years ago | Reply If this good for nothing sifarshi Hafeez is really such an upright man, perhaps he should first explain why did he falsely claimed that he had refused to sign up with a BPL franchise just because of Aamir's presence?

HZ | 8 years ago | Reply Cant play with Amir but as soon as we get a glimpse of acceptance from IPL we will be running back and be up for auction in a blink of an eye forgetting how they refused us in past. And of course we are very patriotic :) ...@SK smartly pointed out. Will accept big checks from NS and Zardari too :)

Usama | 8 years ago | Reply These two ordinary batman have achieved nothing in there career.they should focus more on there cricket than anything else

R Kashmiri | 8 years ago | Reply It's great watching hafeez and Azhar squirm. They can't fix now as there's an ACU mole (in the form of Amir) in the team now. Don't believe me? Just see how Azhar was dismissed in his last few innings against England. Hafeez a professional player seems to have issues with run outs? You gotta be kidding me, he's a professional for God's sake!!!! He's potentially made good money from those run outs!

SK | 8 years ago | Reply I am sure Hafeez and Azhar would die to receive any award or even a handshake with Zardari or NS, who have plundered the everything they can, but they wouldn't play with Amir- Hippocrates to the core

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