Pakistan team will be banned from any activity on the social websites during the World Cup. PHOTO: MALIK SHAFIQ/ EXPRESS
Naveed Akram Cheema, the Pakistan team manager, confirmed the news on Tuesday saying that the central contracts restricts the chosen squad from using any social networking site during the New Zealand tour and later the 2015 World Cup.
"I personally feel only people with loads of free time are active on these sites and I don't think our players will have enough time on hand for other things other than focusing on cricket and doing well in the World Cup," said Cheema.
The step was taken by PCB to avoid controversies which are usually driven from players' activity on the social networking sites.
Cheema further stated that players who fail to comply with the stated policy will be penalised.
"These players have been selected to represent their country in the biggest event of the cricket world and they need to give 100 percent and remain focused on their game that is why we have imposed this restriction so that they are not distracted," he said.
Another important decision taken by the PCB was to restrict the wives from accompnying the players to the World Cup but the families can join the team on the New Zealand tour.
"They are allowed to have their families with them in New Zealand but for the World Cup families are not allowed to remain with them," he added.
Cheema concluded with a comment on the Pakistan-India match saying that players are instructed to play their hearts out against the arch-rivals but in a fair manner.
"The Pakistan and India match is a showpiece game of the World Cup and the entire world will be watching it so the players have been told to play fair and hard cricket to try to win the match but not to exceed limits," he concluded.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
COMMENTS (7)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732622039-0/Express-Tribune-(8)1732622039-0-270x192.webp "saim ayub hits ton as pakistan hammer zimbabwe in second odi")
1732608486-0/BeFunk_§_]__-(54)1732608486-0.jpg "indian teenager breaks record as youngest player sold in ipl auction")
It would also be good if the players are watched against flirting and stuff and frittering away their energies uselessly. Their libidinal energies should preserved, sublimated, and channelized for focusing on the game.
It would be nice if the boys behaved on the field as well, although it is not like the 1950's or even the 1960's up to when cricket used to be a gentleman's game. Nevertheless, some lost glory of the cricket etiquette needs to be restored.
It is also necessary to chaperon the boys as in the past some got drunk and even got on the wrong side of the law. It would also be necessary to make sure that the boys get enough sleep as not doing so is likely to affect their performance.
Well done, Cheema. I think it is very cheap for cricket players to do advertisements while they are still active in practice. The PCB contract should include prohibition against participation in advertisements in the print and electronic media before retirement from cricket.
^ This can't be the team manager, you serious bro..
I think Pakistan are the favorites going into the World Cup this year. We have the best batting and bowling and the boys have been fielding really well too. Actually, I think we should start the tournament from Semi Finals as I personally feel only people with loads of free time should play the earlier game and I don’t think our players will have enough time for that. On the families issue, I think the boys need a break from their wives, that about it really. I want this to be a fun filled boys holiday down under.
Tough tough campaign this is going to be for pakistan. I dont see pakistan, or India qualifying beyond the world cup quarter-final. Pakistan, with their bowling attack, will hold the edge against India. The tournament is unnecessarily long. the first month of the tournament is absolute waste, any one can correctly predict who the quarter-finalists would be. I don't see pakistan going on to lift this world cup, with their shaky batting and impressive but inconsistent bowling.