Pakistan Cricket Board warns Hafeez over the controversial statement

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated the matter, warning senior cricketer Mohammad Hafeez not to release the statement after making a controversial statement.

Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez issued a controversial statement on the spot-fixing opener, Sharjeel Khan, in an interview yesterday.

Mohammad Hafeez criticized both the board and the players for the possible return of Sharjeel Khan to the national team, saying that honor and dignity no longer have meaning in the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had expressed gratitude on the statement issued by the senior cricketer.

According to sources in the PCB, Waseem Khan, the chief executive officer of the board, called Mohammad Hafeez and sought clarification on the matter.

Trusted sources told the board that Waseem Khan told Hafeez that he could not discuss media or social media on policy issues and cautioned him in the future.

The matter was adjourned after Hafeez assured full cooperation.

Hafeez had also told private TV in the past that any player who deliberately spoils Pakistan's name should never have the opportunity to play for Pakistan again.

After the inaugural match of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League held in 2017, opener batsman Sharjeel Khan was banned for violating the PCB's anti-corruption code.

Sources added that the Pakistan Cricket Board has also sought feedback from England on the national team's visit to England in view of the uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus and is waiting for the response from the English board.

Sources told that the PCB will not only wait for the response from the English Cricket Board but also for the Cricket Boards of the Netherlands and Ireland.

According to sources in the board, the visit to Pakistan is still pending in England, so a final decision will be taken only after a review of the situation in this regard.

It should be remembered that the Pakistan cricket team has to visit Ireland and the Netherlands this year as well as England.