PCB gags players, officials

Getting tough with its contracted players and officials, PCB has decided to restrain the people on its payroll from making unnecessary and controversial statements or appearing on television.

Getting tough with its contracted players and officials, Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to restrain the people on its payroll from making unnecessary and controversial statements or appearing on television.

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The PCB will issue a circular in next 24 hours to gag the players and officials and appoint a spokesperson in the wake of a spate of statements has created chaos and confusion in the cricket circles.

"We have taken notice of this growing trend of players and officials giving statements on a daily basis on every issue and causing more confusion. In the circular, we will make it clear they cant interact with the media without our clearance," Saleem Altaf, Chief Operating Officer of the Board, told PTI.

There has been plenty of confusion caused in the cricket circles with everyone who is anyone in the Board or Pakistan team giving statements on every issue and this has led to fears of a growing internal rift between the former players employed by the board in recent months.

It was noticed that PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt, Director General Javed Miandad, Chief Selector Abdul Qadir, Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and captain Shoaib Malik have been differing statements on policy matters.

Altaf said after the circular was issued there would be one nominated official spokesman of the Board who would interact with the media.

The first victim of this new strict policy is PCB lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi, who has been asked to explain a statement on the issue of the Board delaying in submitting documents and DVDs with the Lahore High Court relating to the Shoaib Akhtar case.