KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has neglected the current premier domestic one-day competition in favour of a lucrative league cricket in Bangladesh.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shown double standards as it first did not give Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik to appear in the same league.
Malik, alongside wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal, earlier applied to play in the Bangladeshi league but the duo were denied permission with the PCB reminding them that centrally-contracted players cannot travel abroad to play tournaments while the domestic season is on.
“When the PCB has chalked out a policy that players should focus on domestic season when it is underway then Malik’s representation in Bangladesh is unacceptable,” he said. “The board is itself showing double standard,” he added.
Malik did take part in the first-ever day-night Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final representing Pakistan International Airline (PIA), but now has overlooked the one-day tournament which is underway in Punjab.
Malik, along with leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, were overlooked from the World Cup squad due to their alleged links with bookies.
Reacting to the story published in ‘The News’, PCB’s integrity committee demanded Malik to provide details of a transaction of 90,000 pounds in his British bank account but he failed to do so.
Later, Ishtiaq Ahmed, a Pakistani lawyer filed a petition seeking local court’s direction to the police to register a criminal case against Malik for allegedly making millions of rupees through match-fixing. He alleged that Malik not only made millions of rupees through match-fixing but also damaged the country’s image. He asked the court to freeze Malik’s assets in Pakistan and abroad. The Additional District and Sessions Court adjourned the case late until January 24.