Lahore, Apr 2: Former Pakistan cricket captains Javed Miandad and Imran Khan have severely criticised the PCB’s decision to ban fast Shoaib Akhtar for five years.

Miandad said that the Board was itself responsible for turning a blind eye to his mistakes in the past, and that some Board members continued to show leniency to him because “they wanted to cement their places in the PCB set up” by allowing him play and win matches for them.

“I feel sorry for Shoaib but it is also true he has been involved in so many disciplinary cases. However, I would like to add here that it is the result of the PCB’s leniency towards Shoaib’s blunders he did in the past. But now his (latest) offence is not that grave as several Pakistan Test cricketers in the past have done this type of wrong acts repeatedly and got away with those,” the Dawn quoted Miandad as saying.

He added: “Why is the PCB now disclosing the facts and figures of Shoaib’s matches he has played in the last two years? Why was any strict action not taken against him at that time when he was involved in major incidents of indiscipline? In fact, it is the result of PCB’s dual policies of the past giving the bowler chances despite his indiscipline just to make him available to win matches for Pakistan, and to strengthen their places in the board.”

“I don’t want to mention the names of those Test cricketers who have been criticising the PCB policies publicly. However, the board has adopted different policies against them,” he added.

Another former captain Imran Khan also slammed the PCB decision on Shoaib in an interview with a TV channel.

“The punishment shows as if Shoaib has murdered someone. No court of law can endorse this decision,” Imran said. (ANI)