The Medical Panel Should Not be Spared: Shoaib Akhtar Blasts PCB Over PSL 2021 Postponement
Shoaib Akhtar has slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was postponed due to the sudden rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday ripped into his country’s cricket board for indefinitely postponing PSL 6 due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the tournament.
Akhtar requested the honourable courts and the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the matter as according to him, it had damaged the reputation of Pakistan cricket.
The PCB announced the postponement of PSL 2021 with immediate effect after a spate of positive COVID-19 cases came to the fore in the last couple of days. Last year’s edition of the PSL was also affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You (PCB) played with the lives of the people and at the same time you played with the reputation of the country… Where is the Chairman of PCB, he has to be answerable. I request the higher authorities and to the honourable courts to take a very good look at this matter… Where is Mani? Come to the front and answer. You have damaged Pakistan’s reputation by ruining PSL. I am asking the higher authorities and the Prime Minister, sir look into this matter. This is an insult to Pakistan and Pakistan cricket,” Akhtar said in his YouTube channel according to ANI.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar questioned the PCB’s medical panel as well as PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani.
“It is time for blame-game. But you have to admit that this the responsibility of the medical panel, and the bio-secure bubble should have been properly maintained. There should be strict inquiry against the medical panel… The medical panel should not be spared. The medical panel should be punished, and I request the higher authorities because they played with the lives of the people,” said Shoaib Akhtar.
Akhtar further asked PCB chairman Mani to answer what went wrong, claiming that PCB CEO Wasim Khan has been made a scapegoat. He went on to say:
“All the blame has been put on Wasim Khan, and he has been asked to face everything. Who has brought Wasim Khan? Ehsan Mani (brought him). Where is Mani Sahab? Is this the responsibility of Wasim Khan to answer here? Ehsan Mani should give the answer.”
PSL 2021 Postponement An Insult to Pakistan And Pakistan Cricket: Shoaib Akhtar
Akhtar said that PCB CEO Wasim Khan is the only person in the board who wants to help Pakistan cricket.
“No one should have a doubt about PCB`s incompetence. Only Wasim Khan is logical and he is the only one who wants to help Pakistan cricket… Now is it the responsibility of Wasim Khan to look after the medical panel. Earlier also I asked Wasim Khan to change the medical panel so that such a situation does not happen,” he said.
Also, Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz and coach Daren Sammy had breached the Covid-19 protocols last month. However, the PCB had allowed the duo to join the side after testing negative for the coronavirus.
Requesting higher authorities to look into the matter, Akhtar said PCB played with the lives of the people.
“Aren’t you (PCB) that smart to book an entire hotel. People are getting married there, getting haircuts. Daren Sammy getting out. I fail to understand, why would you (Javed Afridi) breach the bio-secure bubble. I am asking the same question to Wahab Riaz,” Akhtar said.
