Pakistan Cricket Board introduces new code of conduct

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a new code of conduct for its players, following recommendations by the International Cricket Council.

Players must sign the new code before leaving for the upcoming one-day and Test series against South Africa, to be played in the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan's last two tours of Australia and England were beset by indiscipline and allegations of corruption.
The new code will also be applied to Pakistan domestic cricket.
National team manager Intikhab Alam, a former Pakistan captain and coach, told reporters that it would involve stricter standards of behaviour, while players would be barred from directly addressing the media.
It will also mean players being prohibited from using mobile phones and unauthorised people being barred from dressing rooms.
"The new code of conduct is the first step towards fulfilling the ICC's recommendations," explained Intikhab.
"There is a lot more stress on creating awareness among players about anti-corruption laws and regulations. We hope the new code will help us in dealing with the disciplinary and corruption problems."
The squad were briefed about their responsibilities in a 90-minute lecture during a training camp in Lahore, ahead of the South Africa series, which begins in the UAE on 26 October.
Intikhab added: "The players were briefed about corruption in the game, doping and discipline and I hope they will be responsible enough to show good conduct during the tour and in home matches.
"The board has made it clear in the new code that the manager will waste no time in stamping out indiscipline in the team. We don't want a repeat of what happened in England."

The ICC announced last week, following a board meeting, that a special eight-point anti-corruption initiative had been agreed with the PCB.

Among the measures announced, the PCB must uphold a zero tolerance attitude to corruption, and introduce an education programme for all registered players, as well as an accountable and robust disciplinary process.
The PCB also agreed to "desist from making public comments and disclosing confidential information which undermine the integrity, reputation and image of the game and/or any ongoing disciplinary or criminal investigation" - and prove that progress was being made within 30 days, or risk further sanctions.
Pakistan's disastrous tour of Australia last winter, when they lost all three Tests and six limited-overs internationals, prompted a wide-ranging PCB inquiry, after which a number of players received bans and fines for disciplinary issues, although some have since been rescinded.
The tourists' performance down under was also investigated by the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU).
During the summer tour of England, the cricket world was rocked by spot-fixing allegations against Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, following investigations by the News of the World newspaper, which claimed Amir and Asif had deliberately bowled no-balls to order at pre-arranged times during the Lord's Test.
Butt, Amir and Asif were provisionally suspended by the ICC, and their appeals against those bans will be held in Doha on 30 and 31 October - although a separate criminal investigation by British police is ongoing.
A second corruption row then broke out during the one-day international series, after it was revealed that the ACSU was investigating "a certain scoring pattern" during Pakistan's victory over England in the third one-dayer - although last week, the ICC announced that there was "no compelling evidence" of fixing.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt also alleged that talk in Asian bookmaking circles was that England players had been paid to lose that match, although he later withdrew his comments following a threat of legal action from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Wasim Akram surprised by Ijaz Butt’s extension request

The legendry Pakistani pacer, Wasim Akram feels that the incumbent PCB Chairman, Mr. Ijaz Butt, should not go for another term.

Talking to a sports channel, Wasim said:

“If Ijaz has asked for another term then hats off to him. The whole of Pakistan and World cricket is after him. Pakistan cricket is in a mess, there is no leadership and amidst all this, to ask for another term, well what can I say. This shows that his advisors are not giving him the right directions”.

Ijaz’s two years tenure as PCB chief is due to end on 31^st of this month and there is news that the most controversial chairman PCB has ever had, is seeking another term. Ijaz’s term - which started on 6^th of October, 2008 - has been marred by controversies.
After the match-fixing and spot-fixing allegations, the PCB Chairman was also bashed for his off-the-cuff comments on English cricketers and his wasteful expenditures on foreign tours.
The villainous terrorist attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore also occurred under Butt’s watch.
The former captain has termed Ijaz Butt’s two years tenure as tumultuous. He said:
“Ijaz has been unable to hold forte. He is not a man in command. Pakistan cricket is in doldrums. There is no leadership and it was the chairman’s role to keep all these things under check. He has failed”.
Wasim has also lashed out at the PCB and its selection committee for naming the squad to play against South Africa later this month without prior consultation with the team’s captain and coach.
Both skipper, Shahid Khan Afridi, and coach, Waqar Younis, had shown their indignation over the selection of the squad but the chief selector, Mohsin Hasan Khan, had countered their objections by saying that it was not mandatory for the PCB and selection committee to take input from coach and captain. 
Wasim said that selecting a team without consulting coach and captain is nothing but a joke. He said that it would be the coach and captain duo leading the side in the series and not the selectors. The pace bowling great said that the selection committee is there to support the coach and captain in team selection and should not take selection decisions on its own.
The poor leadership qualities of Butt and his regime can be better judged from the fact that with the 2011 ICC World Cup just a few months away, the board and its selection committee are still musing over a skipper while other sides have their squads ready for the prestigious tournament.

Shoaib Malik to lead Pakistan in Hong Kong

Pakistan's discarded all-rounder Shoaib Malik was on Monday given a chance to prove his form when he was picked to lead the country in next month's Hong Kong Sixes Tournament.

Malik, a former Pakistan captain, was dropped from the national team midway during the tour of England last August. He was also overlooked for the upcoming ‘home' series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates.

               

However, it seems that the national selectors want to see his form and fitness before naming the team for the tour of New Zealand which will be Pakistan's last international assignment before next year's World Cup to be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Also in the team is discarded opener Imran Nazir.

The 2010 Hong Kong Sixes event will be played at Kowloon Cricket Club from November 6.

Pakistan squad: Ahmed Shahzad, Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik (captain), Shabbir Ahmad, Shoaib Khan, Sohail Khan, Asad Ali.

Wahab, Shahzaib included in ODI and T20 squad

Pakistan selectors were Monday forced to add opener Shahzaib Hasan and paceman Wahab Riaz to their limited over squad for the series against South Africa.
Hasan, 20, was declared as the best batsman in the National Twenty20 tournament which concluded in Lahore on Saturday, while Riaz, 25, was named the best bowler at the same event.
But neither had been included in the limited over squad when it was announced beforehand.
Pakistan play two Twenty20, five one-day and two Tests against South Africa starting on October 26. The series will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Riaz is already part of the Test team announced earlier this month.
Pakistan's chief selector Mohsin Khan said both the players have been chosen after their extra-ordinary performance.
“Both Hasan and Riaz were outstanding in the Twenty20 national event so we recommended their names, which were approved by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt,” Khan told reporters.
Former Pakistan players, including Abdul Qadir, had criticised the naming of the team before the National Twenty20 event.
“Why the selectors announced the team before the Twenty20 event is hard to understand,” Qadir had said.

Misbah's performance crucial for upcoming South Africa series: Waqar

Pakistan cricket coach Waqar Younis has said that the performance of new Test captain, Misbahul Haq, will be important in the forthcoming series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Former Test skipper Waqar also noted that Misbah had the experience of captaining at the domestic level, the Daily Times reported.

"That will help him, but more than that I think his individual performance will matter a lot for him and the team," he added.

The Pakistan coach had made it clear at the hearing of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports this week that he was not consulted by the PCB over the appointment of Misbah as Test captain.
He said that Salman Butt, who is currently under provisional suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over spot-fixing allegations, had done a good job as Test captain on the recent tour to England.
"He (Salman) will be missed in the coming series," the coach added.
Waqar pointed out that Pakistan would have the benefit over South Africa in the upcoming series, as the conditions in the UAE were similar to those at home.
"That is an edge for us but South Africa remain a very dangerous and experienced side and it will be a big challenge for our players," he added.
Waqar, who will supervise a conditioning camp in Lahore to prepare his team for the full series, said he had opted for a short camp keeping in mind that the players had been playing a lot of cricket, and he did not want them fatigued before the important series.
He also said that Pakistan would depend a lot on their spinners in the coming Test series because of the conditions, adding that it was good to have three quality spinners in the line-up.
The selectors have picked leg spinners Danish Kaneria, Abdul Rehman and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal for the two Tests