PCB probing Afro T20 fiasco

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it is looking into details of the incident in Uganda related to AfroT20 league but added that negotiating terms of the agreement wasn’t the responsibility of PCB.

Several Pakistani players, including Saeed Ajmal, xx1toto Imran Khan and Yasir Hameed, were scheduled to take part in Uganda’s Afro T20 League, however, the league was canceled after organisers failed to release payment to the players.

Reports say that the organisers were unable to make payments after the sponsors of the tournament pulled-out of the deal.

A PCB statement issued on late Thursday evening said that PCB is currently looking into the incident which has taken place in Uganda during the Afro T20 League and once complete information is received, further course of action will be advised.

“It may be mentioned that it is the responsibility of the players to negotiate the terms of their engagement and not that of the PCB whose role is confined to the issuance of NOCs on the condition that the players are not required for PCB duty at home or abroad,” said the PCB.

The PCB clarified that it released players to participate in the league only after consultation with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“PCB received applications from players to participate in the Afro T20 League being played in Uganda. Upon inquiring of the bonafides of this League from ICC, we were advised by the ICC that Afro T20 League has been approved by them and that it is been played under the umbrella of Uganda Cricket Association (UCA),” said PCB.

“The ICC sent us a list of players which were provided to the ICC by the league organisers and asked us to allow them to take part in the tournament,” it added.

The statement says that upon receiving confirmation from ICC, PCB issued NOCs to all Pakistani players who were mentioned in the approved list.