More trouble for Akhtar as PCB seeks legal advice on his statements

Lahore, July 13 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to seek legal advice on the recent statement of controversial fast bowler Shoiab Akhtar, in which he had blamed the board for maligning his image.

According to sources, PCB chief Ijaz Butt has asked board lawyers to study Akhtar's statement, and find out whether his statements demand any legal action or not.

"The recent statements are being studied by the legal advisors who will advise the chairman on whether Akhtar has violated his contract terms, as under a central contract obviously a player is not supposed to make controversial statements," The Daily Times quoted a PCB official, as saying.

The PCB has already made it clear that it would take disciplinary action against Akhtar for his remarks on the board's decision to axe him from the World Twenty20 Championship team.

A final decision in this regard would be taken Butt.

Akhtar, during a television chat show, had described the former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, as a 'second grade person', and said that all previous administrators had done nothing but ruined the game in the country.

Akhtar said he still has many years of cricket left in him and claimed that there has been a conspiracy to malign his image.

He said that he thought of suing the board for denying him a place in the World T20 Championship squad, but decided against it on Butt's advice.

The 34 year old speedster was axed from the World T20 Championship squad after a PCB medical panel declared him unfit due to a skin infection.

Following Akhtar's ouster from the team, chief selector Abdul Qadir also resigned from the post alleging that coach Intikhab Alam and team manager Yawar Saeed were behind the move to drop Akhtar. (ANI)