Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was furious with Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) incompetence after the PSL 2021 was postponed indefinitely due to a surge of COVID-19 cases amongst the players and support staff and reports of breaches of bio-bubble.
Akhtar requested the courts and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the matter as according to him, it had damaged the reputation of Pakistan cricket.
"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 honorable courts to take a very good look at this matter...
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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.
There were seven cases of COVID-19 positive individuals starting Feb 20 and reports of Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy breaching bio-bubble to meet their franchise Peshawar Zalmi’s owner.
"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," Akhtar said.
“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," he added.
He further added that only PCB CEO Wasim Khan wanted the betterment of the board and Pakistan cricket.
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"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.
Talking about the Wahab-Sammy bio-bubble breach, Akhtar said, “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.”
"PSL brand got destroyed again just because of the incompetence. And the one's who do not even know how to write a prescription or see X-rays are PCB's doctors. I have witnessed this when I used to play, they (PCB doctors) did not know how to see X-rays. Nothing has changed so far,” he said.
Here is the video:
