Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has strongly reacted to Shahid Afridi's sensational claim that Shaheen Shah Afridi is paying for everything for his rehabilitation in United Kingdom (UK). However, Raja denied Afridi's claims and called it an unfortunate controversy.
Afridi revealed on Samaa TV that Shaheen is paying his own expenses and he has even paid for his own ticket. He further claimed that the pacer was staying in England on his own money and even arranged a doctor for him, and PCB’s director of international cricket spoke to him just once or twice.
Notably, Shaheen left for the UK directly from the UAE for treatment and recovery from a knee injury that he had suffered during the Test series against Sri Lanka in July this year.
As reported by NDTV, Ramiz Raja said in an interview: “Tell me, how can someone even think that someone will disown Shaheen Afridi, and that too his parent body. This can't happen. It's beyond my understanding. And this is an unfortunate controversy.”
The PCB chief continued: “When Rizwan fell ill during the T20 World Cup 2022, who took care of him? Our doctor's panel stayed up all night to treat him, they got him fit and they ensured he played in the final (semi-final).It could be that in this case, there was a lack of clarity.
Because he had to leave quickly from Dubai, maybe there was some ticketing issue. Because he went where he had to go, but he didn't like the place, so he went somewhere else.”
Raja signed off by saying, “But I would like to make one thing clear. Our players are our biggest stakeholders. Ask anybody. What we are doing, no cricket board doesn't do. And not just for players who play for the national team. First Class players, junior players as well.”
