Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan team’s media manager and board's GM under spotlight for visiting Colombo casino – Report

Visiting a gambling den is prohibited as per the ICC code of conduct.

Umar Farooq and Adnan Ali were spotted in Colombo casino | XPakistan cricket and controversy go hand in hand. In a fresh controversy, the team's current media manager Umar Farooq Kalson and board's GM (International Cricket) Adnan Ali are under spotlight after their pictures and video of visiting a Colombo casino emerged on social media.

The duo is in Colombo as a part of the Pakistani contingent for the ongoing Asia Cup. Since visiting a gambling den is prohibited as per the code of conduct, their action is sure to draw the attention of ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit.

Many Pakistani fans questioned how PCB officials could be so "immature" and "careless" to indulge in gambling. A lot of them criticized the trend of PCB officials going on to Colombo during the Asia Cup on official visits.

According to news agency PTI, quoting a PCB source, at least 15-20 PCB officials had travelled to and fro between Colombo and Lahore while some were stationed there permanently as Pakistan was the official host of the Asia Cup.

After some Pakistani news channels ran headlines, the two officials in the Casino clarified that they had come to the Casino for dinner only.

“Who goes to a Casino to have food. Who goes to a gambling joint to have food. Who are they trying to fool," cricket writer Omair Alavi said, as quoted by PTI.

The source stated that the two PCB officials shouldn't have visited Casino where gambling was taking place.

"They could face strict disciplinary action on return,” he added.

According to the source, it would be tough for the PCB's Cricket Management Committee to overlook this incident despite the clarification from the two officials.

(With PTI Inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 11 Sep, 2023

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