Controversy erupted in Pakistan cricket earlier this week when the side’s legendary former captain Shahid Afridi claimed on a national TV channel that Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s leading fast bowler, paid for his own flights and hotel room for his rehab in the United Kingdom. The former skipper also said that he had arranged a doctor for Shaheen in the UK, following which the Pakistan Cricket Board is facing significant criticism from the country’s cricketing fraternity.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s veteran wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal also addressed the controversy surrounding Shaheen’s rehabilitation, and launched a scathing attack on the PCB medical team. Akmal lashed out at the board for a lack of professional behavior towards the players, and further criticised the medical team for the decision to take an injured Shaheen with the Pakistan squad in Netherlands and the UAE (Asia Cup).
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“Boards aren’t like this. Whenever a player gets injured, India, Australia, South Africa, England.. all of these boards ensure best treatment. They have a good medical team, they know how to make players fit. (But) We don’t want to take responsibility. We keep sending injured players with the team in hope that they will get fit. Ye sahi tareeke se Paradon nahi de sakte mujhe lag raha hai (I don’t think they can even correctly administer Paradon),” Akmal said on his official YouTube channel.
Akmal further criticised PCB chairman Ramiz Raja for “covering the mistake” of the medical officials inside the board.
“Shaheen traveled on his own. Professional teams don’t treat their players this way. They take care of their players. You kept Shaheen with yourself, took him everywhere and wasted his time. PCB chairman is covering the mistake. He should instead be asking questions. They are just doing damage control by sending Fakhar (for treatment),” said the wicketkeeper-batter who has represented Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs, and 58 T20Is so far.
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