PCB questions Akhtar's desire to play for Pakistan

Lahore, Feb 21 (UNI) Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is in trouble with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as his desire to play for the national side was questioned by PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf.

Shoiab, who was bought by the Kolkata franchise for 425,000 dollars in yesterday's Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, has been under-fire from the PCB following a series of run-ins with the governing body.

The Rawalpindi Express initially refused to answer a PCB notice sent to him after he criticised the board for questioning his fitness on the tour to India in December.

The 32-year-old later replied to the letter, tendering an apology.

However, the PCB will put the case to a disciplinary committee.

''His case is not closed. He has breached the code of conduct and we will refer his case to the PCB disciplinary committee. The committee will decide his future,'' Ashraf told the Daily News.

The chairman said,''Shoaib did not ask for the NOC and joined the IPL on his own, this clearly suggests that he has no intentions of playing for the national side.'' The PCB has failed to rein in Shoaib, is currently without a central contract and is under probation since the World Twenty20 incident when he hit team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat.

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