Afridi irks PCB, could face disciplinary action

Karachi: Shahid Afridi has irked the Pakistan Cricket Board for giving an interview to the media after his omission from the 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in England, following which the Board is contemplating a disciplinary action against the flamboyant all-rounder.

Afridi told the `Jang` newspaper that it was captain Misbah-ul-Haq who didn`t want him in the team. "It`s the captain`s decision to drop me," he told the newspaper. "It`s no big deal for me if a captain doesn`t want a certain player in the team," he added. Under the PCB code of conduct, players are not allowed to comment on selection matters and last year experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq faced a disciplinary action by the Board after blaming the national T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez for dropping him for the semifinal in the ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka. A PCB source told PTI that Afridi`s interview would be reviewed tomorrow after which it would be seen whether he has violated the players` code of conduct or not. Afridi, one of Pakistan`s most experienced all-rounders with 7,201 runs and 348 wickets in one-day internationals, said he would soon make a comeback into the side. "I am still better than most and I have not given up on playing cricket. I know I still have a few years of cricket left in me so I am confident I can make a comeback," Afridi said. The national selectors dropped Afridi after he went wicketless in his last 10 one-day internationals. But in the interview, Afridi said poor form hit every player and he was not worried about it. "When I was not getting runs they talked about my batting now I have started to score runs and similarly I will also get back my bowling form as well." PTI