Islamabad, May 27: Pakistan Cricket Board's CEO Rameez Raja has criticised the decision to penalise fast bowler Shoaib Akthar and accused the International Cricket Council of adopting double standards in interpretation of rules for different cricketers. "I do not want to defend the acts of Shoaib Akhtar because his action was discouraging to Pakistan cricket and that too at a time when we are trying to introduce a new culture in the new team. He has been reprimanded and he has shown his remorse," Raja, now Chief Executive of Pakistan Cricket Board, said in a statement. But Raja said while Shoaib, was punished based on the television replays, no action was taken on the the sledging incident involving Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath and West Indian batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan.
"The recent on-field skirmishes in the West Indies have failed to stimulate the ICC officials compared to the ball tampering episode of Shoaib Akhtar that has been given credence even though proper rules and procedures were not followed," he charged.
Raja said like ball tampering, sledging constituted a Level 2 offence. "Both rules are to be interpreted by the match referee. In the West Indies, recently it was proved beyond doubt that there was a just and undeniable case of a Level 2 offence regarding sledging, involving Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan. Surprisingly, no action was taken either by the umpires or the match referee," he said. Bureau Report