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Home > Cricket > PTI > Report


Unfair to keep Akhtar out of team: Akram

September 21, 2007 17:36 IST

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is willing to turn a blind eye to the disciplinary transgressions of controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar [Images] to see him back in the national team.

Shoaib was sent home from the Twenty20 World Cup by the team management after he struck fellow-pacer Mohammad Asif [Images] with a bat.

"Look, such fights take place in any team and dressing room. When I was in the team as player and captain, I had a couple of fights and arguments. It is nothing unusual, so why make such a big deal out of this one incident," Akram said.

"I don't think it would be fair to keep Shoaib out of the team in the coming series just because of this one incident. He still has something to give to the team and he must be included for the South Africa series," he added.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said that a disciplinary hearing into the incident would be completed in about two weeks' time once the team returns from South Africa and all the players are questioned.

Akram felt Akhtar has been punished enough.

"I think this incident should be buried and forgotten and he should be back in the side. Fights even take place in a family. But in our times most of the time such things remained private and within the confines of the dressing room," he said.

© Copyright 2007 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.



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