Hafeez, Akmal issued showcause notices

The Pakistan Board has issued showcause notices to Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal for giving unauthorised interviews to the media.

"They have been asked to explain their positions on the breach of the central contract clause for media interactions," a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. "They have been asked to reply within seven days."

Allrounder Hafeez and middle-order batsman Akmal are among the 19 players who were offered central contracts by the PCB in March this year. As per the code of conduct governing the contracts, the players cannot give interviews to the media without the prior permission of the board. It is as much the nature of comments - Hafeez spoke on captaincy and Akmal about batting order - as it is about speaking to media without prior permission.

The two notices are the latest in a spate of showcause notices the board has sent players recently, as it tightens down further in its control over the players: Shahid Afridi, selector Mohammad Ilyas, women's captain Sana Mir - also warned for giving an unauthorised interview - have all come under the scanner.