PCB boss's ultimatum to ICC on Shoaib

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gave an ultimatum to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be prepared for serious trouble if paceman Shoaib Akhtar was reported again for a suspect bowling action.

The warning came directly from PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, who threatened that the Pakistan team would be withdrawn and the tour would be called off immediately.

He was candid in saying that the PCB would drag the ICC to the court of law as the pacer had been cleared by the University of Western Australia, the same institution that also cleared Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan.

"The captain and the manager have my standing instructions to withdraw the team from the field, pack their bags and abort the tour if Shoaib is reported again," the general said.

He added that he feared Shoaib would be called or reported as the controversial fast bowler had found his rhythm and was bowling fast. "I fear he will be targeted again because he has again started taking wickets and the World Cup is not far away."

The general has apparently taken a leaf out of Sri Lanka's history when Arjuna Ranatunga led his team off the field after Muralitharan was called seven times by Darrell Hair during the 1995-96 series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) later said it was sue the umpire and the game's controlling body if Muralitharan was called again. Since that incident, Muralitharan has never been reported.

"I want the ICC, its umpires and match referees to deal Shoaib the same way Muralitharan was handled. "I disagree that the ICC doesn't give weight to the findings of Perth University otherwise it wouldn't have circulated the report to its match referees and umpires."

Tauqir, while expressing his displeasure over the working of the ICC, said he had full faith in the abilities of ICC chairman Malcolm Gray and chief executive Mal Speed despite their involvement in sweeping Shane Warne and Mark Waugh issue under the carpet.

"I believe they tried to cover-up the incident in the interest of their establishment and the country. But since they are now heading the mother body, they will be more neutral and sincere towards the game," he said.

The PCB chairman also defended the appointment of Ehsan Mani who is Pakistan's nominee as next ICC chairman. He dispelled impressions that Mani was being investigated for his involvement in television rights deal for the 1998 ICC KnockOut tournament.

"He [Ehsan Mani] has a clean record. His name has been floated by an individual [Sarfaraz Nawaz] during the Justice Karamat Bhindari Commission. I admit that an inquiry is being conducted into the television rights deal signed by Jaghmohan Dalmiya but Mani is not being probed."

The general also spoke openly and aggressively on New Delhi's stubborn attitude in not allowing India to revive cricket relations with Pakistan.

"I don't know if they are scared of losing to Pakistan or there is really any significant reason. But I know that the decision is affecting the promotion of the game in the country. The decision has effectively ended the existence of Asian Cricket Council (ACC)."

Tauqir said the ICC will have to show its teeth if India refuses to tour Pakistan next year in April according to its 10- year programme. But he minced no words in saying that the ICC cannot afford to suspend India.

"I don't think the ICC can suspend the membership of India because of the money India have pumped into the game through its huge market. Most of the major sponsors for next year's World Cup are from India and if India's membership is cancelled, the World Cup would end in disaster.

"If you say India is playing the game according to its liking, then its true. But we all need to understand that India has a big market and if the game is flourishing, its because of them."