Twenty20 Cup mired in controversy
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cricket20
Karachi Dolphins set up a showdown with Faisalabad Wolves in Pakistan's inaugural Twenty20 Cup but the tournament's reputation continued to be tainted by fresh allegations of match-throwing, rules tampering and favouritism.
Karachi Dolphins set up a showdown with Faisalabad Wolves in Pakistan's inaugural Twenty20 Cup but the tournament's reputation continued to be tainted by fresh allegations of match-throwing, rules tampering and favouritism.
The two finalists and Lahore Eagles ended up with one win apiece in the triangular stage but Eagles were eliminated on poor run-rate.
In the triangular stage, Eagles defeated Dolphins by four wickets, Wolves beat Eagles by five wickets and finally Dolphins had the better of Eagles by six wickets in the last match on Friday.
Nevertheless, newspapers had a field day for events happening behind the scenes after it was reported that Thursday's decision in which Sialkot Stallions and Karachi Zebras' match was declared null and void, that promoted Lahore Eagles into the triangular stage, didn't have the blessings of PCB chairman and the two directors.
Saleem Altaf, PCB's director (cricket operations), replying to a question admitted that the decision did not meet all the requirements of natural justice.
"But what has been done cannot be undone. But we are looking into this issue as well," he said.
Shoaib Malik, the Stallions captain, has already been fined Rs 10,000 for admitting that he deliberately allowed Zebras to win the match. He will appear before a three-man inquiry committee later in the day to defend his action.
To further complicate matters, the PCB has still not officially explained to Karachi Zebras why it had been docked of match-win points.
In what is another astonishing example of how some officials of the PCB are hell-bent on working without any system or accountability, no one bothered to issue any letter explaining the reasons for the decision to punish Zebras for a wrong done by Sialkot Stallions.
According to available details, even though the manager of Karachi Zebras team, Musheer Rabbani, went to meet the general manager cricket operations (domestic) Zakir Khan to ask him to issue the decision in writing, nothing of this sort had happened till late evening, a local daily reported on Saturday.
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