LAHORE   -   Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi announced a strict zero-tolerance policy for any disciplinary violations by national team players on Monday.

Mohsin Naqvi chaired a three-hour meeting at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) with the national men’s coaching staff, members of the men’s selection committee, and senior PCB officials. Key attendees included Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, PCB CEO Salman Naseer, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla, and selection committee members Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq.

During the meeting, the PCB Chairman emphasized the critical importance of discipline and team unity, declaring these values non-negotiable. He announced that any player found violating these principles would face strict consequences.

This decision follows recent reports of misconduct by star bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi during the recent tours. The sources indicated that Shaheen Afridi had a heated argument with batting coach Mohammad Yousuf during the team’s tour of England ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The confrontation reportedly occurred during a net practice at Headingley, where Shaheen Afridi reacted angrily to Mohammad Yousuf’s comments about his continuous no-balls.

The pacer later apologized to Mohammad Yousuf, and the team management reprimanded him for his behavior, closing the chapter on the incident. However, the PCB is taking proactive measures to ensure such conduct is not repeated.

In related developments, the PCB recently removed former pacer Wahab Riaz from his roles as senior team manager and member of the selection committee following Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024. Former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq was also dismissed from the selection committee.

Mohsin Naqvi called for an upgrade plan for high-performance centres and an enhancement in the training methods of coaches. He also announced the establishment of high-performance centres in Islamabad and Peshawar, with Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie tasked with presenting a final report on this matter.

The PCB chairman directed immediate action to enhance the quality of pitches and stressed the importance of investing in new talent to produce outstanding players. He expressed full confidence in Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, granting them complete autonomy and expecting excellent results from them.