Friday, July 4, 2008

The Merry-Go-Shoaib-Round Continues

First it was a 5-year ban.

Then came the appeal and the PCB famous 3-man appellate committee.

The decision took so long that an appeal to suspend the ban was filed.

The committee accepted that and allowed Shoaib to play in the IPL with a 1-month suspension.

The IPL finished and the committee gave its decision - not 5 years but an 18-month ban.

Shoaib was disappointed.

He filed another appeal.

And now the Lahore High Court has suspended the ban pending decision.

So technically Shoaib is allowed to play till the court reaches a decision.

When will the court reach a decision is anybody's guess, but it all seems too convenient to suspend the ban when Pakistan does not have any matches lined up till September's Champions Trophy.

Just before the decision to suspend the ban was given, the judge hearing Shoaib's case had this to say:

“all of us want to see you back in action.”

Anybody wants to guess what the court's ruling will be then?

Make your pitch on this post...



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15 Pitched:

  1. straight point said...
     

    may be they were referring him to his probable bollywood stint ;-)

  2. Viswanathan said...
     

    It gives ample time for Shoaib to regain match fitness.

  3. Q said...
     

    Haha SP..we're still waiting for that mvie with Rakhi Sawant!

  4. Q said...
     

    Despite that Ott, he will turn up unfit for the 1st match Pak plays with him in the squad!

  5. Viswanathan said...
     

    If he does that, kick him out.

  6. Q said...
     

    Thats what has happened everytime Ott :-)

    The IPL is an example..

  7. Viswanathan said...
     

    In a way this is bad for Pakistan cricket.

    His inclusion will only be a short-term solution.

    Pakistan need to unearth fast bowlers fast.

  8. Jrod said...
     

    There aren't enough judges with sever biases on show.

  9. Anonymous said...
     

    His ban was not fair in the first place. He should be in the team.

  10. Q said...
     

    Though I agree with Wasim, I also feel Ott is right. Shoaib can't go on forever and the bigger problem is that Pak doesn't seem to have the kind of fast bowlers they used to.

  11. Q said...
     

    Uncle J, ur not serious r u?

  12. Som said...
     

    So, we have not seen the last of the maverick. Whatever, he's a spectacle.

  13. Anonymous said...
     

    We might be ok without him in the ODI's but in tests we do not have anybody who can take his place.

    Will he be able to bowl in the both innings of a test that is yet to be seen.

    New bowlers are coming,its just that there is no good mentor in the team. Wasim and Waqar never passed the art of reverse swing to anybody else.

    PCB will have to call Sarfraz or Imran.

    Sohail Khan, Rauf, Wahab Riaz they all looked good as far as the basics are concerned but they lack venom, without reverse swing they can never become strike bowlers in test matches and might appear flat with the old ball. In ODI's they will do fine as reverse swing is no longer possible in Odis due to the ball change rule.

  14. Q said...
     

    Som, its far away from the last u c of him.

  15. Q said...
     

    Wasim, I agree. He is required more in tests than in ODIs.. but he will also have to put in an extra effort to stay fit.

    Even in the IPL he couldn't play more than 2 games - if 4 overs did that to him, how will he play int'l cricket.

    I hope he can, for Pakistan needs him, and I want to see him.

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