Embattled Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar’s career has been dealt another blow with the Cricket Board here deciding not to renew his central contract as he is neither playing for the national team nor competing in the domestic circuit.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt said no fresh contract would be issued to the fast bowler, whose career has been marred by injury breakdowns, a dope scandal and disputes with the authorities.
Shoaib’s current contract expires at the end of this month. Butt said only those players are given contracts and monthly salaries who are playing for the country or competing at the domestic level.
“Unfortunately in both cases, Shoaib has not played for a while now so from next month he will not be getting anymore salary from the board,” he said.
Shoaib is placed in the category A of the central contracts, which allows him to draw a salary of Rs 250,000 per month from the board. The troubled bowler has kept a low profile since returning from England after undergoing a knee surgery two months ago.
He also had a liposuction in Islamabad to remove excess fat from his body but has not spoken to the media or played any competitive cricket.
Shoaib has had a troubled time in the past two-three years and has played only a handful of matches for Pakistan.
Butt said the fast bowler was given a central contract last time as he was active and the PCB wanted him to play regularly for the team provided he was fit and in form.
The enigmatic pacer played two one-day games against Sri Lanka in January at home and was then dropped because of poor form. Later, he also missed the two Tests against Sri Lanka in February-March due to fitness issues.
He made the one-day squad for a series against Australia in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and played four matches there.
But after being selected for the Twenty20 World Cup, the board withdrew Shoaib from the squad after a medical panel of the board found he was suffering from a skin condition.
The fast bowler is still facing a case in the Lahore high court, which has suspended an 18-month ban on the fast bowler imposed by the PCB’s appellate tribunal in 2008.
The legal advisor of the PCB Tafazzul Rizvi said no fresh date has been set by the court for the next hearing so the issue continues to drag on.
“When we get a fresh date for a hearing we will pursue this case further,” he said.
