Gul, Aamer fight hushed up to avoid controversy: Sources

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board and its team management in New Zealand might have denied any fight between pace bowlers Umar Gul and Muhammad Aamer during the Wellington Test but the matter was apparently being hushed up by the authorities to avoid controversy.

Reliable sources confirmed that an altercation did take place between Aamer and Gul during the Test over a minor matter but later developed into a serious issue.

"The incident did take place and the two players were immediately summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the team manager, coach, captain and vice-captain in which they were handed down heavy fines for their behaviour," a source disclosed.

"Other players had to separate the two pace bowlers and the team management immediately took action against them fining them 200,000 rupees each for their misconduct," the source said.

The source said the altercation started after an incident on the field and continued afterwards in the dressing room before other players intervened when the situation appeared to be getting out of hand.

Pakistan manager Abdul Raquib has denied that such an incident took place or the players were fined but the source said the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt had directed the team management to close the issue after the heavy fine on the players.