PCB's no to Zimbabwe-bound players for Ramzan tournaments

Pakistan Cricket Board has refused permission to the players selected for Zimbabwe tour to participate in Ramazan Twenty20 tournaments underway here.

Even though Pakistan's former captain Moin Khan made a special request to PCB to allow the players in Zimbabwe-bound squad to play in the tournament organised by him for departmental teams, the Board has declined to give clearance. "The position is that the players picked for the Zimbabwe tour cant play in the Ramazan events. The board has told our departments we should rest and prepare for the busy international season ahead of us," a player said.

The PCB's decision not to permit players to take part in Ramazan tournaments means that most of the teams taking part in the Corporate Cup being organised by Moin are without their top stars, with the exception of senior batsman Younis Khan.

Younis has played in a couple of matches in other Ramazan events as he is based in Karachi. "There was nothing wrong in allowing the players to play in the Moin Khan tournament atleast until August 15 that is when the training camp for the Zimbabwe tour will begin in Lahore," one former Test player said.

But despite the Pakistan players being forced out of the tournament, top stars like Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Faisal Iqbal and some promising youngsters are taking part in the event.

The T20 competitions that are being organised in Karachi during the month of Ramazan attract the best players and offer lucrative cash rewards and prize money.

Pakistan's former captain Wasim Akram, who was at the inauguration of Moin's tournament, said it was good to see cricket flourishing in the city and more grounds being built and developed.

"After all we are a top cricket nation and this should show in our infrastructure at the grass root level," the former fast bowler said.