Team manager to probe Shoaib-Woolmer row
LAHORE, Jan 20: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refused to comment on a reported exchange of hot words between paceman Shoaib Akhtar and coach Bob Woolmer prior to the start of the second day’s play of the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
A PCB spokesman, however, confirmed that team manager Talat Ali will be holding a hearing after the day's play to find out the truth and the board will only issue a statement after that.
The spokesman added that Talat, a former Test opener, had summoned both Shoaib and Woolmer for the hearing. Leading TV channels of the country also reported the incident.
The spokesman also said that Shoaib suffered from a niggling hamstring problem earlier in the day and, therefore did not take the field in the South Africa’s second innings.
"Shoaib is going through some medical tests at the moment and the nature of the injury will only be determined after getting the medical reports,” the spokesman said. “It is premature to say how many days will the pacer require to recover because the reports have not come yet."
Shoaib, on Friday, made a triumphant return to Test cricket by capturing 4-36 in South Africa’s first innings and bowled the hosts out for a paltry 124. His performance was hailed by all quarters but he is, apparently, facing disciplinary action now.