Afghanistan’s Shahzad fined after playing for Pakistan club

Shahzad has been ordered to pay 300,000 Afghanis (about $4,400) and return to Afghanistan after taking part in a local tournament in Peshawar, a Pakistani city near the Afghan border.

Published : Apr 16, 2018 19:26 IST , Kabul

 Mohammad Shahzad was suspended for two matches in Zimbabwe for slamming his bat on the pitch, after being dismissed in a qualifying match.
Mohammad Shahzad was suspended for two matches in Zimbabwe for slamming his bat on the pitch, after being dismissed in a qualifying match.
lightbox-info

Mohammad Shahzad was suspended for two matches in Zimbabwe for slamming his bat on the pitch, after being dismissed in a qualifying match.

Trouble-prone Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad has been fined after he was caught playing for a Pakistani cricket club without permission, an Afghan official said on Monday.

Shahzad has been ordered to pay 300,000 Afghanis (about $4,400) and return to Afghanistan after taking part in a local tournament in Peshawar, a Pakistani city near the Afghan border.

"The 30-year-old went to Pakistan after Afghanistan returned from Zimbabwe in March, following its qualification for the 2019 World Cup," Lutfullah Stanikzai, head of media and marketing for the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), said.

READ: Hale and hearty, Alex in wonderland!

Rules require players to obtain a “no objection certificate” if they want to play matches other than those approved by the ACB. This is not the first time that Shahzad has fallen foul of regulations.

He was suspended for two matches in Zimbabwe for slamming his bat on the pitch, after being dismissed in a qualifying match. That incident came three months after the big-hitter returned from a one-year doping ban.

"Shahzad will still go to India for a training camp, before Afghanistan’s series against Bangladesh and a Test match against India in June," Stanikzai said.

ALSO READ: I'd definitely put my hand up for it - Finch keen to lead Australia

“If this is repeated again, next time he might be banned from playing cricket,” Stanikzai added. The ACB has also ordered players living abroad, mainly in Pakistan, to return to Afghanistan if they want to continue playing for the national side.

“We have a strong structure for our domestic cricket. So, we do not see the need for people to go and play for clubs outside Afghanistan. There’s plenty of cricket that’s happening here now,” Stanikzai said.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment