Controversies galore

That's what Pak Cricket has had in terms of Controversies. Here's the low down...

Controversies galore

That'su00a0what Pak Cricket has had in terms of Controversies. Here's the low down...

Umpiring

Ball tampering
During Pakistan's tour of England in 1992, there was increasing concern about what was happening to the ball in the hands of Pakistan's two brilliant fast bowlersu00a0Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. The duo was instrumental in Pakistan's 2-1 win in the five-match series as they combined to take 43 wickets. These concerns, however, did not come into the open until after the series, when Allan Lamb, in an article for the Daily Mirror made allegations of ball-tampering. Shoaib Akhtar has been guilty on this count too.

Match fixing
The original accusation related to Salim Malik, who allegedly approached Australians Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh to throw matches in October 1994.

Drug abuse
u00a0Both contemporary fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and lanky Mohammad Asif have been accused of testing positive and in possession of banned substances during international tours. Both were banned from international cricket by Pakistani authorities and were at the loggerheads with the administrators on more than one occasion.

Safety concern:
Due to numerous terror attacks, suicide bombings and an uncertain political scenario, leading Test playing countries like Australia, South Africa and India have cancelled their tours to Pakistan.

In fact, this has resulted in the all-important Champions Trophy which was to be held in Pakistan last year to be relocated to South Africa next month. ICC also stripped Pakistan of their right to host World Cup matches in 2011. In the last two years, Pakistan has staged just two Test matches.

Chucking
Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir Ahmed and off-spinners Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal have come under the umpires' and referees' microscope over their bowling actions. Pakistan bowlers getting embroiled in chucking controversies has become increasingly common.

In-fighting
Misunderstandings among various members of the team and set-up have resulted in musical chairs in appointment of captains, coaches, managers and chief selectors in Pakistan cricket.

The latest instance being the resignation of chief selector Abdul Qadir, who then went on to accuse the team of match-fixing in Sri Lanka. Javed Miandad served as coach on four occasions.

His latest stint came to an end in January this year.

Death of a coach
The most shocking incident in Pakistan cricket took place during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean when coach Bob Woolmer, the former England batsman died after Pakistan's shock defeat to Ireland.
The cause of Woolmer's death is still a mystery.

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