PCB responsible for players’ medical care: chairman

ISLAMABAD: As Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to join the Pakistan team in Brisbane (Australia) on October 15, his ticket purchasing venture was more an effort to save his appointment with a specialist in London as any delay in the arrival could have complicated his rehabilitation process.

‘The News’, after a thorough investigation, came to know that Shaheen’s decision to purchase his air ticket from Dubai to London for the September 28 flight was more to do with his meeting with the specialist the next day. Since Shaheen, like other contracted players, is medically fully covered, every penny he had spent, or will spend, will completely be reimbursed (as the contractual clauses say).

‘The News’ has learnt that even on Friday, Shaheen sent five receipts for reimbursement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). For the three days following his arrival in London, Shaheen stayed with PCB specialist Dr Zafar at his residence before moving to a nearby hotel, which suited him more for rehabilitation and comfort purposes.

It is his purchasing the ticket on Sunday, August 28 in Dubai that drew controversy with former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi blaming PCB for not paying heed to his rehabilitation process. “He went himself to England, bought his own ticket, paid for his hotel room. I arranged him a doctor and he called the doctor himself,” said Shaheen’s father-in-law to be, Shahid Afridi.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja admitted during his interaction with the fans on Friday that there was some clarity issue with the buying of a ticket that was purchased in a hurry. “Players are the most important stakeholders in Pakistan cricket. You can ask anyone and from any other country what we are doing for these cricketers no other board does. How can one even think that the PCB would not take care of these players? When Rizwan was admitted to the ICU in Dubai last year during the World Cup, the PCB did everything to put him back on his heels. We are doing the same for Fakhar Zaman, who also goes to London for treatment. We are even taking care of ten-year-old players playing under the PCB’s umbrella. How could we miss out on a star cricket treatment?”

Shaheen has been named in the Pakistan squad for the World Cup T20 with the hope that he will be hundred percent fit by the time he plays Pakistan’s opening match against India on October 13. Both Shaheen and Fakhar are set to arrive in Brisbane on October 18 to join the team.