PCB asks Moin Khan to return home after alleged visit to casino
Thursday, 26 February 2015 00:45
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ESPNCricinfo: The PCB has asked Moin Khan, Pakistan’s chief selector and a member of the tour selection committee, to return home after he was reportedly seen in a casino two days before the team’s clash against West Indies in Christchurch. The board has also launched an official investigation against him.
The team manager Naveed Cheema confirmed to AFP that he was heading the investigation, and Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said strict action will be taken against Moin should he be found guilty.
“We have launched an investigation over the reports that Moin Khan visited a casino, and action will be taken if the reports are proven true,” Shaharyar told reporters in Lahore. “As per initial reports, Moin went there to have a meal two days before the match against West Indies and a Pakistani couple photographed him and made a video. We will not make anybody a scapegoat and will investigate this incident before taking any action.”
Moin has held several positions in the Pakistan setup over the last year such as team manager, coach, and head of the selection committee. He was earlier removed as the team manager so that he could travel with the side to Australia and New Zealand as a member of the tour selection panel.
Though Moin isn’t a part of the official World Cup squad, he has permission to attend team meetings and if invited, can even enter the dressing room. While Moin has generally avoided interacting with the players during matches, he has, at times, been seen sitting next to them in the dugout since he holds an ICC accreditation.
This latest incident comes just over a week after eight Pakistan players, including Shahid Afridi, were fined 300 AUD each for breaking the team curfew in the days leading up to their opening game against India in Adelaide. Pakistan lost that contest by 76 runs, before capitulating against West Indies by 150 runs, leaving them rooted to the bottom of Group B. Their fielding against West Indies, in particular, left a lot to be desired, as the players dropped as many as six catches, before the team’s top order crumbled chasing 311.
