PCB suspends national selector Illyas

The Pakistan Cricket Board suspended national selector Mohammad Illyas and asked him to face disciplinary proceedings for violating the terms of his employment contract by making statements in the media and appearing on a television show on the Shahid Afridi issue.

"The board sent out two show cause notices to Illyas. His replies were not satisfactory enough for us that is why he is now suspended from working as national selector," Nadeem Sarwar, the PCB media manager, said.

"The board will soon form a disciplinary committee to hold a hearing into the charges of violating the code of conduct against him," he added.

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Illyas got embroiled in a war of words with Afridi, who initially blamed him for forming a lobby against him in the board and misleading the board chairman Ijaz Butt about him.

Afridi also accused Illyas of initiating the campaign against him as he blamed him (Afridi) for dropping his son-in-law Imran Farhat from the national team.

Illyas blasted Afridi in the media, describing him as an ungrateful and indisciplined person.

The board's decision to suspend Illyas has come just a day before the hearing of a petition filed by Afridi, challenging the disciplinary committee and its proceedings initiated against him by the board, in the Sindh high court.

"It certainly makes the board's position stronger as they can now point out that they have the same disciplinary process and law for officials, selectors and players alike," one source said.

Afridi went to the high court through his lawyers after the board directed him to appear before the disciplinary committee on Wednesday.

But the court stayed the disciplinary committee proceedings.

A major controversy broke in Pakistan cricket after Afridi was sacked as captain before the One-day series against Ireland last month.

The all-rounder responded by announcing his retirement from international cricket and accusing the board of not showing him respect.

The PCB, in turn, suspended Afridi's contract and revoked all NOCs issued to him to play in foreign leagues and asked him to appear before its disciplinary committee.