Butt-Afridi meeting in presence of government officials
ISLAMABAD: The dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Shahid Afridi has finally started moving towards solution following the former captain’s meeting with board chairman Ijaz Butt in Islamabad.
Sources added that after today’s meeting Ijaz Butt and Afridi have reached on an accord for out of court settlement and very soon cricket lovers will hear some good news.
According to officials, the two met in presence of a government official yesterday to resolve the battle that began with the all-rounder’s retirement from international cricket last month.
The meeting took place on insistence of a top government official close to board’s patron-in-chief President Asif Ali Zardari.
The PCB confirmed the meeting took place but refrained from giving details of discussion.
“PCB confirms the meeting was held,” read the board’s media release.
“PCB will not make any further comment on the discussion at this stage,” he added.
However, The Express Tribune learnt discussion was made between Afridi and Butt about out-of-court settlement to the issue.
“Afridi has agreed to withdraw his plea from court against sanctions by the PCB,” said the official.
He said in return, the board’s disciplinary committee will impose a token fine before issuing him the NOCs for featuring in the overseas tournament.
Earlier the PCB suspended Afridi’s contract and revoked permission for him to play abroad to punish his recent decision to retire from international cricket and criticise the board.
Afridi went to court demanding that the sanctions be overturned. The court adjourned a PCB disciplinary committee meeting and summoned PCB officials to appear in court.
