Shoaib Akhtar loses cool at New Zealand for exposing Pakistan players flouting Covid norms

A frustrated Shoaib Akhtar slammed New Zealand health ministry for issuing 'below the belt' remarks against the Pakistan national team - referring to the warning given by the Kiwi cricketing board to the Men in Green to follow the SOPs established or to face the possibility of being sent back home. Seven members of Pakistan's squad have tested positive for coronavirus upon landing in New Zealand and the country's health ministry has warned Babar Azam & co to adhere to protocols after they were found mingling with each other and sharing food in hotel corridors while they were supposed to be in isolation. Irked by New Zealand's warning to Pakistan, Shoaib Akhtar expressed his displeasure via his YouTube channel. 

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, former pacer Shoaib Akhtar told New Zealand and its cricket board that Pakistan was no club or a small side and that it was a national side. Moreover, the Rawalpindi Express demanded to know how New Zealand could issue such a statement and went on to state that cricket was thriving well in Pakistan & that the Kiwis needed them in turn. He also claimed that New Zealand would benefit from the series by airing it as it generates revenue and said that the New Zealand cricket board should be 'indebted to Pakistan'. 

Referring to some videos of Pakistan players on the flight en route to New Zealand circulating on the internet, Shoaib Akhtar claimed that the players were being put at 'risk' - not by wearing their masks incorrectly but by making the video of the players. Shoaib Akhtar also questioned the necessity to 'post' those videos on social media & asked users to refrain from doing so. However, Akhtar remained mum about the protocol violations made by the Pakistan team members in New Zealand while condemning the Kiwis for their choice of words. 

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Pakistan given last warning

New Zealand’s director-general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said he took a “dim view” of the team’s failure to obey the regulations which had been clearly spelled out to team members on their arrival. Further breaches might lead to the team being expelled from New Zealand. “Rather than being in their own rooms which is a requirement for that first three days, until that first test comes back, there was some mingling in the hallways, chatting, sharing food and not wearing masks,” Bloomfield said. A wider outbreak among squad members would also be a serious issue which might put the tour in jeopardy. Pakistan is due to play New Zealand in three Twenty20 internationals and two test matches. The first T20 will take place on Dec. 18 and the tests are the main features of New Zealand’s domestic summer.

On Friday, the health ministry said the team’s conduct had “significantly improved” after the warning was issued. “We thank members of the team for their co-operation with the case investigations following the announcement of positive cases within the team,” the Ministry said. “Co-operation and compliance are critical in ensuring New Zealand is kept safe from COVID-19.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan also confirmed the development and asked the Pakistan squad to strictly follow the SOPs. Khan said that the PCB has been informed by the New Zealand Cricket about three to four violations of SOPs, which is why they have asked the team to abide by the rules and regulations and make sure that such a thing does not happen in the future. He added that the New Zealand Cricket has also said that the entire Pakistan squad will be sent back home if there are any other violations. Khan reckoned that if such a thing happens, it will be very embarrassing for Pakistan cricket which is why they have no margin for error now.

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