Pakistan cricket team (AP Photo)
After a dismal T20 World Cup campaign, Pakistani cricket was hit with a fresh controversy after an unnamed team member was fined for allegedly misbehaving with a female hotel employee during the team’s stay in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
The incident is believed to have occurred shortly before Pakistan’s Super Eight final against Sri Lanka and has since been quietly discussed within Pakistani cricket circles.Go beyond boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, the incident happened at the Golden Crown Hotel, where the Pakistani team was staying during the tournament. “Before Pakistan’s recent Super Eight match against Sri Lanka, one of the Pakistan World Cup team players misbehaved with the housekeeping employee,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport.
The report added that the employee “screamed and asked for help, after which the hotel employees came to her rescue and reported the matter to the Pakistani team manager, Naveed Cheema.”
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Senior officials at the Golden Crown Hotel reportedly wanted to take strict action against the player. However, Cheema apologized to the hotel management on behalf of the cricketer and imposed a fine for the misconduct, settling the issue internally at the time.
Although the identity of the player has not been revealed, the matter is far from over, as the individual is expected to face further scrutiny once he returns home.The report indicates that the player may be summoned before the Pakistan Cricket Board’s disciplinary committee, which may decide to impose an additional penalty on him. The controversy emerged soon after Pakistan’s disappointing campaign, where the team failed to reach the semi-finals after missing out on net run rate despite beating Sri Lanka by five runs in their last Super Eight match.The incident also revived debate on past controversies involving Pakistani touring teams. The report indicated that Manchester police arrested striker Haider Ali last year during Pakistan Shaheen’s tour in England due to rape allegations before he was released due to insufficient evidence. In another previous episode, team masseuse Malang Ali was fined for misconduct with a female employee during a tour in Malaysia.