PCB legal advisor initiates defamation, criminal proceedings against Shoaib Akhtar

Lahore, April 29:  Pakistan Cricket Board legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi has filed a criminal and defamation suit against former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for his alleged inappropriate comments on his Youtube channel.

The Pakistan Cricket Board in its statement said that it is disappointed with Akhtar's "poor choice of words" and that Rizvi has initiated the proceedings at his own discretion.

"The PCB is disappointed with Shoaib Akhtar's poor choice of words while publically commenting about the PCB's legal department and its legal advisor," said the PCB in its statement.

"The language used by Shoaib Akhtar was highly inappropriate and disrespectful, and cannot be condoned in any civilised society.

"The PCB's legal advisor, Taffazul Rizvi, in his own discretion, has initiated defamation and criminal proceedings against Shoaib Akhtar, while the PCB too reserves its rights."

Akhtar was talking about the three-year ban that batsman Umar Akmal recently received. Akhtar mocked Rizvi and questioned his legal experience while stating that he always created problems between the players and the PCB. Akhtar said in the video that the three-year ban received by Akmal was excessive.