Younis Khan backs former teammate Shoaib Akhtar in fresh feud with PCB legal advisor

Former Pakistan Cricket team captain Younis Khan threw his support behind ex-pacer Shoaib Akhtar after the latter accused the PCB's legal department of being incompetent.

Pakistan’s leading Test run-scorer said Akhtar spoke a “befitting and bitter truth” and lauded him for having a “backbone to be simply uncompromisingly forthright”.

“Time for PCB to honestly evaluate his remarks for the betterment of Pakistan Cricket and its players. I stand by with Shoaib Akhtar,” Younis tweeted late on Thursday.

Akhtar had launched a tirade against the PCB and its legal team in the aftermath of the Umar Akmal ban, accusing them of giving cover to corrupt cricketers of their choice but feeding other out-of-favours ones to the lions - a practice he said has helped the menace of match-fixing entrench itself in the system.

"The board has given cover to, saved and rehabilitated match-fixers, which has developed this mindset that 'okay I will serve my six-month or two years ban but will be back again like Sharjeel Khan'," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel as he pushed for formalised laws against corruption in cricket.

He had explained that corrupt elements will remain in the system until it is criminalised through the Parliament and the treatment of guilty cricketers is taken out of the board's hands.

Akhtar also ripped apart PCB's legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi, whom he described as an "inept person" for being hard on Akmal but not being able to "read a basic contract".

Also read: Umar Akmal banned for three years from all forms of cricket

"The PCB's legal department is rotten to the core. Tafazzul Rizvi, in particular, is one such individual. He has deep connections and has been with the board for 10-15 years," said the Rawalpindi Express.

On Wednesday, Rizvi filed a Rs10 million defamation lawsuit against former fast bowler after the Rawalpindi Express described him as "an inept person of highest order’ and made other serious allegations towards him as well.

"The remarks given by Shoaib Akhtar has affected my goodwill. He said false things about me on social media. His remarks were seen and heard abroad as well. Therefore, I decided to take legal action against him," Rizvi said.

Meanwhile, the PCB expressed "disappointment with Akhter’s outburst and termed it ‘highly disrespectful’". The PCB also clarified that the legal notice sent to him does not involve the board's backing - yet.

“The PCB is disappointed with Shoaib Akhtar’s poor choice of words while publicly commenting about the PCB’s legal department and its legal advisor," the board said in a press release after Rizvi filed the suit against him.