Players warned over dressing-room incident

The dressing-room incident involving Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq, which took place during the Barbados Test, has evoked a strong response from the Pakistan board. The News stated that Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, spoke to the three players separately and warned that such incidents would be dealt with firmly in future.

The three players apparently got into an altercation when Afridi showed his displeasure at being asked to open the batting by Younis in Pakistan's first innings. Inzamam then joined in the argument and supposedly exchanged heated words with Younis before the other players intervened.

Bob Woolmer, the team coach, dismissed the incident as a "minor misunderstanding", but the board took a more serious view. Abbas Zaidi, a PCB director, told the newspaper: "He [Shaharyar] was obviously not happy with what had happened, but now things have been worked out with Afridi apologising to Younis for his behaviour and Inzamam making it clear he had no problems with Younis at all. The players, including Younis, Afridi and Inzamam, have assured the chairman that they would regroup for the second Test in Jamaica and do their best to square the series and that there would be no such incidents in future."

Zaidi did say, though, that the tour disciplinary committee would consider its views on the matter and submit a report to the board. There are suggestions that Younis and Afridi might be fined, but Zaidi said that a final decision would only be taken after the Jamaica Test. "With the second Test round the corner this is not the time to decide about what action should be taken. And as it is the matter is now resolved and there is no ill-feeling remaining in the team. The players have realised their mistakes and apparently it's not going to be repeated again."