Pakistan's temperamental fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and two other players were fined by the team management for indiscipline during the just-concluded tour of Australia, it was revealed in Karachi on Thursday.
Besides Shoaib, youngsters Yasir Hameed and Salman Butt were also fined by the team management for late arrivals.
Pakistan's team manager for the Australian tour, Haroon Rasheed, said the three were penalised 50 Australian dollars each while emphasising that the incidents were of very minor nature.
"The incidents happened before the start of the Tests. Actually, the three boys missed the team bus for training by a few minutes and were left behind. They arrived at the ground by taxi and were fined Australia dollars 50 each as it was their first violation.
"But this was a very minor case and should not be considered as a violation of contract or tour discipline guidelines. These incidents happen on every tour and I know that the biggest names in the game have missed the team bus and have had to come to the ground in taxi," Rasheed said.
He said the incidents happened in Perth, where Pakistan started the 10-week tour with a series of practice matches.
"After that, there was not a single incident where the tour disciplinary committee had to penalise any player," he said.
Rasheed also defended Shoaib's driving to the WACA ground in Perth while the players walked to the ground for practice sessions from the team hotel.
"I think there has been tremendous exaggeration of facts whenever Shoaib Akhtar has been involved, and it is because Shoaib is a news-maker and has a huge following.
"The real fact regarding the driving controversy is that he had the team management's permission to drive in his sponsored Lexus car while we walked for practice. But during the first Test, Shoaib came with us on the team bus," clarified Rasheed.
The manager laughed off the rape controversy during the Australian tour as a piece of "fiction".
"It's another fiction. There was no accuser, there was no accused, there were no details of the incident, there was no official complaint. What does this lead to?"
On Shoaib's photographs allegedly taken in a nightclub, Rasheed said, "Shoaib Akhtar is a celebrity and people from all walks of life like to be photographed with him. Now if someone is misusing Shoaib's photographs, it's not his fault.
"I inquired about these [photographs] from Shoaib and I have reasons to believe him. The matter is being investigated by the PCB's disciplinary committee and let's see what they have to decide," he added.
