British Pakistanis protest at Shoaib's ban

The long-held British tradition of protesting against injustice is alive and well and ranting in a curry house in West London. Tonight at 7pm, members of the British Pakistani community will be gathering in Chaudhry's TKC, a restaurant in Southall that has been catering for Pakistani touring teams to Britain for more than 30 years, to air their displeasure at the five-year ban handed down to Shoaib Akhtar for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Dalawar Chaudhry said that more than 100 guests were expected to attend the protest meeting - "everyone who is important in the Pakistani cricket fraternity in England" - and that they want to air their displeasure at the PCB's actions. "The PCB should support their players," Mr Chaudhry said. "The penalty really does not fit the crime. Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif can be forgiven after criticising the Pakistani government, but Shoaib, who has some of the best Test statistics by any fast bowler, is not forgiven. It is very harsh when you consider that far more sacrilegious crimes, such as match-fixing, get lesser penalties."

It is reminiscent on a smaller scale of the protests at Central Hall in Westminster in 1993 when 4,500 MCC members voted their lack of confidence in the England selectors after David Gower was left out of the Test team to tour India. However, the selectors were saved by 6,100 MCC members backing them.

Shoaib may have a knack of attracting controversy and saying the wrong thing - like Andre Nel he is frequently under consideration for Line and Length's Pillock of the Month poll - but he is well respected among his fans. Mr Chaudhry pointed out that as well as being admired for his bowling feats, Shoaib is popular with British Pakistanis because he agreed to be an Ambassador for Peace after the London bombings in 2005 and has worked with British Asian youth to ensure that they are not misunderstood.

Chaudhry's TKC was founded by Mr Chaudhry's father and has been visited by touring Pakistani sides since the 1970s. The Under-19s had dinner there last summer and the senior side came in 2006. The likes of Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Imran Khan have all sampled the menu. "We serve a variety of food, using olive oil rather than butter ghee as sportsmen need to diet," Mr Chaudhry said. "I had a long chat with Bob Woolmer - rest his soul - in 2006 about what food was good to serve."

Comments

[Mr A Nel]

Thought I'd missed it, didn't you Johnny?

Kidd has obviously (and deliberately) edited out the words 'millions of' and the plural in your last sentence.

An avid reader like you should have picked up that Sidey will be getting himself a new light-speed, death-machine opening partner before next years Ashes.

Don't lose too much sleep Johnny mate. It's a change of scenery and passport for me. Not a change of profession.

Shoaib's behaviour seems normal enough to me. No wonder he was upset during my Pace Master-Class Camp in Qatar last week.

[Haroon]

The ban is way too harsh. Hitting a team mate with the bat is harsh. But the PCB, they are even worse, corruption at a very high level. Shoaib will only be able to get his justice if an outside party intervenes directly. No small protest will do anything. Just think how scared batsmen get when they see him steaming in bowling 90 plus mph. It has a massive psychologoical effect on ANY team, even Australia would be happy without the presence of shoaib. Yes he is a bad person, but he doesnt deserve a ban from the PCB who are far worse.

[Bombay Boy]

Good to see you Pakistani's doing something other than cheating at cricket or overthrowing deomcracy, albeit I do accept that for once they weren't cheating when they were accused of it ( Daryl Hair / Inzaman travesty of justice! ). My regards to Lahore Tandoori on the Commercial Road, pukka kebabs!

[oldasiahand]

Sorry PB they have perspective: cricket is far more importnat than democracy Pakistani style.

[Realist]

Hit a fellow player with a bat?
Show him the door, it has a knob. Just don't mistake it for a mirror.

[PB]

Did Chaudhry, or any other Curry restaurant in the UK, protest against the lack of democracy in Pakistan? The over-ruling of the judiciary system? How about the something else which might be contrued as important to Pakistan? We all love cricket, but get some perspective guys!

[Tarun Y]

Mehfil restaurant in Southall is the best though..

[Shehzad Khan]

For all and mr. ifkar calling shoaib a waste of space, hello!!! what have you been smoking chums? who else is there in your once potent pace attack? who instills fears in batsmen no matter how fit he is? this disciplined board has not been able to groom one, ONE single bowler other than Asif who is a natural talent. Oh yeah it was fine for imran khan to be dictator and use foul language against who he wanted but shoaib should be sacrificed to the lambs, right? out with your heads from your behinds. Shoaib stills commands respect form any team and after him there is no one, i repeat NO ONE, who can be intimidating. Look what arrogance has made of Indian team. Nasim Ahraf's appointment is by far the worst decision Musharraf ever took.

[Shaikh]

He hit a teammate, a fellow fast bowler with a bat!

Too much curry Chaudhry, gone to your head.

Shaikh

[Khal]

Shoaib Pindi Diesel Tank should have been banned years ago.He was a problem before he was in the Pakistan team - sent home in 1997 from a South Africa tour before he even played a go for misbehaving in a nighclub. He is a disgrace to his team, his country, his religion and the sport of cricket. Now which idiot recons he is an ambassodor for the British youth. Will Bollywood please take this idiot away.

[Ifkar Ahmed]

I would just like to say u r all pathe... Simply, who is shoaib akhter waste of space on this planet.

Mr Dalawar i don't know what planet he lives on been on but shoib can hardly be called a decent bowler never mind great.

He is just spoilt and he should be banned for life. I think the restaurant is just doin a publicity stunt to get more custom in.

i am british muslim and all my friends think he is waste of space.

Get it over try something new dalaear to run ur business

[Johnmc]

Fair enough Shoaib is not an angel but why the heavy-handed ban from all cricket in Pakistan? As was noted in Patrick's piece worse crimes have brought lesser penalties. If he is too ill-disciplined for Pakistan - fine don't pick him, to ban him seems excessive. Test cricket seems to have lost a lot of great players and characters recently and it is shame to see another one ostracised. We might lose Andre Nel as well, a man of whom it should be noted also has the respect of his fan

[Anwar Ali]

Wow .. protesting for banning Shoaib ? Will our nation ever mature.

This guys not only has a history of indiscipline but a history of letting down his own team. Any foreign league he tried to play showed dissatisfaction over his attitude and commitment. Someone who himself isn't sincere to his own self is being supported for INJUSTICE done !

O! you the nation, show maturity and quit supporting people like him. This is the defining moment and an example for all future cricketers. A sportsman without commitment and respect for sports should have no place in the game. period.

[Jamie Dowling]

"Protesting against injustice" in relation to Shoaib Akhtar?

Puh-leese!

I see plenty of injustice going on in this country, never mind the rest of the world but the idea that the PCB's ban on Shoaib is unjust is about as convincing as my claims to be the next England opening batsman.

Due process was followed, he was on a two year probationary period and didn't have the common sense to behave professionally and sensibly.

Shoaib's indiscipline and behavioural record speaks as much about him as his test stats. Coach Geoff Lawson said he had lost faith in Shoaib as a test bowler. If someone with Lawson's experience and pedigree makes that kind of comment it's pretty damning.

There is no injustice here. Just a governing body finally starting to insist on professional standards of behaviour form its players.