AAJ TV : Pakistan Ki Awaz

ISLAMABAD : Former cricket greats have appreciated Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for taking a strict action against country's top players for poor performance and defying board's orders during the tour Down Under.

Former captain Zaheer Abbas termed the action a bold decision and said it would end players' power in the team.

"Players' power was affecting team's performance badly. There was no discipline in the team and it had become impossible for the board to tackle the players. That was why the board has been budging down to players' pressure", he said talking to APP.

The PCB move could mean that Pakistan team for the ICC World T20 that begins in the West Indies from the last week of April, would have a new look about it. But Zaheer said the decision would save cricket's future.

"The decision is beneficial even if we lose in T20 World Cup," he remarked.

"The move has a lesson for budding players. They will always have in mind that if senior players can be punished, then they too are no exceptions," he said.

Former star batsman and veteran cricket commentator Rameez Raja said, "It is surprising, but at the end of the day the problem for the team has been discipline. The PCB needed to make an example and took a step to clean up the lack of discipline in the team. I am sure the players will challenge the life ban though," he said

Former PCB Chief Selector and leg-spin wizard Abdul Qadir also termed the step "a brave step". "It's a good decision and will go a long way to arrest the continuing decline of Pakistan cricket and improve the state of cricket in Pakistan besides improving the discipline," he said.

He said that the move had also sent a message across the globe that we did not compromise upon principles. He however, said that the Board should stick to its decisions, as the decisions made in the past by earlier Boards were not put into action.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2010