James Faulkner leaves PSL after accusing PCB of not honouring his contract, Board bans him for life
Karachi, Feb 19: Australian allrounder James Faulkner on Saturday left the Pakistan Super League abruptly after accusing the country's cricket board (PCB) of "not honouring" his contractual agreement.
Faulkner, who played for the Quetta Gladiators, left the team hotel and bio bubble after posting a series of tweets in which he accused the PCB and PSL management of telling him lies and treating his disgracefully.
The PCB and Quetta Gladiators, however, said that Faulkner has been paid his money for appearing in the league as per his contractual obligations and added that the Australian will not be picked in the T20 tournament in future.
Faulkner apologised to the Pakistani cricket fans for his withdrawal from the team's last two matches against Multan Sultans on Friday and tomorrow's fixture against Karachi Kings.
"I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans. But, unfortunately, I've had to withdraw from the last 2 matches and leave the PSL due to the PCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments," he said in a tweet.
Faulkner blamed the cricket board for continuing to "lie" to him despite his full-time presence in the tournament.
The Australian all-rounder said it "hurts" to leave as he wanted to "help" get international cricket back in Pakistan.
"It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing," Faulkner said.
He claimed that despite his attempts to do so, the treatment he received from the PCB and the management of the PSL had been a "disgrace".
"I'm sure you all understand my position," he added.
PCB and Quetta Gladiators, however, accused Faulkner of reprehensible and insulting behaviour and causing deliberate damage to the hotel property and behaving inappropriately and abusively with immigration authorities at the airport.
"In December 2021, James Faulkner's agent confirmed the United Kingdom bank details to which his fee payments should be transferred. This was noted for action," they said in a statement.
"In January 2022, for reasons best known to James Faulkner, his agent sent revised banking details of James Faulkner's onshore account in Australia. However, the contracted 70 per cent of James Faulkner's fee payment was transferred to his offshore UK bank account. The receipt of this payment was acknowledged by James Faulkner.
"Accordingly, payments due to Mr Faulkner as per his contract are fully up to date. The remaining 30 per cent of his contractual payment only becomes due 40 days after the completion of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2022, which now remains a matter to be reviewed in line with his contract."
The Board and the franchise claimed that in spite of the money being transferred and received in his account, Faulkner continued to insist that a second duplicate payment of the same amount be made to his account in Australia.
"He further threatened and refused to participate in his side's match against Multan Sultans on Friday afternoon until his money demands were met," the statement said.
"The PCB, as a responsible organisation, engaged with him early Friday afternoon in an attempt to reason with him. Despite his reprehensible and insulting behavior during the conversation, Faulkner was assured that all his grievances would be addressed.
"He refused to reconsider his decision to take the field in a crucial match for his side, let his team down and demanded that his travel arrangements be immediately made."
The PCB and Quetta Gladiators said they are "disappointed and dismayed with the reprehensible behavior of James Faulkner, who was also part of the Abu Dhabi-leg of the Pakistan Super League in 2021, and, along with all participants, has always been treated with utmost respect."
The statement noted that in the seven years of the Pakistan Super League, no player has ever complained about the nonfulfillment of the PCBs contractual obligations.
It also said the PCB was also in constant contact with his agent, who was regretful and apologetic.
2/2
— James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022
It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing.
But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the @TheRealPCB and @thePSLt20
I’m sure you all understand my position.
Damages. PC Hotel, Lahore. Shouldn't have let him leave and fly to Australia. #HBLPSL7 pic.twitter.com/TS8I9ZUOFJ
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) February 19, 2022
1/2
— James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022
I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans.
But unfortunately I’ve had to withdraw from the last 2 matches and leave the @thePSLt20 due to the @TheRealPCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments.
I’ve been here the whole duration and they have continued to lie to me.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
