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.
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— 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.
'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
