The Pakistan Cricket Board have refused to make any official comments or statements in response to television interviews given by Shahid Afridi other than the media statement released on 31st May.

However PakPassion.net spoke today to a senior official at the Pakistan Cricket Board regarding the ongoing "situation" with Shahid Afridi and the Board's thoughts on how Afridi has handled the matter.

The Board official confirmed that Afridi's reply to the showcause notice had been received by the PCB. However due to the time that it was received (after office hours), the response has not yet been discussed amongst Board officials as yet.

The official also confirmed that the Board would study Afridi's reply before deciding upon their next course of action.

"I cannot state what exactly would happen in this case, but under normal circumstances we will look at Afridi's written reply and based on his reply a disciplinary committee is likely to be created. The committee will then decide on what punishment if any will be served on Afridi. The punishment if served is likely to be a heavy fine and an international ban, which would come into force as and when he (Afridi) returned to international cricket."

Relations between Afridi and the PCB have turned sour since Afridi was demoted as captain and the PCB revoked the NOC issued to Afridi for his stint at Hampshire. Afridi has subsequently alleged corruption and favouritism are rife in the corridors of the Pakistan Cricket Board and has pointed the finger of suspicion at certain selectors. The PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has also come under fire from Afridi as the former skipper stated that he would not play again for Pakistan if the current Chairman remained in charge.

However the PCB official stated "Shahid has turned this into a personal issue, which I can clearly state it is not. He has pointed the finger at individuals in the full glare of the media, instead of speaking to the PCB in a professional way and as stipulated in his contract, which he has signed and agreed to adhere to. It is not a personal matter at all and it is wrong of Shahid to think that it is. The PCB has supported Shahid whenever he needed it most. He needed our support when he was charged with ball tampering and we provided it. He asked for our support after he retired from test cricket after one test as captain and we provided it, even though retiring after one test as captain was uncommon. Afridi wanted to opt out of the series in Ireland and we accepted this also."

"Shahid was also unhappy during the New Zealand tour earlier this year and asked the PCB to intervene. Afridi asked for assistance in New Zealand and despite his ill health at the time, the Chairman flew out to New Zealand to support Shahid and to look into the issues."

The official further elaborated that the Pakistan Cricket Board felt let down by Afridi and added that the PCB feels that the revoking of the NOC was the right move and the logical step to take. "We were left with no alternative other than to revoke the NOC. We learnt of Afridi's absence from the Ireland series through the media. We also learnt of his recent retirement through the media, which is simply not acceptable."

Looking at the wider impact of the revoking of the NOC the official stated, "The Board simply cannot allow players to make disparaging remarks in the media about the PCB. This sends out the wrong message to his teammates, as well as young up and coming players who will see a senior player like Afridi making such remarks in the media and think if he can make such statements, then why can't we.”