Pakistan team barred from using social media during World Cup

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 10 years ago

KARACHI: Pakistan players, featuring in the World Cup squad, have been banned from using social networking sites during the mega event, beginning next month.

Team manager, Naved Akram Cheema confirmed Tuesday that as part of their central contracts, players would not be allowed to use any social networking site on the coming tour to New Zealand and in the World Cup.

"I personally feel only people with loads of free time are active on these sites and I don't think our players will have enough time on hand for other things other than focusing on cricket and doing well in the World Cup," the senior bureaucrat said.

He said the Board also did not want the players to get involved in unnecessary controversies which usually happens when they are active on these networking sites.

Cheema, who has been appointed manager for the World Cup in place of Moin Khan and has also managed national team in the past, said that any player found guilty of violating this clause would be penalised severly.

"These players have been selected to represent their country in the biggest event of the cricket world and they need to give 100 percent and remain focused on their game that is why we have imposed this restriction so that they are not distracted," he said.

Cheema said while he did not believe in treating the players like schoolboys or enforcing strict discipline but at same time he expected the players to be responsible, committed and act as true ambassadors of their country. - PTI