Moin set to be given honourable exit

Pakistan cricket chief on Tuesday gave a clean chit to chief selector Moin Khan over his visit to a Christchurch Casino a day before the team’s defeat at the hands of the West Indies at the ongoing World Cup.

The ‘casino fiasco’ created a massive reaction back home.

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Moin met Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan in Lahore and explained the visit was meant for dinner only.

"PCB investigation found nothing contrary to Moin's statement, that he had visited the casino in Christchurch, New Zealand, to have dinner with friends," Khan told reporters after the meeting.

"He realises that it was inappropriate to have visited a casino ahead of Pakistan's match against the West Indies. But he reiterated that he only had dinner over there and nothing else. He also admitted that, perhaps, a casino was not the right place to have dinner and has apologised. This chapter is now closed," Shahryar said.

Misbah-ul-Haq's side then beat Zimbabwe in a tense finish on Sunday. Pakistan will take on UAE on March 4.

Moin was summoned back mid-way from the World Cup as prime minister Nawaz Sharif took a serious note of the incident and directed the PCB to take a strict action.

Sources within the PCB said Moin will be given a honourable exit and pardoning him is the first step. After the World Cup a new selection committee with a new chairman will be announced.

Image: Moin Khan

Photograph: Vipin Pawar/Solaris Images