Cricket:Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar has vowed to appeal against the five-year ban imposed today which threatens to end his international career.
The 32-year-old has been banned from playing cricket in his homeland for five years following repeated violations of the players' code of conduct.
The latest blot on Shoaib's copybook came when he criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board after missing out on one of the top contracts to play for the national team.
The paceman, nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express, was offered a special retainership but took umbrage at being overlooked for a central contract and hit out at the national governing body.
Shoaib's punishment was much more severe than expected, however, and he does not intend to go down without a fight.
"I am deeply disappointed and hurt," he said after appearing in front of the PCB disciplinary committee with fellow bowler Danish Kaneria.
"I will go to court and fight against the ban."
The board took a tough stance today after finally losing patience with the player, who was on a two-year probation for attacking team-mate Mohammad Asif with a bat before last year's World Twenty20.
PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf said: "It is about enforcing strict discipline in the team. No player is bigger than the game.
"Shoaib was already serving a two-year suspension and thus any indiscipline during this period would automatically result in a ban.
"And it was a unanimous decision on the part of the disciplinary committee to enforce the ban."
Despite the ban, Shoaib will be free to play in the Indian Premier League.
Ashraf said: "The committee recommended a five-year ban. He will not be able to play for Pakistan or in Pakistan.
"This is a sad day for Pakistan cricket and for Shoaib Akhtar because he is such a talented player."
Shoaib's career has been plagued with controversies both on and off the pitch, ranging from his action being questioned and ball-tampering charges to missing a curfew.
Last year he was fined $52,000 US dollars and banned for 13 international matches following his attack on Asif in South Africa.
He was also embroiled in a drug scandal after he and Asif tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance nandrolone in October 2006, before being cleared on appeal two months later.
The Rawalpindi Express, who was also fined 3.4 million rupees today, is no stranger to outbursts against the Pakistani authorities.
In 2007 he was fined for indiscipline at a national camp in Karachi and was not shy in voicing his dissatisfaction at the penalty.
Kaneria, in contrast to Shoaib, has merely been reprimanded and warned about his future conduct.