Akhtar kept PCB in dark about his autobiography

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday said that retired fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar kept the board in dark about his upcoming autobiography to be launched next month.

Akhtar's autobiography will offer revealing insights into the game, its intricacies and highs and lows from inside the dressing room as well as outside, according to details released at a press conference arranged by the publishers in New Delhi on Satruday.

The book, unveiled by HarperCollins India on the pacer's birthday yesterday, will hit the markets next month.

"No we had no idea that he was going to launch his autobiography but since he is a retired player now he is not answerable to us for anything," a PCB official said.

But the official was clearly taken by surprise to learn about Akhtar's upcoming book and said the fast bowler at no stage had indicated to the board about his plans.

Akhtar was a centrally contracted player in the top category with the PCB until he retired from international cricket during the this year ICC World Cup.

Since his retirement, the enigmatic fast bowler has kept himself out of the limelight.

"It now seems he was well aware of what he was doing because obviously his autobiography has not been written overnight or in a few months time it must have been planned well in advance. So he knew his priorities when he decided to retire in the World Cup," a former Test captain said.

Akhtar, nicknamed 'Rawalpindi Express', took time off from his schedule to co-author the book with Anshu Dogra, a researcher, journalist and writer, said a spokesperson for HarperCollins India.

The PCB official, however, explained that national cricketers were bound to share and discuss any plans to write a book or give a media interview only if they were contracted with the board.

"Since he is retired the clause of the central contract that a player is bound by board regulations until three months after the expiry of his contract is also not applicable to Shoaib," the official said.

"He is free to do what he wants," he added.

The official also said that the book is likely to generate some controversy considering the colorful career of the pacer.

"He has been involved in so many controversies that one can imagine lot of exciting stuff in his autobiography," he added.