Multan region coach Nadeem Iqbal suspended by PCB over molestation allegations

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• Jun 18, 2022 | Poonam Nath

PCB suspends coach Nadeem Iqbal after a player accuses him of molestation.

Digital Desk: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has terminated one of its national-level coaches following allegations that he abused a player.

The coach, Multan region's Nadeem Iqbal, was a well-known pace bowler in his playing days and made his first-class debut for the same squad as fast-bowling legend Waqar Younis.

A PCB official stated that an investigation had been pitched to determine whether Nadeem had violated his terms of employment with the board.

"Obviously, we can't conduct any criminal investigations; that is for the police," the official explained, "but our probe will determine whether he violated the terms of the contract with us."

Nadeem, 50, who played 80 first-class matches, was once considered a better bowler than even Waqar and once took seven wickets to defeat the National Bank team for 20 runs in Karachi.

In a police complaint, the victim stated that she attended PCB women's trials in Multan a few years ago when Nadeem was one of the instructors.

"He approached me with the promise of picking me for the women's team and securing me a job on the board. But, over time, he continued to harass me sexually and involved his buddies. He also videotaped me and continued to blackmail me," she claimed in a video message.

The private Multan Cricket Club officials were accused of sexual harassment by five teenage female cricketers in 2014.

Officials of a well-known cricket club linked with the district association requested sexual favours for inclusion in the team, and the cricketers told the media.

Yasir Shah, Pakistan's Test leg-spinner, was also accused of assisting a buddy in sexually assaulting a young girl and then threatening her last year.

The complainant later dropped the charges against Yasir, but a case against his companion is still pending in court.

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