Now what? Shoaib allegedly smacks Woolmer on the bus...and some chick at an Indian nightclub

More gossip ...

An NDTV exclusive suggests that there could be more to Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar's ban than just his dope test. A retired Indian Army officer attached to the Pakistani team during the Champions Trophy has told NDTV that Shoaib Akhtar had slapped coach Bob Woolmer on the team bus and also misbehaved with Indian coach Greg Chapell's wife. Hours after the incident, the Pakistan team announced that Shoaib and Mohamad Asif were being sent back home after a failed dope test. Speculation is now doing the rounds that there could be more than the doping scandal that led to Shoaib's infamous exit from the Pakistan cricket team.

'Shoaib slapped Woolmer'
Colonel Anil Kaul, who was with the Pakistani team, has said it could very well have been Shoaib's off-field antics in Jaipur that led to his exit. "These boys were listening to Hindi songs when Bob Woolmer removed the iPod and put on an English song. Shoaib got up and again changed the music, put on a Hindi song. "Woolmer kept quiet and then started making fun of the song. This was too much for Shoaib. He suddenly got up and gave Woolmer a tight slap. Everyone was stunned and quickly intervened," said Kaul.

Another brawl
That wasn't all and that same night after the team dinner, Shoaib got into a brawl at a disco after forcibly trying to dance with a girl. "The chief liaison officer went and got them out of the hotel where they were trapped. But then Shoaib went to the floor where the Indian team was staying and started banging on the doors. He accidentally banged on the door of Indian coach Greg Chappell and his wife came out, dressed in her nightclothes. "Shoaib made some comments about her. The next morning, I was having breakfast with the Pakistani team manager when Woolmer stormed in. He said even Chappell has complained about Shoaib and strict action must be taken," Kaul further said.

Shoaib is vehemently denying the accusations. From Cricinfo...

"This is a rubbish and baseless story, I can never think of misbehaving with my elders and this is an attempt to gain cheap publicity," he said.

and again....

Why would I slap anyone? I have never argued with the coach and neither do I have any thing with Woolmer on which I would argue. There was probably an argument, a difference of opinions but never anything as serious as raising my hand on someone. There is nothing to this, these are all concocted stories. I have a very good relationship with Bob."

He is concentrating his efforts more on the Nandrolone doping case. I have attached the NDTV story here. I don't have any thoughts about this. I think Shoaib has enough on his table already. Though most of these dressing rumors hold some truth to them. Shoaib slapping Woolmer certainly doesn't seem too far fetched. Bob is denying this version as well.

From Cricinfo...

"The story just isn't true. I don't have an iPod and anyway it was a cellphone with music on it. I didn't have any way of changing the song. We joked about the music but at no stage did Shoaib slap me. We were just having a laugh. He was sent back because of the doping issue and nothing else."

and from the NDTV 'exclusive'...

(Woolmer) did accept that there were disciplinary issues with Akhtar. "The issue is being blown out of proportion and Shoaib and I remain friends," said Woolmer.

I'm not really into cricket gossip anyway as its always rumors. There will always be fights and tiffs. These people are human anyway...Lets just move on...