Now, Ganguly accused of a whisper campaign

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly is being charged with running a “whispering campaign” aimed at unsettling Pakistan match-winning speedster Shoaib Akhtar by attempting to question his action. A Pakistan team official, according to media reports, said they had come to know that efforts were being made by the Indian team think-tank, including Ganguly, to put pressure on Shoaib by launching a “whispering” campaign and manipulating the media to raise an issue over his bowling action.

“We know that the Indians have been behind a whispering campaign about Shoaib’s action being under scrutiny in this series by the umpires and match referee through their media corps,” the official was quoted as saying in local daily The News.

“We realise it is all a ploy to start a controversy in the press about Shoaib’s bowling action and try to put him under pressure and disturb him in this series as he is a potential match-winner. But he is ready for such a situation,” he said. The newspaper also quoted a Pakistan Cricket Board official as saying it was wrong to suggest that Shoaib was among an International Cricket Council list of bowlers with suspect action.