Pakistan tells no to alcohol

ISLAMABAD, Sunday (Reuters) -

Pakistan cricket authorities have told the International Cricket Council (ICC) their players will not wear or display logos of a whisky brand sponsor in the Super Series matches in October.

Alcohol consumption is banned for Muslims in the Islamic State of Pakistan. Five Pakistani players have been picked for provisional ICC World XI Test and one-day squads that will play against Australia.

?We have informed the ICC that our players will in no manner promote the logos or other promotional material if they are picked in the final World XI squads,? a PCB official told Reuters on Sunday on condition of anonymity.

He said that since the ban for alcohol for Muslims in Pakistan was considered a very sensitive matter, the Board had pre-empted problems and acted accordingly. ?We didn?t want to put our players in a dilemma later on in the matches,? the official stated. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was taken to court by an angry citizen two years ago when he appeared in an advertising campaign for an Indian alcohol company.

Akram denied promoting alcohol, saying he was only promoting the company?s cricket gear.

Captain Inzamam ul-Haq, fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq have been picked in the provisional squads. Final squads will be announced by the ICC selection committee headed by former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar next month.

South African batsman Hashim Amla had declined to wear the logo of a beer brand, the team?s sponsors, when he was selected for an Indian tour last year. Amla, a devout Muslim, was than given special permission by the South African cricket authorities not to wear the logo.