The name 'Royal Challengers' has attracted more than its fair share of attention, and not all of it has been positive. Bangalore's representative in the Indian Premier League has courted controversy because of the belief in certain quarters that it promotes a brand of liquor manufactured by franchise owner Dr Vijay Mallya, a belief that has been dismissed as without basis by the Supreme Court itself.

That didn't prevent Misbah-ul-Haq, of the Royal Challengers' key overseas players, from being sucked into the drama on Monday, just a few hours before the Challengers locked horns with Kings XI Punjab. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a strict policy against the promotion of alcohol and tobacco, which is why several players were exempt from wearing the sponsor's logo during the Super Series in Australia two and a half years back, the sponsor in question being Johnnie Walker.

Back in Karachi, PCB CEO Shafqat Naghmi's comment regarding players needing to take prior permission to endorse brand commercials, and his uncertainty over whether Misbah had taken such permission and indeed what his contractual obligations were, triggered a chain of events leading to Bangalore. "We do discourage our players from sporting logos promoting alcohol or tobacco products," Naghmi had also stated.

Misbah did sport the Challengers' uniform at practice, though a team source admitted that he was 'disturbed' at the happenings within the PCB.

Within the Challengers set-up, this was being considered a non-issue, skipper Rahul Dravid merely stating just before pre-match practice, "It's between the IPL and the PCB. They'll have to sort it out. Misbah has been around for more than a week with the team, why create an issue now? We have got a match to play. We will concentrate on the game and not anything else."

As of now, there are no plans to cover or drop the logo from Misbah's uniform, unlike South Africa Hashim Amla, who got national team sponsor Castle Lager's logo dropped from his gear because it went against his religious tenets.

Misbah wisely chose to keep a dignified silence through all this, but Challengers CEO Charu Sharma had this to say. "Misbah is not associated with any liquor brand. Royal Challengers Bangalore is owned by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited and is in no way connected to any liquor brand. Misbah is a critical player for our teams's success. He is here to play cricket and we are not forcing him to promote any product."

Misbah's fellow-Pakistani Aamir Sohail, the former skipper now on commentary duty, was caught unawares when his reaction was sought. "You want my reaction on Shoaib Akhtar?" he asked, not surprising given the controversial pacer's propensity to be in the news. Informed about the Misbah issue, Sohail for once looked stumped. "I need to think it over," he remarked, looking a touch bemused. Needless to say, he wasn't the only one!