In Lahore, Zaka Ashraf, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), expressed his concerns about the prevalence of "excessive politics" within the organization.
He made these remarks during an interview on Geo News' Score program, where he discussed various topics such as the ICC World Cup 2023, central contracts, and the Pakistan Super League schedule.
He also raised questions about Inzamam-ul-Haq's son being selected for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy squad without demonstrating adequate performance.
When asked about the issue of politics within the PCB, he acknowledged its presence without going into further detail. Zaka Ashraf expressed hope that Pakistan would perform well in the upcoming mega tournament and mentioned that significant decisions would be made based on the team's performance in the World Cup.
Regarding the recent substantial increase in contracts for Pakistan players, including significant raises for Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, he emphasized his commitment to cooperating with Babar Azam and highlighted that these three-year contracts would be contingent on players' performance, suggesting that poor results could lead to termination.
In response to inquiries about the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League, Zaka Ashraf stated that a final decision on the matter had not been reached yet and would depend on the prevailing circumstances.
He clarified that players were allowed to participate in two additional leagues besides the PSL, and the PCB chair, not the chief selector (Inzamam-ul-Haq), would grant NOCs (No Objection Certificates).