ISLAMABAD – Former cricket legends wanted Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)Chairman Ehsan Mani to get rid of dead woods in the board occupyingimportant slots and damaging cricket for years.
Former ICC president Zaheer Abbas said Mani’s vast experience of cricketingaffairs at different designated posts would help boom Pakistan cricket andit will surely enter into a new era of achievements.
Zaheer said the political influence that helped a few inefficient peopleremain glued to their posts was spoiling cricket and their removal wasimperative to revolutionize the structure and overcome drawbacks.
He hoped Ehsan Mani’s first priority would be to assign importantresponsibilities to honest and competent genuine cricketers, who he said,“are familiar with the game’s affairs”.
Responding to a question, Zaheer said Mani must bring in his own team ofprofessionals to guide him on cricket. “If any person stays somewhere fortoo long then politics get involved and same is the case with the PCBemployees,” he added.
The spin wizard Abdul Qadir endorsing Zaheer Abbas’s concern said PCBofficials including Manager Domestic Cricket, Chief Operating Officer andDirector Cricket Operations were since long running the affairs but theirperformance was questionable as team’s ranking was declining ininternational rating day by day.
Qadir said, “these officials for the last 15 to 20 years have been fillingtheir own kitties and their contribution to national cricket was “sheerenjoyment of perks and privileges.”
Batting legend Javed Miandad suggested forming a think tank comprisingformer cricketers to identify grey areas and formulate a comprehensivepolicy for a sustainable achievement.
Miandad also stressed the need to improve cricket structure at regional anddistrict level because it was the nurturing phase from where internationalstandard’s cricketers make a headway to the national team.
Speaking about the Asian Cup to be held in the UAE from September 15,Zaheer Abbas said teams of India and Bangladesh will give Pakistan a toughtime in the mega event.
“Pakistan still has bright chances of winning the extravaganza because UAEpitches are no stranger to our players. It is their home ground and we canexpect Pakistan to bring the cup home,” he said.
Abdul Qadir criticizing PCB’s holding of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy andQuaid-e-Azam Cup One Day in a consecutive time frame, said it was totallyout of context as a player cannot focus on two formats of the tournamentsand a due break was necessary to acquaint players with the environment.
“Earlier this one day cup was held in December but I cannot understand thebrains behind PCB for holding this tournament in September along withQuaid-e- Azam Trophy,” he said. – APP