Imran calls for revamp in Pak cricket

Former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan feels that its time for Pakistan cricket to go for a makeover.

"For years now our players have been linked to corruption," the cricketer turned politician told the Geo News channel on Thursday.
"When the spot fixing allegations first came out against our players in the News of the World newspaper, the PCB itself should have taken action against the players instead of waiting for the ICC to step in," Imran added.
Imran was reacting to the warning issued by the ICC to Pakistan cricket urging them to improve governance and pu in place stringent anti-corrution norms.
"The ICC move to warn us and put us on notice is a shameful day for every Pakistani. It is a shame for Pakistan cricket and the reason is we don't have any cricket institution in Pakistan," Imran said.
"Ijaz Butt's governance has been a failure. He should have resigned the moment he apologised to the England board and withdraw his statement because they threatened him with legal action," he added.

ICC statement gets mixed reaction

The Pakistan cricket community has given a mixed reaction to ICC's threat to impose sanctions on the PCB.

Pakistan Cricket board legal adviser Talib Rizvi said that the board would review all the recommendations made by the ICC and would try to implement them properly.
"The ICC measures announced as part of its anti-corruption drive are all positive measures and we will soon hold anti-corruption courses for our domestic and international players as part of the recommendations made by the International Cricket Council governing board at its meeting in Dubai," Rizvi said.
But he lamented that the threatening tone of the ICC statement after the board meeting yesterday.
"While the ICC recommendations are to be welcomed but it is disappointing to note the threatening tone in the statement," he said.
PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt who is under fire at home for his policies is yet to return from Dubai after attending the ICC meeting which gave a clear rap on the knuckles to Butt and his team at the meeting.
"PCB must act and be seen to be acting to uphold the zero-tolerance attitude to corruption in sport," the ICC said in its statement.
The ICC also said that the Pakistan Task Team is authorised by the ICC Board, under a revised mandate to help PCB carry out any reforms which may be deemed necessary to restore confidence in the administration of the game in Pakistan; and deliver the above measures.
"If the PCB fails to carry out the above to the satisfaction of the Board within the next 30 days, the Board will consider what further action (including, if appropriate, sanctions) is required in the circumstances," the ICC said in its statement.
Former board officials and players mainly felt the PCB had brought the sad situation on itself due to its poor administrative policies.
"Ijaz Butt has shamed the whole Pakistani nation with his incompetent administrative policies," former ICC President, Ehsan Mani said.
"Considering the antics of the PCB in the last few months this was bound to happen," Mani said.
Mani said it was embarrassing that the ICC had included members from junior cricket playing nations on the ICC task force for Pakistan.
"The formation of the task force and the revised mandate given to it shows that the ICC has no confidence in the PCB administration," he said