Afridi v PCB - Ijaz Butt irked by Political involvement in Pakistan Cricket Board affairs

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Afridi v PCB - Ijaz Butt irked by Political involvement in Pakistan Cricket Board affairs
The Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Ijaz Butt, has been irked by the political interference into the ongoing rift between former captain, Shahid Khan Afridi and the board.
The PCB chairman and his regime has been heavily criticised over the past few months for its ineffectiveness in implementing a code of conduct.
Butt reckoned that the interference of political functionaries can further damage the troubled cricket authority.
"It would now appear an attempt by some forces to prevent the board from implementing the code of conduct and their act may well damage Pakistan cricket if they continue to lend support to Afridi and exert undue pressure on PCB for their non-cricketing interests", said Butt in an interview with a private TV channel of Pakistan.
Leaders of various political parties have been seen extending support for the flamboyant all-rounder, who is currently at loggerheads with Butt, and his regime following his media outburst on his return home from West Indies after a 3-2 series win.
Political leaders, who have lately shown interest in Afridi’s ongoing clash with PCB and have spoken in favour of the cricketer, include, Deputy Convener and Parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Dr. Farooq Sattar, and the former Pakistan Prime Minister and the leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.
Farooq Sattar, on Tuesday, June 1 condemned Pakistan Cricket Board for unfair treatment towards Afridi and urged the board that the hard hitting batsman and prolific leg-spinner should be given a chance to serve the country and the nation.
Nawaz Sharif, on the other hand, made a telephone call to the former skipper and discussed with him his ongoing dispute with Butt and his regime.
It has also been reported that the 31-year old Afridi, who is loved by his fans for his Boom Boom batting style, called upon the Chairperson of Pakistan’s ruling political party, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in London to discuss his case.
Sources have also revealed that Bilawal - the eldest son of current Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister, late Benazir Bhutto - has assured Afridi that he would get justice and that he would also speak to Asif Ali Zardari about his case.

PCB ready to face Shahid Afridi in court says Subhan Ahmed

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PCB ready to face Shahid Afridi in court says Subhan Ahmed
In response to former skipper Shahid Afridi’s petition, filed in the Sindh High Court against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Chief Operating Officer of the board said that the PCB respects the rule of law and would implement the court’s decision in letter and spirit.
The retired captain, on Tuesday filed a petition in the SHC to challenge the charges imposed on him by the PCB.
As a result, the court has forbidden the board to hold a four-member disciplinary committee meeting and has ordered the PCB officials to appear before the court on June 9, to provide explanations.
Subhan, the Chief Operating Officer of the board, asserted that Afridi should have attended the board’s disciplinary committee to resolve the issue with the PCB, rather than moving to SHC.
However, he added that the PCB is ready to face the all-rounder in court and will follow the court’s verdict.
“We have followed all procedures while initiating disciplinary action against Afridi as per laid down in our constitution. Our legal team and officials will appear in court as per directives of the court,” said Subhan.
In the wake of Afridi’s retirement last week and his media outburst against PCB’s officials, the board issued a show cause notice to Afridi and suspended his central contract. The non-objection certificates (NOCs) issued to him, were also cancelled.
The controversies between the board and Afridi started following the Caribbean tour, where Afridi passed offensive remarks regarding the team’s coach, Waqar Younis.
The board then removed the leg-spinner from captaincy and appointed Misbah-ul-Haq at his place, to lead team in the two-match ODI series against Ireland.
According to Afridi, the board did not issue any prior notice to him, nor was he informed personally.
Reacting over PCB’s actions, the right-handed batsman announced his retirement from International cricket, citing the board’s misconduct in his case.
He also stated that he would not resume his cricketing career, as long as board is working under the current Chairman, Ijaz Butt.

Ijaz Butt destroys the career of another star

Pakistan cricket continues to embroil itself in self inflicted problems, just when the fans begin to take a sigh of relief thinking that the discords within the team have been settled or repercussions of the latest scandal are over, the players and the management brew a new problem out of nowhere.

In the latest episode of Pakistan cricket’s never ending soap opera ” Shahid Afridi has announced retirement from international cricket after he was stripped off from captaincy of Pakistan’s Odi team.

The root cause of the current crisis was an altercation between Waqar Younis and Afridi during the Caribbean tour, it was reported that Waqar Younis and the team management were dominating the tour selection committee and marginalized the Captain for which which Afridi rightfully protested in front of the media upon his return from the tour. He was immediately issued a warning, later on Afridi withdrew himself from the Irish tour due to his father’s illness but when PCB stripped him of the Odi captaincy he announced his retirement.

To a sane mind it would seem highly strange that how a simple issue of difference of opinion between the management and the captain got so out of control that first the management had to strip a sitting captain of his job for issuing a harmless statement in the media and as a result the captain who also happens to be Pakistan’s ” MVP” in the limited overs format for quite some time had to announce his retirement from international cricket citing his inability to play under current management.

Recently the SriLankan team went through a lot of changes nobody announced their retirement, the English team removed Collingwood from Captaincy of their T20 team. The Australian made Ricky Ponting to step down from captaincy, The WICB removed Gayle not only from captaincy but also from the team. If the rest of the world can undergo these changes smoothly why is that Cricket Pakistan can’t deal with these issues like simple managerial routines?

In my opinion the arguments within Pakistan cricket are never based on principles they always stem from power struggle, the desire for power and control stems from corruption which is rampant in Pakistan cricket. Every body wants the Lions share, the management by controlling the team and using the players as puppets and the captains want the Lions share since they have to bite the bullet after every unsuccessful tournament.

Why Ijaz But wanted to reward Misbah by making him the captain of Pakistan’s Odi team? Was it because he single handedly lost the WC semi final? Or for losing a test and drawing a test series against a team which can’t beat even a decent club side in Pakistan? Why Waqar Younis wants to control the team selection his main job is coaching he is not the selector he doesn’t lead the team on the field he is not ultimately responsible for the team’s performance in front of the media?

The reason is simple, given his role in corruption in the past and his decision to step down of the coaching job under Nasim Ashraf when he was told that he won’t travel with the team and will only work in the academy, tells us a lot why he wants to take control of the team.

I have never been a huge fan of Afridi as I have always considered him one of the players who have always been involved in power struggle and even though I think that he was wronged in the current situation but I think like his predecessors he was destined to be treated the same way. The one thing which disgusts me the most about Afridi and his fans is that they always play the regional card when things don’t go their way, I would have been more sympathetic to him if he had exposed the management and the coach or the so called Lahore Lobby, but I guess his hands are also dirty so he can’t speak the truth and can only play dirty politics.

By making jingoistic statements in the press Afridi has lost a lot of vital support, most of the Ex players who were very vocal for him are now criticizing him, I don’t mind his criticism of Mohammad Ilyass but he also hit out at players forming a group against him within the team which in my opinion wasn’t the right thing to do, even if he makes a come back he won’t be able to mend his relations with the players.

Under the current Government we won’t see Ijaz Butt getting removed from the office and even if he gets removed he will leave behind an orgainzation which has become inherently corrupt. No captain will survive under the current administration unless he agrees to act like a puppet.

Pakistan cricket is on the verge of getting completely destroyed, the current team is extremely limited in talent we haven’t developed any new players and are destroying the career of the existing stars one by one, and this is all happening because of vested interests and wide spread corruption in PCB.

IMRAN SLAMS SUICIDE ATTACK ON PAKISTAN CRICKET

Pakistan's iconic former captain Imran Khan said Wednesday the public row between management and all-rounder Shahid Afridi was akin to a "suicide attack" that could sink cricket into deeper turmoil.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suspended Afridi's contract and revoked permission for him to playabroad to punish his recent decision to retire from international cricket and criticise the board.
Afridi went to court on Tuesday, demanding that the sanctions be overturned. The court adjourned a PCB disciplinary committee meeting set for Wednesday and summoned PCB officials to appear in court Thursday.
"This case is another suicide attack on Pakistan cricket," Khan told AFP. "I don't know why Pakistan cricket keeps inflicting suicide attacks on itself which are damaging for the game in a country already reeling under problems."
Imran Khan blamed the saga on a lack of unaccountability among the PCB.
"The reason why Pakistan cricket remains in turmoil is because there is no stability, no institutionalism in decision making and because the head of the board is appointed by the president of Pakistan and is not accountable," he said.
Khan said that only Pakistan opposes a proposed amendment to the constitution of the International Cricket Council (ICC) that would suspend members appointed by government.
"Because there is government involvement in our cricket, the PCB is opposing the proposed change in the ICC constitution. If the change comes about it will make the PCB a proper institution," said Khan.
He said frequent changes in the captaincy have destabilised the team.
"I still can't understand how can you change Younis Khan six months after he led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title," said Khan. Younis was forced out after a players' revolt against him in November 2009.
"How can Afridi be replaced a month after leading Pakistan to the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup? A few days ago he was showered with praise and prizes and he had started to stabilise the team.
Stating his belief that "no one is a born captain", Khan said Pakistan's leading players suffer because the standard of domestic cricket is poor making it hard to gain experience leading a side outside internationals.
Afridi publicly criticised coach Waqar Younis for "undue meddling" in the team's selection during Pakistan'stour of the West Indies last month. The PCB subsequently replaced him as captain.
"A coach's role is subservient to captain. Cricket is the only game where the captain's role superior and no coach can take the lead. The PCB should have defined the roles of the captain and the coach," said Khan.
"Look at India where captain (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni is the man in charge. Ricky Ponting used to take the lead in the Australian team and the coach sits behind the scenes. It's quite clear."