Daily Times

LAHORE: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt passed away here on Thursday at the age of 85 after a prolonged illness. Ijaz’s son Arif Saeed confirmed the news of his demise, saying that the former Test cricketer was unwell for a long time. The deceased served as the PCB chairman from 2008 to 2011, a period that saw multiple sackings and appointments in the team management. “The PCB is saddened by the news of the passing of former Test cricketer and ex-PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. Our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” the cricket board said in a statement yesterday Ijaz was born in Sialkot on 10 March 1938, and featured in eight Tests for Pakistan from 1959 to 1962. The Pakistan cricket team won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009 under his chairmanship of the PCB. “On behalf of the PCB, I want to express my deepest condolences on the sad demise of Mr Ijaz Butt,” the statement quoted PCB Management Committee chairperson Zaka Ashraf as saying. “I had the privilege of knowing him personally and I have nothing but utmost respect for Mr Ijaz Butt. I offer my deepest condolences to Ijaz Butt’s family and friends, and assure them that he will always be remembered for the contributions he made to Pakistan cricket,” he added. Ijaz was replaced by Zaka Ashraf in 2011.

Ijaz took on the position of PCB chairman in October 2008, and his tenure proved to be a mixed bag of successes and challenges. Shortly after assuming office, Pakistan faced a major setback when a terrorist attack targeted the Sri Lankan team tour bus, leading to the suspension of several international fixtures. However, amidst the difficulties, there were moments of glory for Pakistan cricket. In the same year, the team achieved a momentous victory in the T20 World Cup under the captaincy of Younus Khan. Unfortunately, 2010 brought with it a dark chapter for Pakistan cricket as it was hit by a spot-fixing scandal. Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt, and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of spot-fixing during a Test match against England, tarnishing the reputation of the national team.

In the aftermath of the infamous spot-fixing debacle at Lord’s in 2010, Ijaz made a significant decision by appointing Misbahul Haq as the Test captain. This move turned out to be a stroke of genius, as Misbah went on to become the most successful Test captain of Pakistan, leading the team to victory in 26 out of 56 matches. Ijaz was known as a skilled wicketkeeper-batter, who made his Test debut against the West Indies in 1958-59. He scored a total of 279 runs in eight Test matches at an average of 19.92. Furthermore, he featured in 67 first-class matches, amassing over 3,000 runs.