Daily Times

Mr Prime Minister, Pakistani cricket has been brought to its lowest point in a short spell under the chairmanship of the incompetent Ijaz Butt, who has single-handedly cornered himself into an unenviable position in the cricketing world. He is disliked by all the members of the cricketing fraternity, having no support from any part of the cricket establishment. He did not attend any worthwhile university, so he cannot claim any camaraderie that may have helped the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). His only claim is that of a political connection to the higher echelons of the PPP, who figured that this was the spot that would cause the least trouble, as, unfortunately, on the president’s list of priorities, cricket and the World Cup have not yet registered. However, for the public it is very much a passion. You, as prime minister, should act now to save Pakistan from further embarrassment.

Unfortunately, his behaviour has brought Pakistani cricket to its knees. He badmouthed Chris Broad who was the match referee during the Sri Lankan tour, calling him a “liar” in the media. Thus, the English establishment, which was already unlikely to extend any support to Pakistan, was now only too happy to throw us to the wolves, leaving us without any support. Sure enough, when the betting sting unfolded in England last summer, Pakistan was caught without the proverbial paddle. I was in London at the time, and I said to television commentators that the English cricket board was responsible for the security arrangements of both teams. An important responsibility of the security provided to both the teams is to protect them from the sleazy world of gambling. In fact, the code of conduct is very clear that any deviant approach is to be reported to the management immediately. This security was missing. The cameraman, with the ‘fixer’, should have been spotted and reported. However, the Pakistani management was also lax in their vigilance. The result is that a fine batsman in Salman, a top bowler in Asif, who was unplayable by the English, and most of all young Aamir, a child prodigy who worked wonders with the ball, achieving a record of 50 international wickets while just 18, making him the youngest in history to reach that mark, have all been taken away from the game. This is Pakistan’s biggest loss.

Whilst all these moves were afoot, the chairman of the PCB went into hibernation, fending off the media and senior cricketers by saying that he had matters under control. The result is before us: a decimated team, with three important members — all match winners — removed from the squad. Why has Ijaz Butt conveniently been allowed to disassociate himself from any connection to the hapless trio? He is very much to blame because, as chairman of the PCB, the security and behaviour of the team were a part of his duties. The Pakistani people demand that he, along with the manager, also be punished. They are both guilty of negligence in their duties, causing the team immense damage in the strength of the side as well as image. The chairman must be made to realise the importance of shouldering the responsibility that he bears for any and every action of the team while under his command. His eccentric, dictatorial and erratic behaviour was evidenced in his appointment of the captain. To wait till just two weeks are left before the start of the mega event of Cricket World Cup before announcing the name of the captain was ridiculous and had the whole country wondering what was going on. Shahid Afridi was kept waiting till all the other skippers had been announced, putting him under unnecessary stress. Ijaz Butt’s attempt to appoint Misbah was pointless, and would have further split the team, for groups had already been formed, and it would have become impossible to bring any cohesion to the side. Ijaz does not instil any confidence or any loyalty among the players, so he should be removed immediately, as he has nothing to contribute to a team going in for their greatest battle. On the other hand, there is likelihood of his monstrous ego causing more problems.

Pakistan needs a steady hand now, instead of having senile old men in charge. The prime minister should step in, sack the chairman and appoint someone quickly. There are many well-respected Pakistanis who could step into this void and generate goodwill amongst the other chairmen. A retired diplomat or judge (many available) could be called upon, if only to soothe the ruffled feathers of the other members. Such diplomatic skills are desperately needed at this stage. The saga of the disgraced three is not over yet, for in the hands of the British legal system, there is a likelihood of jail sentences for them. Perhaps Ijaz Butt’s name should be included in a Pakistani judicial review for an inquiry into the responsibilities of the errant management.

The writer is a freelance columnist