ISLAMABAD - Former fast bowler and inventor of reverse swing bowling Sarfraz Nawaz has lashed out a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not taking strict action against players for poor showing in the World Cup. “It was expected a massive operation clean-up would be conducted and eyes of the chairman and Patron-in-Chief Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif would be opened and all responsible would be taken to task. But am deeply surprised no action was taken, instead Shahryar Khan appointed Haroon Rashid as chief selector.”
Sarfraz during an exclusive in interview with The Nation just before his departure to England on Saturday, said Shahryar must be removed from the office as he was completely cricket illiterate and highly incompetent and a former Test cricketer should be drafted in to change fast declining fortunes of the national team, otherwise the cricket would suffer badly and team would witness further decline.
He said Najam Sethi, Subhan Ahmed, Intikhab Alam, Shakil Sheikh, Haroon Rashid Zakir Khan had destroyed Pakistan cricket and some of them were sitting in the board for the last 15 years or so and had done nothing for the improvement of national team in general and players in particular and they badly failed to produce even a single player from National Cricket Academy, who could represent country at international level.
“Our domestic cricket structure is so awful that International Cricket Council Chief Executive Dave Richardson made an eye-opening statement in Australia during the recently concluded World Cup and termed domestic cricket in Pakistan responsible for green caps worst showing in the mega event. Richardson further went on to say the ICC is willing to help PCB in overhauling domestic structure in Pakistan and ready to help them in improving domestic set up. It is very annoying and shows incompetent persons sitting in the PCB had no knowledge of cricket, which allows ICC to interfere in our personal matters. It also proves that head of domestic cricket set-up in Pakistan is a complete failure. A person who had not played even on district level, how on earth he could improve domestic structure or bring even ordinary changes in the setup?”
Sarfraz said expecting revolutionary changes from such a person was like day dreaming. “I request PCB Patron PM Nawaz Sharif to immediately dissolve domestic committee and bring in persons like Zaheer Abbas, Abdul Qadir, Aamir Sohail or any one from the past legends, who had loads of cricket and know exact reasons behind decline. Domestic cricket affairs should be handed over to a person who can play the highly significant role of improving the structure, otherwise masses should forget about expecting even ordinary results, expecting of winning mega events under these circumstances is almost impossible.”
Sarfraz highly lauded former captain Imran Khan’s statement on flaws in domestic set-up. He offered Imran all out support of not only him but other past greats, if Imran plays a role in helping country in getting rid of these mafias. “If Imran stages a long march or sit in for this noble cause, we are ready to walk with him shoulder to shoulder. I am going abroad today, but would return very soon upon my return I would conduct a press conference and reveal all the truths and corruption of these mafias. I had no personal ambitions but only one cause and that is to help Pakistan cricket as country had given me so much name and fame and I owe all that to Pakistan and I am always ready to help Pakistan cricket in best possible manner,” Sarfraz concluded.