Pakistani cricket team is not done making waves yet.
The Darrell Hair controversy, which ATP reported on and you commented on (here, here, and here), was barely behind us that a series of resignations have sent additional shock waves reverberating through the system.
The background to new development is the search for a new captain while Inzamam sits out his 4 one-day game suspension. On Thursday, Younis Khan was appointed to take the lead role, but then in a rare show of anger, he abruptly walke dout of a Press Conference, stating that he did not want to be a “dummy captain”. A visibly shocked and angered Sheheryar Khan was seen trying to calm things down for the press and media the same evening.
But now the bizarre turn of events inside the Pakistani cricket team has become bizarrer (if there was to be such a thing). Just one day after the Younis Khan episode, Sheheryar Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board has abruptly resigned. This can be a serious blow to Pakistani cricket. Circket fans in Pakistan and abroad, I am sure, are watching in amazement as the drama gets played out. Explaining his decision, Sheheryar Khan is reported to have said:
“These two incidents [ATP: Hair controversy and Younis Khan resignation] were very upsetting for me and spoiled an otherwise productive period for me. My tenure was until December 2006 so I decided to go now… Since the World Cup is just five months away, I wanted to give time to the new chairman to adjust before the tournament.”
Well, what else could he have said? It is surprising though that even a seasoned diplomat found it difficult to deal with the politics of the PCB.
Dr Naseem Ashraf, a member of the board’s ad-hoc committee and an advisor to the President on human development issues, seems to have taken on the role for now. He is not a man without controversy himself, but this time around it seems others have already created enough media frenzy that he would be best advised to invoke some calming down period to a cricketing nation hanging in suspense.
This can potentially get quite interesting and we are anxiously watching the developments. Pakistan’s coach, Woolmer, was hired by Sheheryar Khan after he fired Javed Miandad.
- Would Woolmer stay on?
- When did the PCB patron, President Musharraf, decide to axe Sheheryar Khan?
- And what role did Dr. Nasim Ashraf have to play in this,given that he was also present at The Oval stadium during the match boycott debacle, and was seen negotiating with the players.
In the meantime, the team is off to the ICC Champions Trophy. We wish them good luck!
First of all, Shaharyar’s appointment was not right. Chairman PCB’s position has been ‘awarded’ to favourites since long who have little or no practical experience and neither they are good managers. Shaharyar was a dumped bureaucrat, well past the retirement age. What do you expect from a man 72 years of age? Can he make sane decisions at time of pressure? Only a handful I think, and Shaharyar was not one of them.
The new Chief is also of the same mould. A doctor by profession, Naseem Ashraf was boycotted by Pakistani professionals in the US when he supported Musharraf during the later’s first visit to US. Ashraf then invited to Pakistan and assigned to NCHD.
If Shaharyar was sacked due to his part in Oval fiasco then Naseem Ashraf should get some blame too as he was also actively involved in the scene. Rumours are that he called Musharraf immediately after Pakistani team refused to get back into the ground.
The inside story has to be complicated. What did Younis mean by being a dummy captain. I dont think he meant that he would have to leave position later. I think it was that he would not be allowed to take decisions. Then, who would? Inzimam or Sheheryar?
when we least expected things to go crazy…. it just happenned
As reported in DAWN, http://dawn.com/2006/10/07/top8.htm
[quote post=”347″]Sources told Dawn that Shaharyar was asked by the Patron of the PCB, President Musharraf, to resign as his replacement candidate had already been finalised. Informed sources said the president had taken the decision of replacing the PCB chief four days ago but conveyed it to Shaharyar on Friday.
Earlier in the day, the seasoned diplomat remained busy at the National Cricket Academy, interviewing all members of the India-bound Pakistan team and holding one-to-one meetings with them. Ironically, that proved to be his last assignment as board chairman.
Sources disclosed that President Musharraf was unhappy at the manner in which the PCB had handled The Oval controversy, and the Younis episode on Thursday came as the last nail in the coffin.[/quote]
I am sure the President has better things to do. How long these ad-hoc committees are supposed to function? or like every other matter, the President wants to meddle in cricket for as long as possible.
and Yunis is back