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| October 23, 2005 | Sunday | Ramzan 18, 1426 |
Indians unlikely to agree on neutral umpires: PCB chief
LAHORE, Oct 22: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to disagree to the proposal floated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of deputing ‘neutral umpires’ in their next tour of Pakistan scheduled for Jan-Feb 2006.
PCB chairman Shaharyar M Khan told reporters at Qadhafi Stadium on Saturday that though the BCCI had not replied officially about the proposal, the verbal chat with them on the subject gave the impression they would not agree.
“We proposed for neutral umpires to avoid any controversy but the BCCI has its own views on the subject,” the chairman said.
He clarified that the proposal was not made because Pakistan did not have quality umpires.
“We have good umpires like Aleem Dar, Asad Rauf and others and there is no dearth in Pakistan in this department,” he said.
To a similar proposal about neutral umpires, the England and Wales Cricket Board have agreed for their forthcoming series in Pakistan starting from Oct 26.
Shaharyar said that the morale of the Pakistan team was high and he was expecting a good fight from his players against England.
When informed that Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq had declared England as favourites, Shaharyar remarked that it was better to go in the series as underdogs.
Regarding paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who did not report at the national training camp in Lahore till Saturday, the chairman pointed out that the bowler had to prove his fitness and form in the trial match starting from Oct 26, before finding a place in the team.
He added that a cricketer must be fit everyday of the Test match and Shoaib had to prove it and believed that Shoaib was likely to report on Sunday in the training camp.
He disclosed that a three-member security team from England was scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Saturday and they would meet Pakistani counterparts on Sunday.
The chairman said that the ad hoc committee meeting was being held on Oct 27 with a heavy agenda related to financial and administrative matters of the board.
He explained that the PCB was planning to organize Twenty20 matches between the two teams of Pakistani players, before the start of the Test series against England to raise funds for the Oct 8 earthquake victims.
“I held a detailed meeting with Inzamam on this subject and a final programme will be finalized soon,” he said.
He said the proposed match between Pakistan and India to raise funds for the victims was not possible due to tight schedule of both the countries. But he added, the match was possible during the Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan next year.
Shaharyar supported the ‘bundled’ commercial rights of five home series given to a Singapore company by the PCB marketing department.
“The deal is beneficial for Pakistan cricket. With this deal, the PCB has succeeded to get sponsorship for the lowly-rated teams also,” he said.
In fact, except Zimbabwe, all the other countries, included in the deal, have the marketing value.
He specified that the former PCB director marketing Zahid Bashir, who raised concern about the new deal saying it was not the mandate of the current board, had himself arranged two long term deals during his own tenure.
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