September 08, 2007	Saturday	Sha'aban 25, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 7: While the legendary Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a several indisciplinary incidents in the Pakistan team, the former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam hails its decision of recalling Shoaib Akhtar from South Africa for hitting Mohammad Asif.

While speaking to Dawn, Miandad said that the PCB’s weak management is to be held responsible for the growing incidents of indiscipline among the players.

“The players known this well that the PCB management have no knowledge of running the board, therefore, they are pressurising it through different tactics,” he said.

“I would like to ask the PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf in what capacity has he awarded Shoaib Akhtar an ‘A’ grade in the players’ central contract? Due to constant acts of indiscipline and injury problems, Shoaib in the last three years has not even been able to play enough matches for Pakistan,” he said.

Miandad said that he had repeatedly demanded from the President of Pakistan Gen Pervez Musharraf to take strict action to improve the declining standard of sports in Pakistan, be it cricket, hockey or squash. But ironically, appointments of non-technocrat people to run sports affairs have continued.

Miandad has demanded the immediate removal of the PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf.

He said the PCB had totally failed to control Shoaib Akhtar and its interest lied more in spending huge amounts on improving the structure of cricket without proper planning.

Intikhab Alam has said that he appreciates the board’s decision of calling back Shoaib from South Africa.

“The PCB should not compromise on discipline and though strict measures should have been taken much earlier to avoid such a situation, the board must not tolerate indiscipline from of any of the players,” he said.

It is sad, Intikhab added, that Pakistan cricket has been hit in the last 11 months on the occasion of every ICC tournament, giving a bad name to the country. Drastic measures are called for if the country’s image in the world of cricket is to be improved, he said.