LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan on Monday admitted that an inquiry has been opened on Moin Khan after the chief selector was seen at a casino in New Zealand, two days before Pakistan’s humiliating defeat to the West Indies in their World Cup Pool ‘B’ match on Saturday.

If the defeats in their first two matches — the first to arch-rivals India in the opener — weren’t enough, the Pakistan team has been rocked by a series of controversies with the latest being the spotting of former captain Moin at a casino in Christchurch.

“I’ve just received the information that a Pakistani couple was present at the casino and they took pictures of Moin there before putting them up on social media,” Shaharyar told a hurriedly-called news conference here. “I’m quite concerned how he could go to a casino when the whole country has been gripped with disappointment after the team’s performance at the World Cup.

“But until the time I receive a factual position on the incident, I can’t take any decision,” he said, adding that a final report on the incident is expected by Tuesday “after which any action will be taken”.

Moin’s presence at the casino — and the subsequent action which will be taken — will add to PCB’s mounting problems with the Shaharyar-led body already under scathing criticism after Pakistan’s shambolic performances at the World Cup.

The unique decision of the country’s cricket governing body of sending the chief selector with the team was already being criticised and Moin may also face ICC action since the world’s cricket-controlling body has already stated that there will be no respite for anyone found in “unfair practice” during the World Cup.

Shaharyar denied a statement attributed to Moin in which he allegedly said that he went to the casino to check if any Pakistan player was there. The PCB chief added that the players were “neither angry nor happy” with the chief selector’s presence in the World Cup. There was no suggestion, however, that Moin would be asked to return.

After their 76-run defeat to India in their opening match, Pakistan were hammered by 150 runs by the West Indies — their worst ever defeat at the World Cup — with their top four batsmen being dismissed with just a run on the board.

But Shahryar defended the team’s selection, saying the “entire media supported the team when it was announced as it looked strong on paper”.

He, however, admitted the team wasn’t playing to its strength before adding: “We can’t review the performance mid-way through the event. The PCB has conveyed a message backing the squad so the players give their best in their remaining games as we still have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.”

“The team’s performance will be analysed after the World Cup but I don’t want to make anyone a scapegoat at the moment. The team is of course disappointed at its performances but they have resolved to come out fighting in their remaining matches.”

The PCB chief gave an example of the 1992 World Cup where the Pakistan team — led by the legendary Imran Khan — made a poor start but came back strongly to be crowned world champions.

“If Imran is advising the team to play like cornered tigers, I would like them to play like hungry lions,” Shaharyar stated, while admitting the current side lacked in big names. “We don’t have star players like Imran or Javed [Miandad] who used to inspire the team when the times were tough.”

Shahrayar, meanwhile, rejected earlier reports of groupings within the team and said there was no difference of opinion between current skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and his predecessor Shahid Afridi.

He said “any player can drop catches,” referring to Afridi dropping two against the West Indies before adding that there was no problem with a cousin of the star all-rounder interacting with the Pakistan team. “He [Afridi’s cousin] obeys the curfew timings,” Shaharyar said.

He, meanwhile, endorsed the remarks of his predecessor Najam Sethi that as the chairman of the PCB executive committee, he had to make recommendations to the chairman. “All committees are bound to submit their opinions but it is up to me to take a final decision,” he said.

Published in Dawn February 24th , 2015

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