LAHORE: Politics and sports should not be intermingled, insists Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan while referring to the ongoing tension between Pakistan and India which has put their bilateral series at risk of cancellation.

Due to the recent tension between Pakistan and India dark clouds hover over the resumption of the bilateral series between the two countries scheduled to be held in the UAE later this year.

The PCB chairman said that he believed that sports and politics should be dealt with separately, adding but if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wanted to mix politics and sports and did not want to come to the UAE for Pakistan series, it is up to them.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday after the prize distribution ceremony of a local tournament at the Gaddafi Stadium, the PCB chief said the Board had Plan B if India refused to play against Pakistan in the UAE, though he did not disclose any details.

“Place political factor between the two countries at one place and sports at another,” maintained Shaharyar.

“However, if the BCCI decides against the said series due to the ongoing tension, it will be their own decision,” said the PCB chief who held out hope that the series will be held. “I hope the bilateral series between the two countries will go as per the schedule,” Shaharyar further said.

“When we went to India in 1999 pitches were dug up but even then we played there. And the Indians supported us a lot. I also remember that 20 to 30 thousand Indian spectators in Chennai gave our team a standing ovation,” he remarked.

Talking about the Board’s recent decision of holding the Pakistan Super League in the UAE, the chief of the cricket regulatory body defended his decision in this regard.

To a question, if the PCB was spoiling the opportunity of bringing international cricket back to the country after hosting Zimbabwe by deciding to hold the first PSL in the UAE, Shaharyar was blunt when he said: “We decided to hold it in Dubai because our main objective was to make money. Financial gain is the major reason behind our decision to hold the PSL in Dubai.

“There are also other factors forcing us to hold the first edition of the PSL in Dubai. For instance, your cricketers will have an opportunity to sit with world’s top coaches and stars players the way cricketers do so at the Indian Premier League,” the chairman reckoned.

“Experts have already told us that no star player will come to Pakistan. So, no Kevin Pietersen and no Mitchell Johnson will be here and only second or third string players would come and if no big players come here, broadcasters would not take interests in our tournament due to which we won’t be able to earn money,” Shaharyar candidly argued.

Nevertheless, he added that gradually the PSL could be shifted to Pakistan in the next couple of years.

He also admitted that the upcoming PSL would not be beneficial for Pakistani spectators who thronged the Gaddafi Stadium to watch three ODIs and two T20 matches against a rather weak Zimbabwe side.

To a question about banned former Pakistan captain Salman Butt who was convicted in the notorious 2010 spot-fixing scandal, the chairman of the PCB said that the Board was not meting out step-motherly treatment to any Test cricketer.

“Actually, Salman had not confessed in his written statement that he was guilty in the match-fixing scandal. Now we have given him a paper to sign it with clear confession that he was involved in the match-fixing which he has signed and now we will send it to the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit of the ICC for further proceedings,” Shaharyar maintained.

Answering another question, he categorically negated the impression that he was resigning, saying that no one was hatching any conspiracy against him.

Stating that there may be lobbies in every organisation, the PCB chief said this might be the case in the PCB but “there exists a congenial atmosphere in the Board,” adding: “Yes, we are going to make some major changes in the next couple of months.”

He also disclosed that fitness level of Pakistan team as well as those playing in the domestic circuit was very poor, adding that 20 players of the domestic circuit had taken fitness test but only six had passed it.

Shaharyar said he had written a strict letter to the regional heads to improve the fitness level of players, otherwise they would be penalised.

However, when asked coaches, trainers and even national selectors appointed by the Board were at the helm of affairs in connection with the selection of regional and district level teams participating in the domestic competitions due to which PCB should be held responsible for the poor fitness standard, the chairman realised it and vowed the PCB officials concerned would also be taken to task.

Shaharyar also listened to reason when it was pointed out that the PCB did not hold training camp for regional and district level teams before the start of tournaments which had also been a reason behind the poor fitness level of players.

He said some amendments were made in the domestic structure because it was necessary as Pakistan put up a dismal show in the World Cup as well as against Bangladesh.

“We all have been in agreement that if we could not make changes in our domestic structure now then when we will do it,” he wondered.

He also rubbished reports that the players had reservations over the new central contracts claiming that many cricketers had already signed it while the rest would do so during or after the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2015

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