KARACHI: The president of Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) Prof Ejaz Ahmed Faruqi has resigned as the head of the association after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused direct entry to the second Karachi team in the National Twenty20 Cup starting in Rawalpindi from Tuesday.

“Yes, Prof. Faruqi has decided to resign to save the institution from crisis,” KCCA secretary Shafiq Kazmi said on Monday.

“We don’t know where Prof Faruqi will be sending his resignation, to the KCCA or the PCB,” he added.

Kazmi said if resignation is sent to him, it will be taken up in the KCCA executive council.

The KCCA council maintained their strict stance of direct entry of the association’s two teams in the National T20 Cup, a claim which the PCB refused to accept.

The association in their recent meeting had decided not to compromise on the rights of Karachi players. “We are ready for all sacrifices in the larger interest of Karachi.”

Prof Faruqi, who is also member of the PCB Governing Board, signed the document prepared by the PCB for the qualifying rounds.

In the past, Karachi fielded two teams — Karachi Blues and Karachi Whites. However, under the new format devised by the domestic cricket committee of the board, Karachi Blues have been forced to play the qualify rounds which KCCA council had outright rejected.

“The PCB is insisting on implementing new domestic format which the KCCA cannot accept considering our metropolis’ different cricket scenario and dimension,” Kazmi said.

Since the controversy surfaced the PCB had been directly handling the affairs of the KCCA and their teams.

Meanwhile, Pakistan one-day and T20 vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed will be leading Karachi Blues in place of Shahid Afridi who has yet to return from England where he was playing for Northamptonshire in the English T20 competition.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play