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LAHORE: Former chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf, while reacting strongly to PCB chief Shaharyar Khan and chairman of the executive committee Najam Sethi’s visit to India, has said that the duo should not have gone to the neighbouring country in the current circumstances.
Talking to Dawn on Tuesday about the proposed meeting between top officials of the PCB and BCCI which was sabotaged by an Indian religious extremist group in Mumbai, the ex-chief of the PCB said that the Indian board in its statement had clarified that it had not extended any official invitation to the PCB.
“The PCB chairman and Sethi went to Mumbai just on a courtesy call since there was no official agenda of the meeting, while the PCB was insisting for a meeting with the BCCI officials,” remarked Zaka.
Blaming Sethi for the current turmoil, the former PCB chairman said that it was Sethi who had offered unconditional support to the ‘Big Three’ formula without getting assurance for the resumption of the bilateral series.
“I have been opposing the idea of Big Three as PCB chairman because it was giving upper hand to India, Australia and England.
“But Sethi gave vote in its favour, allowing the ICC to approve the amendment of Big Three to its constitution.”
“When Sethi signed the MoU for six bilateral series in eight years, I had warned that the PCB should have included a clause in the MoU which could provide guarantee to the aggrieved party by giving it the right to move the Court of Arbitration.
“But the PCB failed to get any guarantee and voted in favour of the Big Three without getting any benefits in return,” Zaka said while expatiating on the background of the current Pakistan-India cricket turmoil.
The ex-chairman while stating that the Board failed to adopt virtues of dignity and respect lambasted the PCB for incessantly pleading with India in connection with the implementation of the MoU.
Zaka further said that the cancelled meeting was only a private one the decisions of which would not have bound India regarding the MoU.
Also citing the recent disturbances in the third ODI against South Africa, Zaka said that it is not possible for India to host the World T20, adding that the ICC had had enough time to shift the event to other country.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015
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Comments (50) Closed
Oct 21, 2015 11:29am
Zaka is right.............Sethi needs to be questioned
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Oct 21, 2015 12:19pm
Both are political infleunce personalities and trusting them is very hard. Its better if both calm down and instead of blaming each other concentrate on PSL and look after our players.
One thing I would like to mentioned here thatvwe should have guts to boycott World T20 if some one on purpose ignoring to play with us.
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Oct 21, 2015 12:37pm
@Sheraz Most things in Pakistan are highly political..on a sidenote, you cannot boycott India. They are a major power, their products sell like gold in Pakistan and Pakistan not playing in the wt20 will only alienate it further. There is no doubt they control cricket. The best Pakistan can do is create its own PSL and find players for it, playing away from Pakistan isnt an issue in the PSL at least.
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Oct 21, 2015 12:45pm
Zaka is right. Why get insulted time and again. I am sure the 2 guys love cricket but you cant let your self respect down time and again.
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Oct 21, 2015 12:50pm
The court of arbitration clause should have been added.
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Oct 21, 2015 12:51pm
I am of the opinion that what ever damage have done to Pakistan Cricket in international forum by Najam Sethi , someone from govt. highup must question him about his plans .
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Oct 21, 2015 01:10pm
Many are active enough to sabotage PSL.
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Oct 21, 2015 01:24pm
The accusations are ridiculous:
1) At the time of agreeing on the Big Three formula Pakistan had no choice but to surrender itself to the decision with some gains in return; and
2) Sethi is adopting the policy of a strategical businessman - which is absolutely right. When it comes down to $ stuff, nobody cares about moral values and notion of so called self respect.
If Zaka really thinks Sethi's approach isn't right, what about a head to head TV discussion on the topic. Zaka himself haven't achieved any real feat in his tenure - the statements are mere publicity stunts to be in news again.
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Oct 21, 2015 01:51pm
Lets hope the PSL goes without any issues, I can imagine meetings happening right now to sabotage the PSL. Again don't be surprised if some big names pull out at the last minute, T20 is a game of money, if some players are offered big sums, they will do anything.
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Oct 21, 2015 02:14pm
Sethi did after the consultations in the board and with the PM too.
Note; pakistan is the last country to vote for the amendment of the ICC constitution.
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Oct 21, 2015 02:32pm
How so ever well connected the person(s) may be, those responsible for facilitation of India in the Big Three of cricket should be penalized for undermining the country's prestige as a result of the present fiasco.
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Oct 21, 2015 02:34pm
I fully support Sethi and Shehryar recent visit to India. This was not insult of Pakistan rather it was insult of India since because of duo visit to india, world has seen the true colours of Modi and BCCI
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Oct 21, 2015 02:43pm
what disturbance in third ODI
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Oct 21, 2015 02:43pm
@Zeeshawn But brother, the media is not seeing it from your angle. I know what you mean, but the western media is twisting the intentions of the PCB and making BCCI look all innocent.
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Oct 21, 2015 02:52pm
People like Sethi will never learn. He might be justifying by talking about the financial benfits. Well this nation can live without cricket, metro's and orange line etc.
Please do not send your team for WC T20. I am a big cricket fan but do not want to the country or country man to be insulted. Cricket is not our bread and butter and we can live without it.
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Oct 21, 2015 03:06pm
@Zeeshawn - what Modi is to do here....have some common sense before writing something....
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Oct 21, 2015 03:13pm
@Zeeshawn what is BCCI and PM Modi got to do with this?
Please be aware before you write something.
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Oct 21, 2015 03:22pm
Mr. Sethi did all this in good faith & for cricket. I am hurt , he was not given proper treatment, I commend his efforts.
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Oct 21, 2015 03:25pm
Dawn. I request you to take a poll and ask the question if Pakistan should boycott India in cricket in all ICC events. I am sure 95% will be in favour of such action. Enough is enough.
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Oct 21, 2015 03:38pm
Why would Sethi do this without any benefit for himself?!
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Oct 21, 2015 03:53pm
This Nawaz and Sethi cooperation needs to end otherwise this will do more damage to this country.
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Oct 21, 2015 04:05pm
Most of the comments are laughable. How can Modi or BJP or even BCCI be responsible for foolishness of PCB chairman? He came to India uninvited, Neither Modi or BJP or BCCI heckled him, some non state actors made hungama in front of BCCI office which is ok. Non state actors doing hungama in front of their national cricket board office in their own country. Whats wrong?
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Oct 21, 2015 04:41pm
Once again I can see that we want to lose our faces by extending unconditional love for nothing, I am not a fan of cricket or even a player of this game. I will like to add that one day of dignity is better than hundred years of living.
Hence I agree with Ashraf Zaka.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:01pm
Mr.Sethi U really let us down.
Self respect is something,may be not important for u personally but for us as a whole is very important.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:11pm
@kumar Shiv Sena is non-state? So they are not elected by the people of Maharashtra?
And of course there are no govt officials in the BCCI and PM Modi has made great strides for peace in the region and is totally not responsible for the wave for intolerance swarming Bharat.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:13pm
Well said Zaka. Sethi / Shahryar duo has totally mis-managed cricket in Pakistan. But is anyone of them accountable.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:15pm
@Haris Riaz But Najam Sethi got his appointment thru a Govt high-up, a person no less than the PM.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:36pm
Pakistani fan always blamed BD why did we support Big three? now what pakistan fan like to say about their board support?
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Oct 21, 2015 05:37pm
no one in Pak dare ask Sethi, he is chirya himself he will fly out of hands.. what the fish is this happening around Sethi and PCB. who is to be blamed. ? two SSes ( Shiv Sina ), PCB, BCCI or modified Indians. ? or the hatred for Pakistanis ?
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Oct 21, 2015 05:50pm
@kumar Shiv Sena is non state actors? LOL. They are partners with BJP in Maharashtra which means Indian govt is partners with non state actors. Thanks for the info.
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Oct 21, 2015 05:57pm
@Shahid yes you can boycott India. What major power? Largest number of poor people live in India who are born on sidewalks and die there. With all the help from the USA they are miles apart from China. Pakistan with all it's geographical problems is doing much better in many fields.
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Oct 21, 2015 06:31pm
Zakka sb it's a tradition in Pakistan people who are not in power blame others,it doesn't mean at all I am in favor of Shahryar Khan.
He shouldn't pleaded India for the bilateral series.
Mr.Zakka you can not force Indian to act on MoU by putting any condition as India has never fulfilled their commitments / agreements/MoU before on any other matter.
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Oct 21, 2015 06:57pm
Sethi and Shaharyar both have nothing to do with cricket these guys are there under
favors by highups. Secondly Pakistan cricket with India is political matter not a normal cricket game matter...so in these cases the foreign office and policy think tanks should advise...these inexperienced people should not get up and go to India and get our country disgraced.
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Oct 21, 2015 07:12pm
its no point begging to an arrogant neighbour, time and again -
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Oct 21, 2015 07:20pm
@Who am I . Totally agree with you. India has her issues and we are working to overcome them. We will work with people who offer help in improving our situations in good spirits.
Happy for you, that everything is fine at your end!!!!!
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Oct 21, 2015 07:29pm
Zaka Ashraf is absolutely right. Najam Sethi should be questioned in this regard. A thorough investigation should also be conducted about his assets and what personal gains he has made from the PCB.
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Oct 21, 2015 07:51pm
@Shahid There are more important things in life than playing cricket with India in this environment. Let the world buy their products as gold.
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Oct 21, 2015 08:18pm
@Shahid
Pakistan can boycott Indian products, and this will hurt India where it should hurt the most. Why should we care about India? India is land of zero tolerance for humans.
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Oct 21, 2015 08:29pm
@SS
Questioned? Sethi should be out of the cricket affairs. He has been imposed on the Pakistan Cricket Control Board by vested interests.
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Oct 21, 2015 08:31pm
@kkm: Don't be so naive. The stadium had to be emptied to complete the match. If you think that is normal, then may be it is considered normal in India to throw bottles into the ground. It has happened in the past as well on many occasions including setting the stadium on fire.
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Oct 21, 2015 08:50pm
Yes, I fully agree with ex-chief of PCB Zaka Ashraf's views regarding the role played by Najam Sethi in elevating India's role in ICC.
In fact both Sheheryar Khan and Najam Sethi let down Pakistan's dignity and respect by going to India without any official invitation. One fails to understand why people like Najam Sethi and Sheheryar Khan
insists so much on playing against India.
In the past during the period 1961-1978,
there was no cricket between Pakistan and India yet we were able to groom players like majestic Majid, man of crisis Asif, stylish Zaheer Abbas, reverse swing specialist Sarfaraz Nawaz and paceman Imran Khan
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Oct 21, 2015 09:09pm
My question is what exactly has Nawaz Sharif accomplished by removing Zaka? His new administration made sure Pakistan vote for India for return of nothing.
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Oct 21, 2015 09:44pm
@Shahid . It is to India's disadvantage if Pakistan boycotts India's products (not the other way round).
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Oct 21, 2015 09:44pm
This guy is so right. Sethi acts like so smart but never bring any honor to the country.
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Oct 21, 2015 10:33pm
India is also insecure as such the T20 should be moved elsewhere it seems SS is the real government and it is better to approach them instead of the Modi government,
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Oct 21, 2015 10:48pm
Sethi is a controversial person and the nation is uncertain about his loyalties to the country.
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Oct 21, 2015 11:06pm
Sethi happens to be a back door entrence in PCB, having a mindset of a frog of small pond!! One can't expect any thing big or far sight decisions from a man such background.
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Oct 22, 2015 12:00am
@Zeeshawn , Yes by humbling oneself, one raises his spiritual and statesmanship profile. Zaka is politicking to be relevant and in the news.
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Oct 22, 2015 02:12am
We get insulted because of the ppl like Sethi, I donot know why these sort of ppl perfers other over Pakistan.
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Oct 22, 2015 06:29am
@Haris Riaz he has been selected by the highest up Nawaz sharif nowho who can question him. This duo should be kicked out and handed over to Zaka Ashraf or Javid Mandad who can give them a befitting reply just like our General Sb... enough damage has been done
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