ISLAMABAD: Terming the leakage to media of the confidential report prepared by Waqar Younis an institutional failure of the PCB, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Riaz Hussain Prizada on Thursday promised to the head coach that he would play his role in arranging the ex-pacer’s meeting with the prime minister.

Waqar met Pirzada here at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Thursday, and apprised him of the major reasons which led to the national team’s pathetic show in mega events, particularly in the ongoing World T20.

Regarding the former express bowler a national hero, Pirzada in a join news conference alongside Waqar said he would play his role in organising the ex-paceman’s meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is also patron of the PCB.

Waqar, whose future with the PCB appears bleak after his outburst on Wednesday criticising Board chairman Shaharyar Khan and others over the leak of a confidential report about national team’s performance and related affairs, informed the minister that in his report he had suggested key recommendations to improve Pakistan cricket.

Pirzada vows to help head coach in arranging meeting with PM

The head coach the other day submitted his confidential report to Shaharyar after the team’s embarrassing ouster from the World T20.

Pirzada while praising the role of Pakistan’s international cricketers whom he regarded as national ambassadors termed the leakage of the report an institutional failure.

“I think leakage of the report [by Waqar] is a weakness of the institution [PCB]. This report should not have been leaked,” the minister said.

“Cricketers are ambassador of the country, they go to other countries and play for Pakistan, we should respect them.”

To a question concerning the unprofessional approach of those calling the shots in the PCB for the last several years that has damaged Pakistan cricket, the minister avoided a direct answer and said other big cricketing countries such as Australia also had to face exit in the ongoing World T20.

Meanwhile in his brief media talk, Waqar said he had apprised Pirzada of all the issues.

The ex-pacer said he had mentioned all the issues in his report, which he still denied to make public, for reasons perhaps best known to him.

However, the head coach said he didn’t mention in the said report anything about groupings in the team.

Replying to a question about his future with the PCB, Waqar said: “Whether or not I remain [in PCB], Pakistan cricket should improve.”

Earlier in their meeting, a source said, the former speedster told the minister that the politics in the PCB should be stopped.

Waqar, the source added, requested the minister to play his role for arranging his meeting with the prime minister so that he (Waqar) could enlighten him about the declining standard of cricket in Pakistan and the poor state of affairs in the PCB.

According to the source, Waqar also told the minister that the prime minister’s involvement is imperative to uplift the standard of cricket.

The source said that Waqar without naming any members of national team told the minister that there were groupings in the team, which the head coach insisted should end and there was a need for bringing improvement in the national cricketing structure.

“Throughout my life, I played cricket with full dedication but at this stage it’s painful to see the declining standard of the game in Pakistan,” Waqar was quoted as saying.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2016