WORCESTER: Salim Karim, the founder and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA), has vehemently rejected all corruption allegations against the body.

“There is no place for any corrupt practice fostering in the PDCA since we get very limited funds. I just don’t understand why some people have started talking about corruption in the PDCA,” Salim said in a video message from Worcester on Saturday.

“You tell me how we can we get involve in corruption when we are have been granted financial help just according to the budget. The Sindh government had granted the PDCA Rs5 million and the entire sum was utilized on Pakistan’s participation in the [ongoing] World Physical Disability T20 series here,” Salim pointed out.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s defeats in their first two outings of World Series raised questions over the team management’s performance.

“The critics have even asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to carry a detailed accountability of the PDCA affairs because the association gets funds in the name of handicapped cricketers,” Salim added.

Meanwhile, the PDCA patron Karim praised Afghanistan, India and other participating teams who have developed their skills in a short span of time.

“I had just seen the way England team playing but it is good to watch Afghanistan and other teams showing tremendous fight on the field,” he said.

Apart from Pakistan, the first-ever World Physical Disability T20 is competed by Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India and tournament hosts England.

Pakistan won their first match of the competition on Thursday when they defeated Bangladesh by 12 runs.

Meanwhile, Ian Martin, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s head of Disability Cricket and Tournament Director, announced a drastic change in the remainder of the schedule after rains on Friday washed out the game between arch-rivals Pakistan and India and England-Bangladesh fixture at the Bromsgrove CC Ground.

According to the revised programme, the organising committee has decided to utilize two contingency days to complete the fixtures.

Therefore, England will play India on Sunday at Kidderminster on Sunday to make up for their last Tuesday’s abandoned game. Pakistan then take on India on Monday while England face Bangladesh with both those matches at the same venue.

Afghanistan, who have already completed their schedule of matches, currently top the standings with six points from three wins in four games. They are followed by India (four points in three matches), Pakistan (two points in three fixtures, England (two points from two matches) and Bangladesh, who have all three fixtures.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2019