LAHORE – Former Pakistan cricket team selector Basit Ali has launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board for mishandling the selection issue of Danish Kaneria and Shoaib Malik.
He has urged the authorities to clear the fog and declare the reasons open. Malik and Kaneria had met the PCB’s Integrity Committee prior to the announcement of the 30-member preliminary squad for the World Cup, but neither of them was cleared for selection, leading to both expressing dissatisfaction and confusion.
“Why are the PCB [officials] not clarifying the situation? Instead we have a scenario where the players do not know the full reasons why they have not been selected and the PCB is not helping in this matter,” PakPassion quoted Basit, as saying. He said there had to be consistency from the PCB regarding all players, and that there should not be one rule for a particular player, and another rule for others. “When the spot fixing allegations were made against Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, the PCB stopped the players from using any PCB facilities, stopped them from playing domestic cricket and cancelled their central contracts. So what is different now, if Malik and Kaneria have done wrongs, then why are they being allowed to play in domestic cricket, why are they still on central contracts and why are they being allowed to use PCB facilities? What is so different this time?” he questioned.
“If the PCB is not prepared to explain what the situation is with both players, then they should allow both players to be made available for selection, as this standoff between the players and Board is certainly not helping Pakistan cricket at all. There has to be consistency on these matters,” he added.
