Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who faces ban of at least 15 matches and a fine of Rs 60 million for his outburst against team management, has appealed to the President Asif Ali Zardari to get him reinstated in the team.
Afridi, who continued his war of words against the PCB, not only asked the President to intervene but has also gathered support from MQM. His outburst that led to the suspension of his central contract, is likely to land him in more trouble. It has been learnt that the all-rounder would be banned for at least 15 matches and fined Rs 60 million. But Afridi, just hours after his central contract was suspended by the PCB, urged the President to investigate the affairs of the board under current chairman Ijaz Butt’s tenure. Afridi said: “He should see how the board is being run by Ijaz Butt.” The team’s problems, Afridi claimed, included a lack of communication as well as favouritism among higher management officials, for which he blamed team manager Intikhab Alam and national selector Mohammad Ilyas respectively.
He said: “I don’t know what he has written but Intikhab should be honest enough to say all those things he has told me about coach Waqar Younis. He tells me something, agrees with me on certain issues and then says something else to the board. It is very unfortunate.”
“Ilyas has harmed Pakistan cricket. He is creating problems in the team and for me. I feel sorry for his son-in-law, Imran Farhat, who is a nice guy but has lost rapport because of his father-in-law,” he said. “Ilyas thinks I am responsible for the ousting of Farhat from the team. That is not correct as I alone don’t select the team,” he added.
AFP adds: “I have appealed to the president to intervene urgently, also deal with other issues and save the game from getting into more crises,” Afridi told AFP by telephone from Southampton. Afridi confirmed that the ECB stopped him from playing after the PCB revoked its permission. “The captaincy was not an issue as I have already played under senior players, but it was a matter of self respect and honour which was hurt,” said Afridi who refused to speak about the PCB sanctions.
The Pakistan Muslim League-N party has already submitted an adjournment motion in the National Assembly against Afridi’s punishment.
Former captain Imran Khan, who now heads his own party, said the PCB was not run professionally. “The board is not run like an institution,” Khan told a television channel. “Afridi feels injustice is done so he has taken a decision and you don’t change four-five captains in a year.” “Just recently everyone was praising Afridi after he led Pakistan to the semi-final of the World Cup and then suddenly this happened,” said Khan. “The board is also run on ad-hoc basis like the country,” he added. The MQM also objected to the sanctions on Afridi. “President Zardari should take notice of the biased attitude of the board,” said MQM leader Farooq Sattar. “You don’t treat national heroes like this.” Sports Minister Shaukatullah Khan lashed out at PCB chairman Ijaz Butt over the “injustice” and said he would discuss the matter with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, who heads the sports committee in the upper house of parliament, demanded Butt’s sacking. “A change in the PCB is imperative,” said Qureshi. “Butt has not allowed any captain to settle so it will be better to sack him.”
A change in administration is much overdue. The current administration seems determined to make a mess of every single situation. Not so long ago the spot-fixing episode took place in which Mr. Butt's inability to act came to the forefront and then his accusations on the English players displayed his maturity (or should I say sanity) levels. Then there was the tussle between him and Mohsin Khan over selection matters. His ego problems were also on display in the way he dealt with Younis Khan could not be forgotten either. And now this! What more proof do they need that he is unfit for the position!
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