Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was removed from his position upon orders from Prime Minister Imran Khan, Cricket Pakistan reported on Monday.
According to the details, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wanted to retain Sarfaraz in the same role till the T20 World Cup next year, however, the 1992 World Cup-winning captain was unhappy with his performance as a skipper.
Earlier, the cricket governing body nullified the No Objection Certificates (NOC) granted to the players to feature in the upcoming T10 League. When players protested against the decision, they were told that the instructions had come from the Prime Minister Office (PMO).
Reportedly, the premier had also instructed PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani to avoid the T10 League due to the involvement of Indian owners and financial benefactors. The same report cited a probable “mutiny” by the players in this regard as well.
Reports further reveal that a PCB official leaked the news to media personnel so that the government could be blamed for the decision. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is also unhappy with the attitude of the PCB on this matter.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to investigate the matter to find out if the government is influencing PCB’s decisions.
