Zimbabwe coup not part of bilateral cricket agreement, Najam Sethi clarifies

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LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi on Wednesday clarified that Zimbabwe’s military seizing state TV and blocking off access to government offices in the capital Harare, kilometres away from the cricket stadium, is not a part of a bilateral cricket agreement with Pakistan.

Sethi, while addressing media at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, said that speculation about Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) collaborating with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to facilitate a coup against President Robert Mugabe’s government needs to stop.

“There is an important announcement. I didn’t want to delay it any further,” said Sethi. “All of you are interested in the coup, so I want to clarify the situation.”

“Pakistan and Zimbabwe cricket boards have only agreed to play cricket series, subject to the availability of dates and venues, which does not mean that there is any collaboration over military coups,” he added.

While the spokesperson of the Zimbabwean military, Major General SB Moyo, denied the reports of a coup, he refused to negate PCB’s involvement in the Army’s actions.

“I can only tell you that there is a lot to learn from the PCB and those close to it,” Moyo told The Dependent, as tanks surrounded parliamentary and presidential buildings.

Zimbabwe Cricket officials weren’t available for a comment after having gone into a hiding.