ICC had suspended Sri Lanka’s cricket board SLC, following a sequence of events involving their Minister for Sports, which point to government interference. The suspension was lifted on 28 January 2024 after the Sports Minister Roshan was sacked. In 2011 former CEO ICC, Haroon Lorgat (2008-2012), a businessman and chartered accountant from South Africa, who played 76 first class matches in provincial cricket, stated that government intervention in cricket matters should only be in matters relating to security concerns. At ICC conference held at Hong Kong, on 30 June 2011, it was agreed to amend the Constitution, which would require all member-boards to hold free elections in a bid to democratize governance of the game and do away with political or government interference. Given this emphasis, on no government interference, it is expected that Federal Government and Patron PCB would take precautions. Reports about a sitting Caretaker CM being considered for executive appointment in PCB requires reconsideration by competent authorities.
There was a time when likes of Majid Khan would walk off the crease, before the umpire raised his finger. In 1987 during a crucial World Cup match Imran Khan called back Kris Srikanth, after he was annoyed with umpire’s decision. Courtney Walsh refused to run out a Pakistani batsman, for backing up too soon, during 1987 World Cup match. The Patron must consider appointing educated cricketers with credibility like Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Jawed Miandad etc. as PCB CEO, instead of political cronies. PCB and the gentleman’s game of cricket must regain its credibility.
The recent appointment of a sitting Punjab Sports Minister, as Chief Selector raised many eyebrows. Controversies implicated him in the shameful episode, involving spot-fixing, during Lords Test match in August 2010. The scandal involved three Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Amir along with Mazhar Majeed, involved in cricket betting mafia. Undercover reporters videotaped Mazhar Majeed accepting money for spot-fixing involving Asif and Amir deliberately bowling no-balls at specific points during the game. The video clips reveal a jacket, belonging to Wahab Riaz, was used to hide the money. Yawar Saeed was Manager with Shafqat Rana serving as associate manager. Both failed to perform their duties, enforce discipline and prevent likes of Mazhar Majeed to have access to players.
Photographs reveal a few members of the team and associate manager with Mazhar Majeed. Earlier, ICC Anti-Corruption Unit had sought mobile telephone records of Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal to investigate reports about irregularities during Asia Cup in Sri Lanka held in June 2010, which was a warning. On 5 January 2011, the ICC after investigations banned all three players, Salman 10 years, Asif 7 years, and Amir (18 years old) for five years. In a subsequent review on 3 November 2011 the jail terms were reduced respectively to two years and six months, one year and six months. Mazhar Majeed was sentenced to two years and eight months. In November 2010, just before 5th decisive One-Day game against SA, wicket keeper Zulqarnain Hyder flew from Dubai to London and asked for asylum, claiming that he was threatened to throw the match. Since 2006, Kamran Akmal had dropped 62 catches as wicket keeper and was finally dropped in 2010, after playing 42 Tests, when he missed 4 catches in Sydney. The ICC had placed him on watch list.
It is time that cricketers tainted with irregularities, like spot or match fixing, should never be associated with PCB, nor given any assignments. Instances of irregularities, such as ball tampering, match fixing etc have been on the rise, ever since Kerry Packer’s entry. Commercialization and greed had its impact on the game, especially since the entry of big Betting Mafia, an illegal billion-dollar industry. A Judicial Commission, headed by a judge of Lahore High Court was constituted to probe into allegations of match-fixing, involving key Pakistan cricketers, which started when Asif Iqbal was captain in 1979-80. He was accused of betting on a toss, in a cricket match against India by Indian cricketer G Vishwanath. The Judicial Commission in its report, states that “both Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis deliberately bowled so badly that England team scored more than 300 runs, though earlier they had totally demolished the English team in the Test series”. In 1994-95 season, the Australian team “accused the then Pakistani Captain Salim Malik of offering them bribes to bowl badly”.
Former Chief Executive of PCB, Majid Khan wrote a letter to the patron requesting a “Judicial Inquiry” into “allegations of betting and match fixing” to “find the truth”. This commission recommended in May 2000, that “Captain of Pakistan Cricket team should be a person of impeccable character”. Similarly, they recommended that “Manager should be a person of impeccable character—A manager needs to keep a stern hand with players”, enforce discipline and keep a check on their movement. In its conclusion they state that “Salim Malik should be banned for life”, while there is “evidence to cast doubt on (Wasim Akram) his integrity” and recommends that “He be removed from captaincy of Pakistan Cricket Team”. The Commission recommended, that apart from other punishments, the following players” Salim Malik, Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Ata-ur-Rehman, Waqar Younis, Inzimam-Ul-Haq, Akram Raza and Saeed Anwar” be fined.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
Email: mtrqa213@gmail.com
views expressed are writer’s own.
