By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi : Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad believes “incompetent and unprofessional” officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have reduced Pakistan to the status of a mere pushover in the international cricket community.
Miandad pointed out that it is because of a weak PCB that teams like Australia can easily pick and choose about which country to tour.
“The Australians can easily skip tours of Pakistan on the pretext of terrorism but are readily available to go to India just days after deadly bombings taking place there. Had the PCB been a strong and competent body, such a thing would never be allowed,” Miandad told IANS in an exclusive interview.
Australia scrapped their tour of Pakistan in March-April citing security fears and later led threats of a boycott of the ICC Champions Trophy which was to be played here from Sept 12-28 after which the ICC was forced to postpone the tournament.
Miandad alleged that “nobody in the cricket world takes Pakistan seriously” and claimed it is the PCB which is responsible for the plight of Pakistan cricket.
“Till the nineties, Pakistan was considered to be a big power in world cricket,” the legendary batsmen said. “It was ranked up on the cricket pyramid alongside top cricket-playing nations like Australia, England and India. But now Pakistan is treated as a minor team like Kenya or Zimbabwe,” he lamented.
Miandad said Pakistan will have to overhaul its cricket board if it wanted to regain its true place in the cricket world.
“What we need are competent and sincere people who can help Pakistan regain its rightful place in the world of cricket. Otherwise things will only get from bad to worse.”
Miandad rejected the impression that he is lobbying to become the chairman or chief executive of the PCB, saying that he has no greed for positions. “Pakistan cricket has already given me a lot,” he said. “It has given me respect, fame and wealth and I don’t need anything more. I just want to help Pakistan cricket get back on its feet.”
Miandad said Pakistan will have to forget what happened in the past few years and should focus on the future. “There is a lot of rebuilding to do and the sooner it starts, the better it will be for our cricket,” he said.