By IANS,
Karachi : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) seems to be backtracking on the appointment of the former Test player Saleem Malik as the new head coach of the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
A court last month lifted a life ban imposed by the PCB on Malik for involvement in match fixing, allowing him to resume his involvement in cricket.
A source in the PCB told IANS Wednesday that the board’s top brass has issued instructions to put on hold an official notification that was supposed to be circulated to confirm Malik’s appointment as NCA’s head coach. According to the source, the step has been taken because of pressures at home and from the International Cricket
Council (ICC).
The PCB had chosen Malik to head NCA’s coaching staff in spite of the fact that the former Pakistan captain’s past is tainted with match-fixing allegations. Malik was banned for life over his role in the match-fixing scandal that rocked Pakistan cricket in the 90s.
But last week, a civil court in Lahore lifted the life ban imposed on Malik by the PCB in 2000 for his alleged involvement in match fixing on the recommendation of a one-man judicial commission headed by Justice Qayyum.
His appointment came as a surprise for the national cricket community and led to the resignation of former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif as NCA’s wicketkeeping coach. A whistleblower on the match-fixing saga, Latif resigned to protest against Malik’s appointment as NCA head coach.
Latif said he couldn’t work with people with a dark past and connections with the match fixing mafia, directly referring to Malik.
Latif’s resignation and suggestions that the ICC is considering challenging Malik’s appointment seem to have forced the PCB to refrain from issuing the notification regarding Malik’s appointment. Sources said that the PCB will now issue it after getting a clearance from the ICC.