Ijaz Butt should also be tried for criminal negligence

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ijaz Butt has caused the greatest damage to Pakistan cricket. Never before did anyone destroy the game as severely as he did it for three years. Thankfully his three-year tenure has gone by and a new Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Chaudhary Zaka Ashraf, has already taken over.

But his predecessor has done irreparable harm to Pakistan cricket and it will be very difficult to get out of the mess in the near future. Although Ijaz Butt is no more in office, the spot-fixing case, resulting in sentence of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir, has a direct relation to him and he has to be blamed for letting them interact with dubious people.

As Chairman of the PCB, Ijaz Butt had the absolute authority. He took all the key decisions himself, the majority of them without consulting the so many highly paid full-time staffers. Neither was he known for taking the members of the Governing Board in confidence on critical issues.

He made all the appointments of managers and assistant managers on tours with nepotism and favouritism being the order of the day. People handpicked to perform these duties were hardly well versed with ABC of modern-day management. Neither did they command the respect of the high-flying cricketers having certain star value.

It was a cruel joke with the nation to have sent people like Yawar Saeed and Shafqat Rana as manager and assistant manager respectively on that crucial and demanding tour England in 2010. Instead of keeping an eye on the players and their movements they were reportedly enjoying hospitality from those very elements ultimately causing the greatest humiliation to Pakistan cricket yet.

How can Ijaz Butt be spared? He was guilty of facilitating the joy-riders who enjoyed all-paid trips of nearly every continent of the world. He was there to oblige his cronies without caring the interest of the national team.

The spot-fixing incidents in England could have been avoided if there was a proper PCB setup in place and no one there to dictate terms like Ijaz Butt. It was a case of completely anarchy and the cricketers were free to do as they pleased.

The cricketers found guilty by the London court and the International Cricket Council (ICC) are serving their sentence. But what about Ijaz Butt? Shouldn’t he be tried also for having done so much damage to the cause of cricket which remains the binding force in the country?

Cricket is not just another sport in Pakistan. It’s the game of the masses in this part of the world and people are emotionally associated with it. Hasn’t Ijaz Butt betrayed the nation with his barbaric acts? Hasn’t he caused loss of billions of Rupees to the national exchequer?

There is a court of law in Pakistan as well. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, has become legendary by taking so many suo motto actions for the larger interest of the people.

The present government is unlikely to try Ijaz Butt for obvious reasons but all eyes are on the Chief Justice who can summon him to the court to explain how he compromised on national interests for three years running.

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Another duel between Shahid Afridi and Ijaz Butt culminates tamely

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It wasn’t a dispute between the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and a former captain of the national team. It was rather yet another duel between two key personalities who showed muscles before succumbing to the different pressures and opting for a peaceful settlement in the end.

Both these characters have done Pakistan cricket more harm than doing good. The problem is that they engage the whole nation with their adventures. The temperament of both these gentlemen, Ijaz Butt and Shahid Afridi, overshadows their respective talents. We have just seen a new episode.

There’s something in common as well between these two. They take pride being in the news for the wrong reasons. Their modus operandi might be a little different but the same could not be said about their motives. They desire continue doing things as they please.

Ijaz Butt is a man of many moods. It’s simply the misfortune of the country that he has been assigned to look after the cricket affairs of the country. The powers that be are just not interested to take note of his wrongdoings. In fact he appears to have been granted the license to operate in the manner he desires, ignoring all norms or practices.

Nobody in the government has the time or interest to confront him. He is considered above the law, enjoying the absolute authority. He is not accountable for any act of his, irrespective of the damage caused to the national interest.

When the Chairman of the PCB could take everyone for ride, why not the captain of the team who has certain powers within his own right? Shahid Afridi has certainly lost favour as well as captaincy of late but he has his own men in the corridors of power.

Shahid Afridi could never be taken for granted. Aware of the fact that merit was not the criterion for extending his tenure as captain he probably went overboard on a few occasions to offend Ijaz Butt who used his powers to remove him as ODI captain.

Shahid Afridi didn’t accept the verdict gracefully and announced his retirement from international cricket. He skipped the tour of Ireland where Pakistan won both the games in his absence.

The gulf between the two kept widening and it became a political battle whereby both sides left no stone unturned in mobilizing their resources to continue making headline news. Shahid Afridi returned home to a kind of reception as if an exiled leader was making a comeback.

Ijaz Butt did not take the criticism lightly either. He initiated disciplinary action against the former captain who was not prepared to defend either. The matter went to the court.

Then the anti-climax followed. A meeting was held between the two in Islamabad the other day and Shahid Afridi reportedly agreed to withdraw the petition. He is now likely to be issued the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by Ijaz Butt very soon thus clearing the way for him to play for Hampshire.

"The petition has been withdrawn as a part of the reconciliation between both sides. If the petition has borne fruit then there is no objection or obstacle in withdrawing a petition,” Syed Ali Zafar, Shahid Afridi's lawyer, was quoted as saying.

"We hope that the NOC will now be granted. The disciplinary committee hearing will be a kind of formality now,” he reckoned.

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Ijaz Butt’s dismissal order on the cards

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The stories have started doing the rounds that Ijaz Butt is being booted from his position as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as he’s understood to have lost the support of the man who got him inducted and protected him for more than two years in the most sought after job in the country.

Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, one of the most influential federal ministers having close ties with both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, is understood to be finally fed up with his brother-in-law who is suspected to be involved in serious wrongdoings of late.

Ahmed Mukhtar’s sister is married to Ijaz Butt and this appears to be the only reason why the latter has survived till now. Any lesser mortal would have bitten the dust and could have been behind the bars for the offences committed during his stay at the PCB.

Cricket is the uniting force of the nation and it’s the most widely followed sport in the country by some distance. The action on and off the field creates waves and the media considers even the minutest of details newsworthy. In other words the performance of the cricketers makes and breaks the mood of the people.

The accomplishments of the national cricket team lift the spirit and the morale of the people of Pakistan a long way. It’s taken much more seriously than just a sporting conquest.

In some way the performance of the cricket team directly affects the government. The success earns tremendous goodwill for the government and people credit them for the victory. Similarly the government comes under fire the moment the cricketers come up with ordinary effort in the field or if the cricket administrators of the country are found wanting in dealing with the issues.

The Pakistan cricket has been at the lowest ebb during the last couple of years. In this period not only the national team has dropped down in the ICC rankings in Tests as well as One-day Internationals but Pakistan has suffered setbacks after setbacks off the field as well. There have been innumerable controversies having caused considerable damage to the image of the country besides embarrassing the government.

With Ijaz Butt’s one-man show in the PCB failing miserably in coming to terms with the cricketers, the ensuing players’ power has been instrumental in bringing about the catastrophe in the recent past. The total lack of management and its vacuum has allowed the betting mafia to make inroads freely and Pakistan’s cricketers have been making headlines for the wrong reasons regularly.

The PCB needs a helmsman who can turn it around with his outstanding leadership qualities, visionary approach, vast administrative experience and sound technical knowledge about the game. He is to be an individual who has the access to key government officials, enjoys the respect of the international cricket fraternity and has the iron will to tackle the trickiest of situations like controlling the menace of players’ power.

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ICC warning should serve as wake-up call for Ijaz Butt and protagonists

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ijaz Butt has strong connections in the corridors of power and he has appeared least bothered about managing the affairs of Pakistan cricket in a professional career throughout his two-year tenure.

New records of nepotism and corruption have been created in his era and yet he has the burning desire to seek extension. He has brought the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at the brink of disaster. If he’s allowed to rule a little longer it will come as little surprise to find Pakistan touching new lows.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a strict warning to the PCB to implement a series of measures to solve problems faced by the country’s cricket or risk sanctions.

“The PCB must act and be seen to be acting to uphold the zero-tolerance attitude to corruption in sport and conduct a thorough review of players’ integrity, educate them, implement a process and introduce an anti-corruption code in their domestic cricket,” the ICC said in a statement after their recent two-day board meeting in Dubai.

“If the PCB fails to carry out the above to the satisfaction of the board within the next 30 days, the board will consider what further action (including, if appropriate, sanctions) is required in the circumstances,” it said.

The Pakistan cricket was rocked by allegations of spot-fixing in during the recently concluded tour of England, resulting in two separate inquiries. The ICC has ruled there was no evidence of spot-fixing in the third one-day international between Pakistan and England last month but another inquiry, relating to the Lord’s Test against England in August, is pending.

The trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohamnmad Amir was provisionally suspended by the ICC after alleged to have taken money from a book-maker to deliberately bowl no-balls in a Test match.

A couple of the top former Pakistan cricket administrators were critical of the ICC for having warned the PCB to take extraordinary measures to avoid sanctions over alleged corruption.

“It is damning. It means that the ICC has publicly called that PCB has to regain confidence of the ICC, and put them under pressure to take serious steps,” Ehsan Mani, a former ICC President, was quoted as saying.

Khalid Mahmood, who headed the PCB for a brief period in 1999 when the organization had as many as five different chiefs, described the ICC warning was an insult to Pakistan.

“The ICC warning is an insult to the whole nation. This step of the ICC is an evidence of inability and incompetence of the PCB officials and they have clearly mishandled the whole situation,” he remarked in an interview.

“ICC has cleared Pakistan of any corruption in the Oval one-day, Scotland Yard has yet to level any charges on the Lord’s Test inquiry, under these circumstances the ICC warning is biased and unjustified,” he felt.

Both these gentlemen appeared justified in defending the integrity of the nation but they should also have publicly condemned Ijaz Butt to have brought Pakistan to this stage where anything could happen.

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Ijaz Butt should also apologize to whole nation

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The man having played around with the sentiments of the whole nation for nearly two years, Ijaz Butt, owes a public apology for his haughty attitude and irresponsible behaviour in running the affairs of the Pakistan cricket.

He has issued an apology for the comments he made during the recently concluded one-day series between England and Pakistan when he charged that the hosts' players had taken "enormous amounts of money" to lose the third One-day International at The Oval.

The England players have reportedly accepted his apology and withdrawn the threat of legal action which had loomed since the outburst.

Ijaz Butt, known for talking senselessly, admitted that he had no evidence to back up his claims and that he regretted the "misunderstanding" that followed even though he initially refused to back down from his comments. Well he had not only leveled the allegations just one time but did it repeatedly.

"I wish personally and on behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board to withdraw the comments I made concerning the England and Wales Cricket Board and each of the England players who played in the one-day International at The Oval on Friday 17 September. It is regrettable that there was a misunderstanding arising from my comments,” he observed in the letter of apology.

"I would like to make it quite clear that in the statements which I made that I never intended to question the behaviour and integrity of the England players nor the ECB nor to suggest that any of them were involved in any corrupt practices or in a conspiracy against Pakistan cricket,” Ijaz Butt added.


"In particular, I wish to make it clear that I have never seen any evidence of any wrongdoing by any England player or the ECB at any time," he added.

"I deeply and sincerely regret that my statements have been interpreted to cast doubt upon the good names of the England players and the ECB and hope that this public withdrawal will draw a line under the matter," the PCB Chairman stated.

So far so good. Ijaz Butt has set the record straight by issuing the apology that had always seemed on the cards for mending fences with the ECB.

Shouldn’t the PCB Chairman now be asked to apologize to the people of Pakistan for his continuous misdeeds and mischief. He has been guilty of ruining the image of the Pakistan cricket and it may take many years to clear the mess he has created in two years time.

Ijaz Butt has had the knack of losing his cool during conversations with the media. He gets offended whenever a probing question is hurled at him and instead of giving an answer he tries to take on the interviewer.

Doesn’t the PCB Chairman know that he’s holding a public office and cricket is the game of the masses in Pakistan. People only wish that some accountability system was in place and Ijaz Butt should be tried for having caused irreparable harm to the national interest.

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Ijaz Butt fails miserably to handle pressure yet again

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

As I have written quite a few times earlier as well, the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, under fire for his various controversial political appointments, has done the greatest disservice to the cause of the country by having ignored the follies of Ijaz Butt whom he had installed as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) a little under two years ago.

Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, the Federal Minister of Defence and one of the most prominent leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, had played the pivotal role in getting appointed his brother-in-law, Ijaz Butt, to this key post in October 2008.

Ijaz Butt has continued coming under stinging criticism from the various quarters for having considered himself above the law. Not only has he been guilty of putting aside merit in every matters but he has been ruthlessly playing around with the emotions of the people and more significantly getting away with it.

He is not afraid to say declare publicly that no force on earth could send him home except the appointing authority seemingly right behind him. It’s amazing how he has been allowed to operate in this manner and why he hasn’t been held accountable for having brought the country to disrepute to so many occasions.

With this kind of background it was not surprising at all to find him entangled with an anchor during a live interview with Geo News the other day.

Being straightforward is another matter but to take on the interviewer for no rhyme or reason is indeed an offence by someone holding a public office. There are many other ways of tackling provocative or probing questions but you are never expected to shout or behave indecently with millions watching you.

Ijaz Butt doesn’t take even a minute to lose his temper and talk nonsense even while giving interviews to the media. He remains under the illusion that his relationship with the Defence Minister has provided him the licence to kill and with his protection he was simply above board.

That must have been the reason at the back of his mind why he reacted so sharply when questioned if he was considering to quit following the recent events in England. Instead of giving a polite answer or even saying that he had no such plans he blasted the questioner saying she had no right to charge sheet him.

The worthy PCB Chairman went a step further by saying that he was going to charge sheet her. Thankfully Ijaz Butt wasn’t the head of the media organization the questioner was working for.

It was a clear enough indication how quickly the Pakistan cricket chief gets provoked and how shallow is his thinking. It reflected his poor communication skills as well. Any other person holding his position would have reacted differently and nobody would have thought of creating ugly scenes like this for the viewers.

Ijaz Butt, throughout his two-year term, has never had any kind of working relationship with media because of his attitude and temperament.

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Lawson judges Ijaz Butt to perfection

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Geoff Lawson, the former Australian fast bowler, may have had a brief stint as the Pakistan coach but he has judged Ijaz Butt, the current Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), to perfection.

Isn’t it a shame that so many of Pakistan’s former Test cricketers and commentators who appear on various television channels in role of experts whistle in the dark and very few of them are courageous enough to bring to light the real issue.

Either they lack in knowledge or they are not prepared to call a spade a spade due to the fear of annoying Ijaz Butt more often than not the patience of the viewers is tested. The real issue of the Pakistan cricket is the PCB Chairman and it’s amazing how Lawson has assessed him so well, much better than the Pakistanis.

In an interview Lawson has bitterly criticized Ijaz Butt for failing to provide the strong leadership that the country's cricket needs during one of their biggest challenges.

"Even through this crisis we have heard virtually nothing from their chairman. He hides from a crisis, he is not a leader and when Pakistan need a strong leader and people to show them the way forward, they are not getting it from their board," Lawson pointed out very correctly.

Lawson revealed that before the appointment of Ijaz Butt, Pakistan cricket had in place detailed long-term plans to develop the game from the grassroots up.

"There were 10 and 15 year plans, plans to build regional cricket academies, fitness, fitness trainers, physios and stocking gyms with better equipment and better pay for the first-class players," the former Australian fast bowler remarked.

"After the elections in 2008, it took some months with their hung parliament to appoint a new chairman and Ijaz Butt was appointed and really, I just see from that instant, there has been a decline in Pakistan cricket," he added.

Lawson was of the opinion that Salman Butt had done a great job with a young side since being appointed captain of Pakistan and he would be shocked if the left-handed opener turned out to be at the center of the spot-fixing scandal.

"If it is the case that these young players are being affected, then there is something very bad with the environment in which Pakistan cricket is being played in," he said.

Lawson considered the current crisis is the greatest Pakistan cricket has faced, and unlike previous crises, the team will not have the opportunity to mend fences by playing matches at home once things calm down.

"The hearings on Asif, Amir and Salman will be extremely important. I hope against hope that things will turn out alright but this is very much a watershed for Pakistan cricket right now," the former coach reckoned.

Lawson, it may be recalled, was one of the initial casualties when Ijaz Butt had succeeded Dr Nasim Ashraf as the Chairman of the PCB in 2008.

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KCCA vows to fight until dismissal of Ijaz Butt

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

In a rare show of strength the movers and shakers of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) vowed to take the fight to the camp of Ijaz Butt who was accused of having destructed the Pakistan cricket.

The trio of Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bokhari (President), Prof Ejaz Ahmed Farooqui (Honorary Secretary) and Khalil Ahmed Nainitalwala (Vice President), backed by the zonal office-bearers, came out openly to criticize the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the harshest possible manner during a media briefing at the Karachi Press Club before joining the protesting young cricketers of the city in which a couple of cricket bats were burnt.

Although it was a warm first afternoon of the Holy month of Ramazan on August 12 the intensity of the protestors was rather high and the youngsters as well as the veterans present on the occasion chanted noisy slogans against Ijaz Butt and they demanded his immediate sacking to prevent further chaos.

The KCCA Vice President, Khalil Ahmed Nainitalwala, was in a furious mood as he had come prepared in the media briefing, substantiating his claims with facts and figures while raising the voice for the cricketers of city who have been victimized by Ijaz Butt and party for the past couple of years.

“I have no hesitation in calling it the Ijaz Butt Cricket Board instead of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Similarly we have been witnessing Ijaz Butt XI and not the national team of Pakistan playing against the various teams,” he declared.

“Isn’t it a tragedy that the team, being selected on the basis of nepotism, is getting hammered and the deserving cricketers are not being provided a chance to perform? Ijaz Butt’s blue-eyed boys are in the team despite failing repeatedly while the experienced campaigners like Danish Kaneria are sent home after just one failure. Why these double standards,” he questioned.

“It’s a shame that Ijaz Butt has crossed all limits of decency. Merit seems to be a piece of paper to him. He is just not bothered to look beyond his own circle of friends. He is not perturbed with the disgusting performance of the team that was touched rocked bottom of late,” Khalil Nainitalwala highlighted.

“What a pity that the Pakistan team these days is struggling to get 100 runs in an innings? It’s mainly because the talented and deserving boys of Karachi have been ignored even after their consistent performance in the national tournaments,” he added.

“Our batsmen Asad Shafiq, Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif performed much better than Azhar Ali and Umar Amin who have been taken to England where they have failed miserably so far. Similarly our bowlers Tabish Khan and Anwar Ali fared better than Wahab Riaz who was selected. Our fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed, who was the leading wicket-taker in the last season, has not been played in a single game yet in England which is very sad indeed,” Khalil Nainitalwala reckoned.

“We were waiting for the better sense to prevail that’s why we didn’t register our protest openly in the past. But the stage has come where we have to raise voice for our cricketers and since we have now come out in the open we will not sit back until Ijaz Butt is dismissed,” he replied when asked about the future course of action if status quo prevailed.

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KCCA comes out in open to expose Ijaz Butt’s bias

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

I think that the officials of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) have finally realized that enough is enough and they need to come out in the open to fight for the rights of their cricketers who have been brutally treated by Ijaz Butt and his cronies.

After having condemned the biased attitude of the national selectors in their Executive Council meeting the other day, the KCCA high command, shocked and disappointed, has now decided to hold a press conference on August 12.

Prof Ejaz Ahmed Farooqui, Honorary Secretary, KCCA, has announced that the briefing will be held at the Karachi Press Club at 3 pm.

Khalil Ahmed Nainitalwala, Vice President, KCCA, will be apprising the media and the general public of the injustices to the Association and their players by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which has actually been a one-man show for about two years now.

The KCCA officials, on a few occasions, had taken on the PCB in the past as well but their stance had generally been soft and lacked the conviction. It might be a different story to relate this time round.

There is enormous pressure from the various quarters on the office-bearers of the KCCA to bat for the victimized cricketers of the metropolis who must be feeling let down by the double standards of the national selection committee headed by Mohsin Hasan Khan.

Interestingly Mohsin, one of the most stylish opening batsmen to have played for Pakistan, himself belongs to Karachi but he looks absolutely helpless at the moment.

The best course of action for Mohsin would be to follow the examples of his predecessors Abdul Qadir and Iqbal Qasim, both of whom could only last a few months before expressing their inability to come to terms with a man called Ijaz Butt.

It would be interesting to find out if the KCCA officials still resort to diplomacy or they demonstrate the courage to call a spade a spade. I think they should display greater self-belief while safeguarding the interests of their cricketers.

The Executive Council of the KCCA has placed on record its condemnation for the biased attitude of the PCB selection committee for having totally ignored the promising lot of Karachi cricketers like Sarfaraz Ahmed, Khurram Manzoor, Khalid Latif, Faisal Iqbal and Asad Shafiq.

The Council was of the opinion that the PCB selectors had deliberately failed to consider the performances of the Karachi cricketers in the national tournaments.

They urged about the PCB authorities to review their failings and accord justice to the talented cricketers of Karachi, who despite being the national champions, feel the agony of getting deprived when it came to playing for Pakistan.

They insisted that merit alone should be the basis of the selection and Pakistan’s prestige should be the prime consideration which can only be achieved through selections based on merit and fair chance to play for all Associations.

Well the KCCA high command must be aware of the fact that there’s no such thing as the PCB authorities any more because no one else other than Ijaz Butt has any authority in running the Board.

The KCCA should be direct in their approach and they should be talking plain truth instead of wrapping it inside some dual-meaning words.

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Ifs and Butts ought to destroy Pakistan cricket further

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

There’s another twist in Pakistan cricket with the appointment of a new captain in the middle of a tour. Barely a few weeks ago Shahid Khan Afridi was handed over the responsibility of leading the team throughout the summer in England in all three formats of the game.

But rather dramatically Shahid, following the 150-run defeat at Lord’s in the first Test against Australia on July 16, announced his decision to retire from the Test arena after the second and final game against Ricky Ponting’s side starting in a few days time at Headingley.

Ijaz Butt, who has been ruling the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the past couple years by hook or by crook, was believed to have stepped in to deny Shahid the opportunity of playing his final Test at Headingley.

Ijaz, availing yet another foreign tour, is very much in England these days. He is understood to have intervened in the team matters as he always feels it’s his prerogative to do so. He has chosen to pass the baton to Salman Butt with immediate effect and there will be no place for the one-Test skipper in the next game. What a shame!

If Shahid was good enough to be entrusted with the job for the whole of summer featuring six Tests there was no point in making him a persona non grata after just one failure.

Salman did play a couple of fighting knocks at Lord’s. In fact the only Pakistan batsman to come good in the trying conditions when the ball was darting around and the Australian quickies were right on money.

Isn’t it a pity that Salman, just having reached the peak of his career as an opening batsman, is being burdened with captaincy? He would have been much better off playing his natural game without performing the additional and more critical duty of uniting a team that has been shaken once more.

It looks like another blunder by the bigger Butt who is just not prepared to look beyond his own self. Many of his decisions have already harmed the Pakistan cricket enormously but it looks like as if all eyes are closed and nobody is prepared to take him on.

Those having dared challenging Ijaz Butt over his alleged wrongdoings have been shown the door such awesome has been his clout in the corridors of power with his brother-in-law Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, an influential Federal Minister, having given him the license to do things as he wishes even if the national interests are compromised.

The heads of the PCB have been in the firing line in the past as well but nobody seems to have caused as much damage to the Pakistan cricket as Ijaz Butt has done in a matter of two years. With no signs of any accountability or anything close to it there’s very little chance of getting things back in order.

The temperamental Ijaz Butt, who’s not prepared to follow merit in any of his decisions, has considered himself above board all along and he has been treating the PCB like one of his briefcase companies where only the top man has the authority to every thing.

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Ijaz Butt on lookout for a new captain

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ijaz Butt has now started having parleys with the prospective captains. The only positive aspect in this whole exercise is the fact that the chairman of the so-called Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has openly declared having met the candidates he had in mind as the future leader of the team.

He has also come out in the open that being the chairman of the PCB he held the prerogative of choosing the captain and he was going to make the decision himself. Will he care to explain did he ever consult anyone before taking the decisions that were not meant to be taken by him all alone?

Well sky is the limit for Ijaz Butt as far as bringing the Pakistan cricket to repute is concerned. He is not afraid to commit blunders after blunders, oblivious of the fact that he was dealing with the affairs of a national body not his own proprietary concern.

Ijaz Butt has used the vehicle of a selection committee to have the squad announced that would represent Pakistan in the ICC Twenty20 Championship due to start in the Caribbean in about six months time.

There was hardly any sense in having the squad finalized well before the deadline. Neither was there any logic in delaying the appointment of the captain for such an important assignment.

Wouldn’t have it looked proper to have the captain on board while selecting the team. Obviously the majority of the players are automatic choices and the fringe cases are the ones deliberated. The input of the skipper who will have the responsibility of leading the team in the field would have been so crucial.

Ijaz Butt is not tired of experimentation yet. By delaying the appointment of the captain he has passed the impression that he desires taking time before arriving at the decision that indeed holds the key to the immediate future of Pakistan cricket.

Shoaib Malik was the captain and former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson was the coach when Ijaz Butt had taken over as the chairman of the PCB in the autumn of 2008. Since both these appointments were made by his predecessor, Dr Nasim Ashraf, there was not much element of surprise when he terminated the contract of Lawson rather controversially first up.

Shoaib, as expected, was the first choice as captain when Sri Lanka, not India, came to tour Pakistan in early 2009. With mismanagement at the top beginning to resurface it was a matter of time for the indiscipline to rattle the team. There was so much chaos after defeats in just a couple of One-day Internationals that Ijaz Butt had to move it to install Younis Khan as the captain for the Test series.

The temperamental Younis wasn’t extended the desired support by Ijaz Butt when he needed it most and he obliged Mohammad Yousuf with captaincy for the tour of New Zealand and Australia with Shahid Afridi getting the nod for Twenty20 Internationals. Yousuf was sacked before tour was over.

Younis, Yousuf and Shoaib are out of the equation now with Ijaz Butt having banned them for offences yet to be made public. Shahid has also been fined. But he is still in the run for the honour. Misbah-ul-Haq and Abdul Razzaq are other front runners to lead the side. Ijaz Butt can also nominate Salman Butt for the job.

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Ijaz Butt creates unprecedented mess by banning, fining cricketers

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ijaz Butt has been getting away with it all the time. He takes pride in declaring it more and more emphatically through his actions that he’s above board. While the others are accountable and punishable there seems no force on earth at the moment that could even contain the might of the chairman of an organization called the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Controversies have remained part and parcel of the Pakistan cricket all along but never before the law has been taken in the hands in this manner by the person who is supposed to be the torch-bearer.

There used to be odd incidents even in the days of Abdul Hafeez Kardar and Air Marshal Nur Khan but very rarely one found them getting into the act unnecessarily. They were the people for whom the national interest was paramount.

Unfortunately the national interest has been compromised by the people with the vested interests in the recent past but Ijaz Butt has exceeded all limits and only God knows how much greater damage he will cause before someone realizes his follies and fixes him.

May be, during his tenure, he would like to push Pakistan to the bottom among the Test playing nations in the manner not too dissimilar to the national hockey team that crashed in the recently concluded World Cup in India.

Ijaz Butt’s action of banning and fining cricketers has come as a shocker. More than anything else he appears to have settled scores with the players whom he considered a threat to his authority.

It’s not the issue that some of the celebrated cricketers have been banned or fined. Indeed nobody is above the law and anyone engaged in indiscipline needs to be tried and heard. The law has to take its course and the offenders have to be punished if found guilty.

Doesn’t the same apply to the team management, who were meant to control these guys? Doesn’t Ijaz Butt or his committee that recommended the severe punishment be also tried for having made a mess at the top?

The initial announcement implied that former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf were banned for life. It was clarified later that the period was ‘indefinite’ and that it was not a life ban.

Shoaib Malik, another former captain, and all-rounder Naved-ul-Hasan have been banned for a year. Fines have been imposed on Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal.
Ijaz Butt is not prepared to reveal why these cricketers have been penalized so heavily. They are national assets, not the personal servants of the PCB Chairman whom he could take for a ride whenever he pleases.

If the cricketers have committed sins that were indeed ‘unpardonable’ then they must be made public. Ijaz Butt doesn’t have the right to play around with the emotions of the masses who simply love the game.

The Pakistan cricket is in the middle of another crisis and this seems most serious of them all. It’s another horrible example of bad management by a dictator.

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Ijaz Butt’s squad mauled Down Under

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Who said it was Pakistan’s outfit humbled in all three Tests, five One-day Internationals and the one-off Twenty20 International during the just concluded tour of Australia? In all fairness it was the Ijaz Butt squad that had to bite the dust.

Yes there has been no such entity as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) since October 2008 when the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, being the Patron of the Board, had nominated Ijaz Butt for the post of its chairmanship.

Now the pressure is on the PCB Patron from all the concerned quarters to bring about the change that has become long overdue. Ijaz Butt has not only failed miserably on all fronts but he has set the worst example of dictatorship in cricket administration yet.

More than anything Ijaz Butt was preferred for the coveted job because of the muscles and the political clout of his brother-in-law, Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Defence, believed to be enjoying the closest of terms with President Asif Ali Zardari as well as Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Ijaz Butt’s nomination as the Chairman of the PCB was generally welcomed because besides being a former Test cricket, he also had the experience of cricket administration having served the Board as its Secretary in the 1980s.

But he has proved to be a complete failure, having adopted policies that are unethical, unprofessional, undemocratic and uncalled for. May be it’s the age factor or he has obtained a license to kill from his powerful brother-in-law he continues to harm the cricket affairs and his stay in office is likely to make things even more pathetic.

Ijaz Butt has gone from bad to worse and he continues to slide further. He has been guilty of making decisions arbitrarily, totally disregarding the fact that the PCB is a national sport body, not his proprietorship concern.

I don’t think he would have been playing around in this manner even if he considered the PCB his own company. Can anyone imagine his brothers-in-law tolerate such adventures in the Service Industries where he works for them? Certainly not!

Ijaz Butt is solely responsible for the mess the Pakistan cricket finds itself in at the moment. His dictatorship has ruined the game and it’s time to send him back the quicker the better in the national interest.

He doesn’t believe in delegating powers or may be he doesn’t trust anyone. He thinks ‘promises’ or ‘commitments’ as a piece of paper, not bothering to honour his own words. Neither does he care for anyone else except himself. Obviously he’s not sincere even to his masters otherwise he would not have put them in such awkward situation.

Now the ball is very much in the court of the Patron of the PCB once more. He has to make the final decision. Despite his preoccupations, hopefully he will not take more time now in order to spare the nation from further embarrassment.

Ijaz Butt should also be tried for having brought the country to shame and exemplary punishment be given to him, if found guilty, to set an example for future.

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Ijaz Butt on the way out

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

There are some strong indications of late that Ijaz Butt, who was appointed the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last October, may not be able to complete even one year in office.

Having promised much and delivered little, the PCB Chairman is likely to lose his job in not too distant future until and unless there are some dramatic moves and change of mind at the Presidency.

The ouster of Ijaz Butt will not come as a surprise. Neither would anyone feel hurt when he is booted out mainly because of his attitude problem that has cost him some of his nearest and dearest friends lately.

It’s quite amazing to find him ditching his trusted friends. He is not even sparing those mates who stood by him when he was not in power. He is believed to be misbehaving and annoying his closest of friends who have become increasingly fed up with him and might part ways soon.

Ijaz Butt may have committed blunders in his life but his latest act of humiliating his trustworthy friends could cost him much more than the job at the PCB. May be he considers the chairmanship of the Board as the most important thing for him but I am sure he has missed a trick here.

By the look of things one gets the impression that Ijaz Butt has an assurance from his brother-in-law, an influential leader of the ruling party, of his job being secure and he’s not afraid to overlook and ignore all others around him.

Even the Federal Sports Minister, Pir Syed Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, who was not only one of the key figures in having him installed as the PCB Chairman but also defended him out way whenever he committed mistakes, appears to have quietly withdrawn the support.

Pir Aftab Jilani, who is such a thorough gentleman, has not expressed his displeasure openly yet but one can read between the lines that the Federal Minister has not been accorded the respected he deserved by the sitting PCB Chairman.

Everyone is not as forgiving as Pir Aftab Jilani and there are a few hard nuts to crack in the corridors of power reportedly moving against Ijaz Butt after being offended and shown disrespect.

The stories have started doing rounds that Ijaz Butt could soon face the wrath of the PCB Chief Patron and the President of President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, who is unhappy with his performance.

Sources in the sports ministry and the government have already confirmed that a comprehensive report on the performance of the PCB during Ijaz Butt's tenure would be submitted to the Chief patron soon.

The newspapers have started reporting that there’s a lot of disappointment in the Presidency and Ministry over the way cricket matters are being handled by Ijaz Butt.

The feeling in the officialdom is growing that Ijaz Butt is too old and does not have the temperament to represent Pakistan in international cricket forums or foster better relations with member countries. In simple words they are now convinced that he’s not the man for the job.

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Ijaz Butt: Meeting the challenge with a smile

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

How often do you come across someone who keeps his cool and composure even when confronted with provoking remarks and that too in the media or at a public place where you are the centre of attraction?

There are very few individuals who have the capacity to absorb unkind remarks or face undue criticism for the faults of others. One needs to have nerves of steel and strength in character to cope with the hostilities hurled by people either having vested strengths or lack of knowledge about the subject.

The chairmanship of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is indeed a hot seat and it remains under the scrutiny of the media in particular and the masses in general because cricket is the most popular sport of the country by a big distance and every other person in the society considers himself or herself an expert of the game.

Ijaz Butt has taken over the leadership of the PCB only a few months ago. Having a proven record in the field of administration and management, besides being a former Test cricketer, he was supposed to be the best man for the position that had been lying vacant with the resignation of Dr Nasim Ashraf.

The cricket community heaved a sigh of relief when Ijaz Butt was appointed as the chairman because it was being demanded for a long time to have the affairs of the Board managed by a former Test cricketer.

These are still the early days in office for Ijaz Butt and one needs to wait for a year or so to draw a conclusion if he’s doing justice to the task or not. It’s very unprofessional to seek an explanation from him for the misdeeds of his predecessors or directly hold him accountable for the wrongdoings of his associates.

Since Ijaz Butt’s intentions appear positive there is more likelihood of him succeeding than not. He has those rare qualities of handling the pressure and rising to the occasion in the testing times. 

So far Ijaz Butt has fared rather well. Obviously there were challenges for him than opportunities when he took over but he has worked his way nicely and things are looking brighter than before.

It goes to his credit to have convinced the Australians to play Pakistan at a neutral venue. His initiatives have already resulted in the resumption of Test cricket in Pakistan after more than a year.

He should be commended for doing these two accomplishments in particular. Pakistan had not played a single Test in 2008, let alone hosting a game. Things looked gloomier when the Indians cancelled their tour to Pakistan for non-cricketing reasons. 

Ijaz Butt did the cause of the game a great service by persuading the Sri Lankans to tour Pakistan during the period when the Indians were due to play. There was Test cricket at last for the Pakistanis.

The Australians appeared reluctant to be engaged in a series with Pakistan in this part of the world but he managed to negotiate a successful deal as a result of which these two teams will soon be playing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

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Cricket Coaching Centre greets Ijaz Butt

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The functionaries of the Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC), founded and run by Ahmed Mustafa, a former opening batsman, have expressed their delight at the appointment of Ijaz Butt, a former Test cricketer, as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The CCC has already completed two decades of its existence. In fact it has been there for more than 21 years now. Ahmed Mustafa has kept the institution afloat with the support of his like-minded friends.

Ahmed Mustafa, with his contemporaries Asif Ahmed and Mahmood-ul-Hasan, has been working with missionary zeal to contribute their bit in the cricket development by running the CCC with limited resources at their disposal.

“We are thrilled at the appointment of Ijaz Butt as the new PCB Chairman. Besides his known qualities of administration and management it’s his background as Test cricketer that gladdens our hearts. He knows the Pakistan cricket inside out. He can make a difference,” the trio of former cricketers,Ahmed Mustafa, Asif Ahmed and Mahmood-ul-Hasan, said in a joint statement.

Jahangir Moghul, Vice President, CCC, has also greeted Ijaz Butt on assuming the charge as the PCB Chairman.

Although quite a few coaching academies have come into prominence in the country during the last five to eight years, it’s the one set up by Ahmed Mustafa in 1987 having pioneered the idea.

Ahmed Mustafa, who narrowly missed playing for Pakistan because of a tragic road accident, has made a name for himself by setting up the CCC that has already produced Test and one-day cricketers.

Like any other project, the CCC was also off to a modest start. A few nets here and there at the Aga Khan Gymkhana attracted much more youngsters than Ahmed Mustafa or any of his friends had anticipated The response was terrific as this was for the first time that coaching was being provided and that too free of cost.

The CCC had to be shifted to a nearby location where the Alam brothers were generous enough to allow Ahmed Mustafa and his team to install the nets at their residence where proper coaching sessions were conducted.

56 Depot Lines remained in the news for years as cricket celebrities from the country as well as abroad kept visiting and appreciating Ahmed Mustafa’s venture. Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharduddin paid a visit to the CCC and passed a few coaching tips to the trainees.

The legendary Imran Khan spent hours at the nets of the CCC to guide the enthusiastic youngsters. The great Javed Miandad also visited the CCC more than once. The master tactician Hanif Mohammad spared his time for the CCC.

It was General Tauqir Zia, Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board, who realized the importance of the services being rendered by Ahmed Mustafa and the CCC was finally allowed to use the practice facilities in the outer area of the National Stadium, Karachi.

It was a very good decision of the PCB Chairman, who accorded great respect to Ahmed Mustafa’s efforts. Gen Tauqir Zia remained appreciative of the project and the CCC had got into life with its shifting of base to the NSK. Ahmed Mustafa and the CCC enjoyed their best time in the days of Gen Tauqir Zia.

Things went from bad to worse when Shaheryar Khan took over as the chief of the PCB. Ahmed Mustafa is a soft person who doesn’t like to complain. He may not say it in public but the fact remains that the CCC didn’t get the recognition and support from the PCB during the tenure of Shaheryar Khan. The days of Dr Nasim Ashraf didn’t bring any joys for the CCC either. People close to the PCB chief were not sympathetic to the cause of the CCC.

The new leadership of the PCB can take the CCC on board in their own training and coaching programmes. The Board should extend fullest support to the CCC because their proactive relationship would be mutually beneficial. And most importantly it would be helpful to the larger interest of the game.

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Customs Academy hail Ijaz Butt’s appointment

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Ijaz Butt’s appointment as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been warmly welcomed in the cricket circles. He was being tipped to take over the moment Dr Nasim Ashraf’s resignation had been accepted in the third week of August. But his position was notified until the mid of October.

The Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), that has proved itself as a model institution to groom the cricketers, has hailed the appointment of Ijaz Butt, who is himself a former Test cricketer.

Jalaluddin, the Head Coach of the CCA, believes that Ijaz Butt has all the desired credentials to manage the cricket affairs of the country.

Jalaluddin, who performed the first hat-trick in One-day Internationals way back in 1982, has reckoned that a lot has to be done to promote cricket from the grassroots level and a man of the vision of Mr Ijaz Butt could do wonders.

Jalaluddin’s CCA, in a relatively short span of time, has produced the results and more importantly built an infrastructure for coaching that had been lacking for the last many years. Being the highest qualified coach in the country nobody could understand the importance of coaching than him and he has continued to deliver.

One hopes that the PCB, with Ijaz Butt at the helm of the affairs, will utilize the expertise of Jalaluddin and the academy he has set-up with the support of his like-minded friends.

The CCA has set an example for others to follow. They have flourished with negligible, if any, help of the their organization the Pakistan Customs. They have had the moral support of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) but not in the manner one would have liked to see. It would be a mutually beneficial deal if the PCB actively supports the CCA.

On paper the cash-rich PCB is giving the impression of working as a corporate body but in practice they have left a lot to be desired. The inconsistent policies have hurt them badly. Ijaz Butt, it’s expected, would rise to the occasion as is being widely anticipated.

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Ijaz Butt to head PCB

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The appointment of Ijaz Butt as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has come as a welcome relief to the supporters of the game in the country. He was being tipped to take over the moment Dr Nasim Ashraf’s resignation had been accepted in the third week of August.

The delay in his appointment fuelled many speculations and it also allowed ‘noteworthy’ people from every nook and corner of the country to self-portrait themselves as the most suitable person for the job.

A lot has changed, however, since Ijaz Butt was associated with the Board as its Honorary Secretary in the 1980s. In the interim period it was only the tenure of General Tauqir Zia in which the Cricket Board was run in a professional manner and monumental contributions were made in the field of infrastructure development.

Unfortunately General Tauqir Zia’s successors, Shaheryar M Khan and Dr Nasim Ashraf, could not sustain the momentum. In fact, for reasons best known to themselves, both of them were guilty of undoing the great work of the General.

Now the ball is in the court of Ijaz Butt. He has remained actively involved with cricket for nearly half a century now. He was a very courageous opening batsman having negotiated the fastest of bowlers the game ever has seen.

Following his retirement from the game, he helped the cause of national cricket by volunteering as an administrator. He has been the manager of the national team, besides having headed the national selection committee.

He was elevated to the post of the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan (BCCP) when it was being headed by General Safdar Butt. Both of them had done more than satisfactory job as Pakistan succeeded in hosting the World Cup for the first time in 1987 with great success.

Ijaz Butt had proved himself a visionary administrator and he had formed a team of like-minded fellows who worked with him with missionary zeal. Some of the members of his team were also the core members of the team that helped General Tauqir Zia in accomplishing his cherished goals.

Ijaz Butt faces greater challenges now than ever before. The Pakistan cricket is in turmoil. The mismanagement in the PCB during the past few years has brought disrepute to the country. Now he has to handle the grim situation.

He must be in the process these days to form a team of tried and trusted campaigners who could help him out in clearing the mess in front of him. It’s essential to have a loyal team that could work out the strategy for the damage control.

On paper the cash-rich PCB is giving the impression of working as a corporate body but in practice they have left a lot to be desired. The inconsistent policies have hurt them badly.

Ijaz Butt obviously needs time to implement his plans, after having completed the fact-finding mission. One hopes that he would rise to the occasion and deliver, as is being widely anticipated.

He deserves the support of the cricket fraternity who need to be a little patient as well. Let Mr Ijaz Butt, whose integrity is beyond doubt, bring in his own team and start working on a plan. It will be a matter of time before the results start coming.

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