ICC annual conference: PCB to support permanent use of Decision Review System, says Butt

Pakistan to object to certain amendments in Hong Kong .

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to lock horns with the International Cricket Council (ICC) during a series of meetings in Hong Kong next week, contesting a couple of proposed amendments within the governing body.

However, the PCB will support permanent implementation of the Decision Review System (DRS) in all Tests, according to chairman Ijaz Butt.

The meetings will start with the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting on June 26 and 27, followed by the executive board meeting – June 28 and 29 – and the Full Council meeting on June 30. The back-to-back meetings will discuss a number of topics, considering the game’s future.

Butt and the PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed will represent Pakistan in the meetings. The PCB officials are prepared to raise objections on a number of proposed constitutional amendments relating to the ICC set-up. PCB not to back BCCI on DRS.

The ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendation of employing DRS in all formats especially in all Test matches will be one of the main issues of discussion on the agenda in the upcoming meetings.

The ICC Committee Meeting last May unanimously urged the use of DRS but the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is against the technology, is expected to block its implementation.

However, the PCB has decided not to support India’s stance and will go all out in its support for the DRS. “We have always supported the use of DRS,” Ijaz Butt told The Express Tribune before leaving for Hong Kong yesterday. “India may be against it but we have our own stance on it. We believe the latest technology is good for the game.”

Opposing constitutional amendments

The ICC’s Full Council will consider a constitutional change in the process of nominating the ICC president under the new proposal, which suggests that the executive board should decide the process and term of office from time to time, subject to certain qualifying criteria.

If endorsed, the proposal will remove the current rotational system of nomination and the fixed term of appointment.

Pakistan, which is the next candidate with Bangladesh for presidency and vice-presidency, will oppose the change. “Presidency is the right of every Full Member board,” said a top PCB official.

“We have reservations regarding this proposed change which we will convey in the meetings,” he added.

However, no comments were forthcoming regarding the proposed amendment which aims at restricting government interference in the administration of the member boards.

The PCB, which happens to have the country’s president as its patron-in-chief, has sent a legal notice to the ICC over the proposed amendment.

“We are looking at it legally,” the official said without revealing more.

According to him, the PCB will also make complaints against the country’s continuous snub from the Champions League T20 tournament as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2011.