PCB strives to avoid selection disputes on tours

Coach, captain to be given lectures on defining their roles before offshore assignments.

KARACHI:

Learning a lesson from the infamous dispute in which former captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis were involved recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning measures to avoid recurrence of such rows in future.

The Express Tribune has learnt that these steps will include lectures for the coach and captain on their respective duties prior to a tour.

Afridi battled with the PCB for weeks to get permission to play for English county Hampshire, after the board had revoked his NOC following the all-rounder’s decision to retire from international cricket after criticising the board’s set-up.

The controversy started during the One-Day International series on the recent tour of the West Indies where Younis and the then captain Afridi had arguments on the playing-eleven’s composition for the last two matches.

The former captain later hinted at these differences in the media and was served a show-cause notice by the PCB that set him on a collision course against the board, which sunk controversy-hit Pakistan cricket into further trouble.

However, the governing body now plans on preventing such issues to crop up in future, and it has decided to take strict action against anyone on the tour selection committee that comprises coach, captain and the manager, overstepping their domain. A PCB official confirmed the board’s initiative in this regard.

“The core reason that led to the Afridi dispute was the difference of opinion on selection matters,” he admitted. “We are taking measures to avoid such disputes especially between the coach and captain.”

Re-defining domains

The official said that although the members of the tour selection committee were aware of their respective domains, the PCB has decided to organise lectures to decrease friction between the coach and captain.

“The tour selection committee, especially the coach and captain, will be given lectures. They will be informed about their powers and the repercussions they could face on over-stepping their authority. Afridi was found guilty in the manager’s report and faced action. Any offense from the coach or captain will be dealt with similarly and with tougher punishment.”

As the Afridi dispute raged on, the PCB was called upon by various former greats about giving sweeping powers to the captain when it comes to selecting the playing-eleven. However, it seems that the board is not convinced by these suggestions.

“The policy of tour selection committee will be followed by whatever the majority on the committee decides: that will be the final decision.”

The official added that the newly-formed disciplinary committee headed by major (retd) Naeem Akhtar will keep a close eye on proceedings as it will monitor the coach and captain’s behaviour, including interviews they give to the media.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2011.