Pakistan Task Team visit ruled out

PCB chief confirms Intikhab, Aqib relieved due to NCA commitments.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has ruled out any chances of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Pakistan Task Team (PTT) visiting the country, declaring that implementing the recommendations was completely up to the board.

The ICC had ordered the PTT to compile a report on Pakistan cricket in the wake of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus and last year’s spot-fixing scandal. However, the PCB rejected most of the observations, declaring that as the team did not visit the country while forming the report, its effectiveness was questionable.

“We [in the ICC meeting] discussed the possibility of the visit taking place but it was eventually ruled out,” Butt told The Express Tribune. “I don’t think there’s any need for the PTT to come to Pakistan now anyway.”

Butt also dispelled the impression that Intikhab Alam was relieved of his managerial duties following the recommendations given in the PTT report, saying that the former captain had various other responsibilities that the board had assigned him and needs to take care of those.

“Intikhab and assistant coach Aqib Javed were needed at the NCA to guide our youngsters, that’s why they’re not going to Zimbabwe. As far as following the recommendations of the PTT are concerned, that’s totally up to the board. Any constructive recommendation will be implemented.”

The PCB chairman also said that as things stood, the board had no plans of taking legal action against the ICC’s constitutional amendment requiring an end to government intervention.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2011.