Cricket: Fear of ICC Salim Malik barred from Pakistan team
Former captain was included in veterans squad for Sri Lanka tour.
KARACHI:
Former captain Salim Malik has been barred from representing Pakistan Veterans in Sri Lanka amid fears of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) discontentment with the player who is banned from cricket for life.
Malik was included in the squad that left for Sri Lanka yesterday for a four-match one-day series. However, the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), which was adamant to include the former batsman in the team, was forced to reverse its decision, dropping Malik at the eleventh hour following instructions from authorities.
The PVCA Chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan said his association had no hesitation in having Malik in its team but had to reconsider the decision after being asked by a senior PCB official.
“Our body does not come under the PCB or the ICC,” Khan told reporters prior to his team’s departure to Colombo. “We had no issues having Malik play for us. It was only after Intikhab Alam, who is also the chairman of the Punjab Veterans Cricket Association, asked us to drop him to avoid any controversy that we reversed our decision.
“Alam told us that the ICC has not cleared him and he had reservations over Malik’s inclusion, saying that the former captain should not travel with a team carrying a national flag as it may create unnecessary furore.”
However, Khan said that Malik will continue to be a part of Pakistan Veterans team. “We will continue to select Malik in our squads for future series.” The PCB had appointed Malik as head coach of the National Cricket Academy but reversed the decision after the ICC showed its displeasure over the appointment of a banned cricketer.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.
Former captain Salim Malik has been barred from representing Pakistan Veterans in Sri Lanka amid fears of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) discontentment with the player who is banned from cricket for life.
Malik was included in the squad that left for Sri Lanka yesterday for a four-match one-day series. However, the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), which was adamant to include the former batsman in the team, was forced to reverse its decision, dropping Malik at the eleventh hour following instructions from authorities.
The PVCA Chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan said his association had no hesitation in having Malik in its team but had to reconsider the decision after being asked by a senior PCB official.
“Our body does not come under the PCB or the ICC,” Khan told reporters prior to his team’s departure to Colombo. “We had no issues having Malik play for us. It was only after Intikhab Alam, who is also the chairman of the Punjab Veterans Cricket Association, asked us to drop him to avoid any controversy that we reversed our decision.
“Alam told us that the ICC has not cleared him and he had reservations over Malik’s inclusion, saying that the former captain should not travel with a team carrying a national flag as it may create unnecessary furore.”
However, Khan said that Malik will continue to be a part of Pakistan Veterans team. “We will continue to select Malik in our squads for future series.” The PCB had appointed Malik as head coach of the National Cricket Academy but reversed the decision after the ICC showed its displeasure over the appointment of a banned cricketer.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.