Former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Ehsan Mani has accused the Indian board of isolating Pakistan from the game and termed its reluctance to hold a bilateral series part of that strategy.
Mani said the rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is using its strong financial resources against Pakistan and added that strong leadership was required to counter it. The former ICC chief added that snubbing Pakistan players for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Champions League was part of their attempt to distance the country from the sport.
“The BCCI is isolating Pakistan from international cricket,” Mani told reporters in Karachi. “They are not including our players in the IPL and the Champions League and are reluctant to schedule a bilateral series. If there are security issues in Pakistan, there should be no hesitance playing somewhere else.
“The BCCI is using its financial clout against Pakistan while our board is not countering them. There is a need of strong leadership in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which did not happen under previous chiefs who failed to develop friendly ties with other countries.”
‘New chairman undermined’
Mani, while commenting on the appointment of Zaka Ashraf as the new PCB chairman, said that the new chief will be handicapped because of the process that led to his appointment.
“The ICC rule that bans government intervention will be applicable by 2013. I cannot speak about Ashraf because I don’t know him but since his appointment has been made directly by President Zardari, he will be a bit handicapped and unsure over his future.
“A committee consisting of stakeholders should have been given the task to appoint the PCB chief,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mani said that there were huge issues facing Ashraf as he begins his tenure at the PCB’s top post.
“We need to revive international cricket in Pakistan. Our cricket is in a decline since we’re not hosting international matches and it will eventually die if the situation persists. We also want to regain credibility among the cricket boards.”
‘No prejudice against Pakistan in spot-fixing case’
Mani also spoke of the ongoing spot-fixing trial that involved banned Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. He said that players have met their fate ‘since there is no smoke without fire’.
“It’s a shame that our cricketers are facing criminal charges in a London court. I don’t feel that the ICC or other stakeholders are prejudiced against Pakistan players in this case.”
He believed that if the PCB had acted promptly as soon as the scandal broke out last year, the country could have been saved from humiliation.
“The PCB should have suspended the players immediately. By doing that they would have gained the right to handle the matter internally.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2011.
COMMENTS (14)
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Pakistan stayed away from IPL that's why they are playing good test cricket. Not like a 5-0 loss :P
IPL is not international YOU .... it is a dometic tournament of India.
"Mani said the rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is using its strong financial resources against Pakistan and added that strong leadership was required to counter it"
Oh I thought Pakistan had enough Missiles/A bombs to counter BCCI/ICC/CA/ECB/SLCB/NZCB/CSA etc?
@Abba Jee: Completely agree with you. The day when muslim countries along with pakistan will rule the Cricket world is not so far.We'll kick India out of cricket.
@Sundeep:
Exactly! lol. They made a bad decision in rejecting IPL in 2009(not 2008) due to "security concerns", when all other teams decided to play. Pakistanis tried to act smart, but must be repenting now. In some strange way it is very funny!
No offence to Indian brothers but who told you to trust them, the world knows there talent you may deny here but don't you ever loved 19 year old Aamir bowling the in-swingers and out swingers and the reverse swings of Asif, yes i am not denying the fact that they did spot fixed but Mark Waugh and Shane Warne did too but they didn't paid that much heavy prize, our problem is that we are Pakistani's, accept that or not we are Isolated.
And its all right if your board don't want to include our players in your league we totally understand that and i think its about time all Pakistani's should understand that its there league they can do what ever they want.
We Masha'Allah have our own Domestic T20 season every year and it is getting successful like anything : ).
@Abba Jee: Liked the way you have foresighted.Very few viewers of the game would have been able to get there.Hope this happens in the years to come and maybe China get into it aswell which will help pakistan cricket a lot (indirectly of course)
Economics of Cricket rules. Yesterday it was England, today it is India and tomorrow it may be Pakistan as many Islamic countries are embracing cricket.
@Sundeep you are bang on.You can never trust pakistani player.When they are in India they are all bla bla on India once they reach their soil they take u turn.They have very nasty things to say.Shahid & sohail Tanveer have so mant times have made derogatory remark on every thing i.e.Hindu mentality etc.etc.
Who cares about IPL matches. It's all about quick rich scheme. Pak needs to stay away from IPL cricket because I like Pak playing vs. Ind in UAE against each other. That would be more fun than IPL. Pak should say no to IPL for future.
India did this on purpose yet pakistan has a very strong , t20 , test and odi team
It is sounding as if Pakistan cricket is more and more dependent on Indian bilateral series for survival. I am flabbergasted to see that they are demanding BCCI for one rather politely asking for one. Tone of Mr.Ehsan Mani suggests as if India is obligated to play with Pakistan to make it financially stable. May be that no one told him both these countries are not best of the pals and many of Pakistanis consider us enemy.
Coming to IPL and Pakistani participation in it, they should have thought of repercussions when they opted out in 2008. That was even after the tourney was moved to SA. IPL teams have lost confidence in Pakistani players attendance. Not to mention rude behavior of Shahid Afridi and his bicker with VVS Laxman.
Although I would like to see a good India - Pakistan series, but I am abhorring this boorish behavior of Mr.Ehsan Mani.