'Pakistan team needs a Hitler-like manager'

NA sports body summons PCB, team officials to probe poor show.

KARACHI: The National Assembly (NA) Sports Standing Committee Chairman Iqbal Mohammad Ali has called for a strict team manager to put an end to the scandals gripping Pakistan cricket during their off-shore assignments.

"The team needs a manager like Hitler," Ali told The Express Tribune. "He should be strict and should not favour any player. Only a manager of such quality can put the team on the right track during international series." Ali believed that the spot-fixing scandal that marred Pakistan's tour of England could have been avoided had the manager carried out his duties properly.

"Everybody knows Shahid Afridi informed the manger about his worries regarding Mazhar Majeed weeks before the scandal. The manager should've acted there and then."

Yawar Saeed, who was team's manager during the tour, has ruled himself out of taking up the position in the future and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to name a new manager for the series against South Africa in the UAE due to take later this month.

"The board should select a competent manager who can handle the team properly and avoid such events in the future."

PCB, team officials to be grilled on October 11

Ali added that the Sports Standing Committee has summoned the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, former team manager Saeed, coach Waqar Younis, assistant coaches Ijaz Ahmed and Aqib Javed, and the selection committee chairman Mohsin Khan on October 11.

"We will take their reports on the team's performance in the Asia Cup and the England tour as well as the fixing allegations. There are many questions about selection which we will raise during the meeting including the omission of Younus Khan for the tour of England despite his need in the team."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2010.