Najam Sethi plans to restructure the local cricket system and address the issue of Pakistan playing its home matches abroad. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR / EXPRESS
Sethi said he plans to bring a two-way change, beginning with restructuring the local system and later addressing the issue of Pakistan being forced to play their home matches abroad.
“I want to reorganise domestic cricket which is at present rotten,” Sethi told the media at a press conference at the Pearl Continental in Karachi. “I want to see international cricket return to Pakistan. These are my primary objectives.”
The PCB has struggled to convince the International Cricket Council to approve Pakistan as a venue to host series at home since the attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009.
Pakistan has been hosting their home series in the UAE since then, and Sethi added that this trend needed to change.
“It’s ridiculous that we have to host home series in a foreign country.”
He stated that he could not make any long term plans while the PCB was involved in legal issues at the moment. However, he emphasised that the presence of court cases and the legal course of things should not affect the team in any way.
“The divisional bench hearing is expected within the next two days. I don’t want an adverse effect on the team due to the ongoing legal cases.”
Sethi added that the board is trying hard to ensure that the prevailing uncertain situation should not impede routine work that could result in financial losses.
I don’t interfere in selection matters: Sethi
Sethi said that the selection committee has the ultimate power over team matters.
“Once the selection committee is chosen, it should select the team and handle all cricketing matters,” he said. “I can’t do anything to change the selection committee’s matters.”
The chairman also revealed that the team doctor was sacked due to an unsatisfactory performance in the UAE and South Africa.
He also said that the PCB elections can be held in just three days, while clarifying that he needed key instructions about the process from the courts and the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2013.
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