Mixed reactions to PCB’s stance

Latif, Raja, Rizvi question voting abstinence by PCB on ‘Big Three’ proposal.

KARACHI:

Former skipper Rashid Latif believes that Pakistan’s stance on the ‘Big Three’ reforms approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday was justified as financial distribution should be equal for all Test-playing nations.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did the right thing since they were opposing a cause that was an equal distribution of money among the Test-playing nations,” Latif told The Express Tribune.

“The board must not give up the case and should draw the ICC into a legal battle.”

In the key executive decisions, it was decided that the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) President N Srinivasan would become the ICC chairman from July this year, while Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman Wally Edwards would head a newly-formed executive committee, which will report to the ICC board.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Giles Clarke will continue to be the head of the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee.

Latif, who is known for speaking his mind, further stated that Srinivasan and Clarke will go onto become the new ‘dons’ of the ICC.

“Srinivasan and Clarke will be the new black and white dons of ICC and the cricket world after these new approvals in the ICC meeting.

“They will have complete charge of the international body in a short while and they will be in a position to do whatever they want and nobody will be there to question them.”



He further forecasted that Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be targeted by the so-called ‘Big Three’ – the BCCI, ECB and CA. He believes they will try everything possible to keep them from winning any events or play in their finals through any kind of tampering, ranging from poor umpiring to underprepared pitches.

Another former captain and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja stated that Pakistan’s decision was not based on logic and was rather enticed by emotions.

“The PCB should have made a pragmatic decision rather than getting sentimental about the deal,” he said.

“Unfortunately, whenever India is involved, we lose our pragmatism. Ideally we should have sought assurances from the high profile India.”

PCB went under-prepared for big occasion: Rizvi

Former PCB legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi felt that the board officials went under-prepared and their strategy was not the right one for such a big occasion.

“The turn of events reflect that the PCB went under-prepared and devoid of any contingent strategy,” said Rizvi.

“At the international level, you never expose your cards before the hand and always go with a backup plan. By abstaining, the PCB turned up high and dry and that too on the wrong side.”

He further elaborated that if there were objections raised in the meeting with regard to any procedural violation, only then could there be room for seeking legal recourse.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2014.

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