Corruption forced me to back out, says Latif

Former wicket-keeper reveals reasons for refusing chief selector post.


Nabeel Hashmi April 14, 2014
Latif said he was irked by the board’s lax approach to the zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Former captain Rashid Latif revealed that one of the reasons that forced him to shun the post of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief selector was the fact that some former players, who he termed ‘tainted’, were on the verge of joining the board.

The 45-year-old said he had serious reservations over the PCB inducting those mentioned in the Justice Qayyum report — where he had examined match-fixing allegations against some players, resulting in two being banned and several being fined.

“I’ve come to know that some tainted players will join the PCB sooner or later which is why I decided to refuse the chief selector post,” Latif told The Express Tribune.

“They can’t work in the PCB at any position as per the Qayyum inquiry report because their careers have not been clean.”

He also called out to the board for not sticking to its zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

“The PCB should stick to its zero-tolerance policy. I want to avoid an organisation that supports players with a tainted past. They all are my friends, but only outside cricket.”

Apart from the former stalwarts, Latif was also irked by the board’s decision to work a way out to bring back disgraced Mohammad Amir into domestic and international cricket.

He stressed that the board was setting a wrong example by backing a corrupt player while having a different opinion over Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Danish Kaneria.

Latif, who represented Pakistan in 37 Tests and 166 ODIs, explained that he only wanted to report to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi and chief operating officer (COO) Subhan Ahmed and disliked undue interference.

The former wicket-keeper had clarified in his comprehensive plan that he would not report to anyone else but the involvement of Director Game Development Haroon Rasheed and others did not sit down well with him.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2014.

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COMMENTS (8)

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply

What in the cotton picking world is Rashid Latif smoking on? He decided to throw in the towel even before entering the ring merely on assumptions that certain tainted players identified in Justice Qayyum report would be joining the PCB set-up in the coming days. Would he care to explain as to why he played under the leadership of Waqar Younis between 2001-2003 in a team which also regularly featured Wasim Akram and Saeed Anwar, all three of whom including captain Waqar Younis featured prominently in Justice Qayyum's report.

Also, why did he allow the selection of Inzamam-ul-Haq while Rashid Latif himself captained Pakistan 2003 onwards? Someone needs to tell these emotional bozos that sitting on the sidelines and being all righteous and sanctimonious is one thing. But taking the bull by its horn and making a difference demands character.

Muhammad Kashif | 9 years ago | Reply

@ Ch Allah Daad : He is brave, its not easy to refuse money and position both. If Pakistan has 10 people like him who can head organizations Pakistan can grow fast.

@ Zeeshan Ali: What difference the upcoming CSS officers joining police system has done to the country. You can not win against the system. Rashid did the right thing. That's why Pakistan has no say in ICC, because every country sends their best cricketers to represent in ICC, and we send Chirya with new punctures

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