Corruption forced me to back out, says Latif
Former wicket-keeper reveals reasons for refusing chief selector post.
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.
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.