Pakistan Cricket Board: The newly-appointed acting chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shah Khawar on Friday addressed concerns surrounding the recent poor performance of the country’s men’s cricket team and dismissed the notion that frequent changes in the board were to blame. In a press conference, Khawar identified various factors contributing to the team’s struggles and assured that a thorough review would take place under the upcoming board of governors.
“I don’t think changes in the board in the last one year have affected the team. It might be a minor reason, but there are other factors, and once the new board of governors is formed and the new chairman takes charge, they will look into this,” Khawar stated.
Responding to speculation about government interference, Khawar emphasized the independence of the cricket board. “It is a wrong impression that the ministry of inter-provincial coordination or the government interferes in cricket affairs or is taking decisions. The patron in chief of the board, as per powers vested in him and laid out in the PCB constitution, has taken decisions and is authorised to do this,” he clarified, adding that the patron in chief of the board holds the authority as outlined in the PCB constitution.
“On the issue of granting NOCs to players to participate in franchise leagues, the PCB has the policy of giving centrally contracted players permission to attain NOC for a maximum of two leagues apart from HBL PSL over the course of a year. Their priority has to be to play for Pakistan and all centrally contracted players must adhere to this.”
Khawar also shed light on concerns raised by Mohammad Hafeez, the current director of the Pakistan team, during an informal meeting. According to Khawar, Hafeez expressed worries about players prioritising contracts in white-ball leagues over their commitments to the national team during recent tours of Australia and New Zealand.
“This is an issue that needs serious reflection because while we don’t want players to suffer financially, it is also important to make them realise, especially those centrally contracted to the board, that their first priority should always be the national team,” Khawar remarked.
The acting chairman disclosed that Hafeez had inquired about a three-year contract, but decisions regarding this matter would be made by the patron-in-chief, and a proper advertising process would be followed for such a significant position.
“Hafeez was in the board offices, and he wished to see me, so I met him with chief selector Wahab Riaz and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Salman Naseer, and he informally conveyed his concerns to us,” Khawar explained.
Amidst the challenges faced by the PCB, Khawar expressed confidence that normalcy would be restored once the new board of governors took charge.