dhobi_bhai

____________

Cricinfo understands, however, that differences had arisen between the chairman of the board, Ijaz Butt, and Qadir. In particular, a recent selection committee meeting in Lahore to pick Pakistan's A squad for their tour to Australia is said to have been pivotal in Qadir's eventual decision.

During the meeting, it is believed Butt and Qadir developed differences over the squad's composition. One source said that Qadir had been irked by Butt's less than tactful dealings with him and was disturbed by interference in selection matters. Butt is said to have taken serious objection to some of the selections in the squad.

The deterioration in his relationship with Butt, however, appears to have been more critical, leaving Pakistan looking for its fourth chief selector since the 2007 World Cup.

For full article, CricInfo

____________

It's all happening...

Amabel

Good for Abdul Qadir. I hope he makes it a huge deal and go to the media.
Ijaz Butt doesn't qualify to be the chairman of Cricket Board anyways. He should realize it and stop interfering.

dhobi_bhai

Still no news has emerged other than the resignation.

Back in February, Ejaz Butt was grilled by the senate over the issue of Javed Miandad at the time, performance of PCB as an employer because they were cutting off their workforce to reduce losses, and also, a major issue at that time was the ground renovation work at Qaddafi stadium which was given to another contractor who estimated it to be much higher than the comparable low estimate given to Nasim Ashraf administration by another contractor.

Just like the previous administration of Nasim Ashraf and how they were grilled by the senate because they promised "transparency" of PCB and the change from ad-hoc to a proper, salaried positions, similar thing happened with this regime. Senate went as far as telling that it is best to "dissolve PCB".

dhobi_bhai

____________

Having maintained a steady silence since he abruptly stepped down from his post as chief selector earlier this week, Abdul Qadir finally let loose on the reasons behind his decision, blaming primarily a lack of independence in his role. Qadir also said had it been his choice, Pakistan's Twenty20 side would not be led by Younis Khan and that Shoaib Malik would not be in the side at all.

"Why did I resign? If you do not get the respect, the justice or independence in your job it is better to leave," Qadir told Cricinfo. "If the PCB does not honour its contract then what is the point? I was told I would be given independence and a free hand in selection but that has not been the case."

The spark for the differences seems to have emerged from the ambiguous parameters assigned to the chief selector. The board's policy, for home games, is that the selection committee decides on a playing XI, in consultation with coach and captain. According to Qadir, 'consultation' allowed, effectively, the team management to finalise the XI without any input from selectors.

"The contract says that if there is a dispute over the final XI for a home game, the selector decides in consultation with coach and captain," Qadir said. "Here, the coach and manager and captain were deciding the XI so the selectors were not doing anything. Even the players for the central contracts - we had no say in that. If guys like Yawar Saeed and Intikhab Alam are handling these things, interfering, then why have selectors?"

Several ideas of his, Qadir said, had not been considered. One was a suggestion on improving Pakistan's bench strength by organizing matches between four teams with all the best talent in Pakistan. Other ideas were more radical. Had he been given the independence he wanted, for example, Younis would not be the captain of Pakistan's Twenty20 side.

"When I first was appointed as selector I said then we should have two captains but they didn't listen to me. I would've asked Younis to step down from ODI and Twenty20 cricket and made Shahid Afridi captain in both formats. I would've kicked Shoaib Malik out of the side totally because I noticed in Dubai that he is conspiring and forming cliques against Younis."

"I did not do this for the money. I kick the PCB's money. I did it to bring justice to Pakistan's real talent that goes unnoticed every day. The whole system has to change and men such as Yawar Saeed and Intikhab Alam have to be removed from it. Otherwise nothing will change. I have nothing against Ijaz Butt but the system must change."

For full article, CricInfo

____________

Amabel

The Chairman of PCB should pay attention to the business matters and leave the technical stuff for the selecters etc....
and this is common sense which is apparently not understood by the officials, probably because "dictatorship" is in the blood of a lot of people in PK.

PCB has wasted the talent of so many retired cricketers - now Abdul Qadir is another one in the list.

dhobi_bhai

What you mentioned are all valid points. PCB chairmans' are one step worse than their predecessors.

This is what I ask. During the match against Netherlands, Ejaz Butt was in the dugout with the players. Is that a place for the chairman? At one point, when Pakistan were close to victory, camera showed Ejaz Butt near the boundary rope clapping and throwing his hands in the air as a fist. Shouldn't the coach (Intikhab Alam) be in a position of Ejaz Butt, regardless of whether it is cheering the team on or sitting in the team's dugout? What business does a chairman of the committee has standing on the boundary ropes and swinging his hands wildly like a celebration? Ejaz Butt has long forgotten what his role in the committee is, the minute he started his "hiring and firing" when he walked in the door.

Amabel

Well, he is not a professional. Whats his education & experience background?
There needs to be a set hiring criteria including education, as well as set Job Requirements. PCB should be run just like any corporate.... i.e.

1. A CEO - who oversees the long-term PCB strategy in terms of where should PK cricket stand, internally and internationally 6 months from now or 3 years from now.
2. A VP of Cricket Management - who oversees the finances, management, publicity, ..... overall business side.
3. A VP of Cricket Affairs - who oversees the captain, coach, team selection etc. This position must require someone who has a strong cricket background.
These 2 VPs should have various officials report to them. and they must not interfere in each others depts.

As you've mentioned, what the heck was Ijaz Butt doing in the stadium, let alone the boundary rope. Its infact embarrasing.
Other than the team manager, Coach, doctor and team members, nobody should be allowed in the stadium unless they purchase their own tickets and sit with the supporters.

dhobi_bhai

Amabel, you are absolutely right. The way you have approached things in your post, unfortunately PCB does not deal with this kind of professionalism and sophistication.

In your last point, the (immediate) children of cricketers are routinely seen sitting in the teams' dugouts and at times standing near the boundary ropes.

Wasim Bari is back as the interim chief selector.

Amabel

Whats your say on Wasim Bari's selection. I remember he had similar postion with PCB earlier but don't remember how exactly he worked....

The sad thing is, Abdul Qadir resigned on valid issues and nobody even cared. Maybe its the time we shoud just forget about PK cricket, like we did with Hockey & then Sqaush.

dhobi_bhai

Wasim Bari's reign as chief selector during Nasim Ashraf-run PCB was filled with one bad selection over another. The biggest blunder to come out from the entire episode was the fact that we refused to correct our opening problem. At that time, we did not have Ahmed Shahzads and Khurram Manzoors or perhaps someone up and coming who could fill the top slot. The only players for selection at the top order were as follows: Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat and Mohammad Hafeez. These three would get juggled around so much at the top order that at one point, it almost became a game of 'bari bari'. Sometimes it looked like the talent has dried up, no new players were available to choose from. But the talent that we had in the team was surreal. Mohammad Asif (before any of his episodes) was exceptional against India and Sri Lanka. Inzamam was the captain then, and paired with Mohammad Yousuf with Younis Khan, we have the strongest middle order perhaps out of anyone.

I don't intend to see a breakthrough in the selection process because everyone and everything is tried and tested with. New players are already in the team, making a name for themselves. The only issue and concern I have is how Wasim Bari is going to handle the contract 'A' nominee Shoaib Akhtar. As we know, he has played what, 3 matches against Australia since PCB handed out central contracts? He has remained in the category 'A' sitting in the sidelines. After the conclusion of World Twenty20, I will open a separate thread to discuss this whole issue. Meanwhile, it would be interesting to see what kind of relationship forms between Bari and Akhtar.

You said we should just forget about Pakistan cricket. When we lost to Ireland two years ago (which was eventually overshadowed by Woolmer's death case), a lot of people did. We keep underestimating ourselves as to what kind of deep trench we manage to fall into, but we manage to fall deeper everytime.

Amabel

lol at "bari bari"
Thanks for the details. I remember it now. what can we say... even those mohallay ki teams have better thinking & strategy.
About Shoaib Akhtar, I kinda feel bad for him - God knows what happened to him. but it seems he has some strong contacts because he always gets PCB on his side unlike some others.

Seriously I think we've accustomed to long march kinda protests - only that can save the PK cricket from PCB...