LAHORE- Former cricketer Abdul Razzaq criticized PCB Chairman Zakauddin Ashraf, claiming that the chairmen of the Pakistan Cricket Board are primarily appointed for ceremonial purposes but he started enjoying.
Abdul Razzaq revealed that when Zakauddin Ashraf assumed the position of PCB Chairman in 2011, he seemed to relish the role. Remarkably, he said, Zakauddin Ashraf had been making efforts to regain the position of PCB Chairman for the past 11 to 12 years.
He made these remarks on a local private TV. Former cricketer Sikandar Bakht and Imad Wasim were also present there.
Razzaq remarked that Zakauddin Ashraf’s appointment as chairman was seemingly due to his reticence during official meetings, where he seldom spoke for more than a minute.
The former cricketer went on to express his dissatisfaction with the team selection for the World Cup, asserting that it did not feature the best players. He further argued that injustice had consistently been done to one or two players. Razzaq particularly singled out Imad Wasim, stating that his inclusion in the team would have greatly benefited Pakistan.
Razzaq also emphasized that the body language of Pakistani players seemed to change when facing weaker and stronger teams, which, he believed, did not reflect the attributes of a strong team. Besides it, he commented on Pakistan’s changes to the team against Bangladesh, suggesting that if they had used the same team from the start, the situation might have been different.
In addressing the resignation of Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, Razzaq noted that if Inzamam was innocent, he should not have resigned. He urged for more practice matches before major tournaments, highlighting Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, and Nepal as suitable opponents.
Imad Wasim, a national cricketer, expressed his hope that Pakistan could replicate their performance against Bangladesh when playing against New Zealand and England. He underlined the importance of effective communication between the PCB, coaches, and players and suggested the need for a platform where players could voice their concerns.
Imad also pointed out that several players in the Pakistan team had significant T20 experience, and he believed that his role was to perform, while the rest was in the hands of others.
Former cricketer Sikandar Bakht said that Zaka Ashraf is a blue eye of former President Asif Ali Zardari and he made a politicized attempt while leaving the personal Whatsapp chat of Babar Azam.
