Inclusion of tainted players a big mistake, says Sarfraz

ISLAMABAD: Expressing his utter surprise over the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to appoint tainted players as consultant members to chief selector, the Melbourne hero Sarfraz Nawaz said that such appointments would take national cricket back to those eras when match-fixing was rampant.

Talking to The News on his 75th birthday on Friday, the former Test fast bowler said he could not believe his eyes when he read the hand out issued by the PCB. “All my life I have been fighting against this menace and had to shift to England under growing life threats from the mafia. When I came to know that the PCB is making no difference in clean and tainted players, I was shocked.”

Sarfraz said that these tainted players have sold the country’s image and played with Pakistan’s prestige. “Why were these even considered for any post under the present regime? I am seriously thinking of writing a letter to PCB Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf highlighting the issue which will bring bad name to Pakistan cricket.

This is not an ordinary decision but one that will have far reaching implications. It is something serious. Look for what these tainted cricketers are there-to help the chief selector in picking the talented players for future international commitments. I am afraid that such a practice would leave a bad image on the country’s cricket. That should not have happened. It is very unfortunate that tainted players were included on the panel. It is also against the NA/Senate Committees findings and recommendations.” There are numerous clean players around with the likes of Shoaib Mohammad, Mohammad Sami and many others who could have made a real difference if added on the selection panel.

Sarfraz advised Mohammad Hafeez to resign immediately from the post of Director Coaching as he was on record to have said that he would never work in company of tainted players in any Board set-up. “He should have resigned there and then-at least when the PCB issued a hand out on the inclusion of tainted players as consultant members to the chief selector Wahab Riaz.” Sarfraz also criticised the PCB decision to send Hafeez with the team to Australia. “I think you require an experienced campaigner-the one who knows the Australian conditions well. As a player Hafeez has no performance to boost in Australia, neither he is capable of delivering as a head coach. I think Aamir Sohail should have been an ideal choice as head coach for such tough responsibilities.” Sarfraz opined that the Director Coaching job is to monitor teams, coaching staff performance busy playing domestic cricket. “Sending a brigade of 17-team officials would fetch the PCB nothing. If Inzamam-ul-Haq was a big disaster ahead of the World Cup, Hafeez would be no different.”