Karachi: Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB,) Ijaz Butt has claimed that enormous political pressure were being exerted on PCB over the issue of Shahid Afridi. “ I have received thousands of phone calls so far and became so fed up that now I did not receive phone call. Some political parties have became very active over the matter but I would not budge to the political pressure, as it is an internal matter of PCB,” he added.
Leveling a number of serious allegations against the dethrone captain of Pakistani cricket team and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi during an interview, Ijaz Butt said that there were various reasons to remove Shahid Afridi from captaincy besides the violation of code of conduct by giving public statement in the media.
He accused the former captain of leaking details of confidential board and management’s meeting out to media, besides not allowing many young and talented players to be included in the national team.
He alleged that Afridi was fearful that if he gave chances to the youngsters, they would replace him.
Butt said that Afridi vetoed a proposal to include Selector Muhammand Ilyas’ son-in-law, Imran Farhat, in the national team. He claimed that no one in the national team except two to three players was with Afridi. He claimed that many youngsters had complained to him by weeping against Afridi’s attitude with them.
To a question about Wasim Akram’s criticism of PCB action against Afridi, he lashed out at the former great, dubbing him a convict match fixer. Butt asked Wasim Akram to mind his own business, saying that he did not have any right to interfere in PCB affairs while sitting in India. When asked not only Wasim Akram but many other former players were also criticizing PCB action against Afridi, he said that all those who are criticizing PCB wanted some position in PCB but now criticizing PCB and its management when they were denied positions in the board. “Had I ignored the violation of code of conduct by Afridi, then the player power would have return to the team and Afridi wanted to bring back the player power to the team, which would not be allowed at any cost. What Afridi wanted by holding press conferences, organizing rallies and public meetings and reaching out to political leader? Does he want to get his NOC restored though this? I want to make it clear that his NOC would not be restored and now its up to the disciplinary committee to restore his NOC or not,” he added.
The ageing PCB chief also came hard on chief selector Muhsin Hassan Khan during the interview, saying that he was too very fond of giving statements in media. When asked that Mohsin Hassan had also complaints about interference in the affairs of selection, Butt said Mohsin was very fond of giving statement in media. When asked that it seemed that one day he will also be addressing a press conference against the PCB management’s attitude, Ijaz Butt said let him do that yar. “Rather I would suggest him to become assistant of Shahid Afridi and both should contest election in future.
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