Naming of captain an intriguing task for PCB (29 December 1998)

29 December 1998

Naming of captain an intriguing task for PCB

By Our Sports Reporter

KARACHI, Dec 28: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faces a ticklish time when its executive council meets at Lahore on Jan 3 without knowing the contents of the judicial commission report.

The crisis the PCB faces is what will happen if they appoint a captain whose name is recommended by the judicial commission for ban.

PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood admitted that it was difficult time ahead of the authorities. "It is a crucial stage and we will take to think collectively as to how we can overcome the problem," he said.

The judicial commission report, according to sources, is expected in the third week of next month which coincides with Pakistan cricket team's tour of India.

"The executive council will be briefed of their situation and whatever decision is taken, would be implemented.

"There is a suggestion that the executive council may request the judicial commission to submit the report as early as possible or delay it till such time that the team returns from India," he said from Lahore.

Khalid Mahmood said the agenda of the council meeting also includes the appointment of the team management for the tour of India. Informed sources said several names, which cannot be identitied, were being discussed with the exception of Yawar Saeed's name which stands out prominently.

"It is a very delicate tour and we have to appoint a manager who can tackle every issue professionally. We don't want any unnecessary controversies. Instead, we want that this tour to improve the relations between the two countries," a spokesman of the PCB said.

Yawar Saeed was the manager of the team which beat England 2-0 on the 1996 tour. He was also the manager when Pakistan won the World Series in Australia for the first time in 17 years in the same year.

Current team manager Azhar Zaidi has already expressed his inability to tour India citing domestic commitments.

Khalid Mahmood said he has received a reply from the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) in which they have explained why it kept the decision of penalising its two players secret.

"Their reply is not very different from what the ACB officials have said in their recent press statements.

"Their reply will be put before the executive council which will decide how to proceed. If a letter has to be sent, the tentative draft of it would be finalized by the executive council," he said.

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)