Misbah was right choice, says Butt

DUBAI — Pakistan cricket is facing an array of problems and it was evident during the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt’s visit to ICC headquarters on Tuesday.

By Liaqat Ali

Published: Fri 15 Oct 2010, 12:12 AM

Last updated: Tue 14 Nov 2023, 3:31 PM

He was a forlorn figure during the opening ceremony of Global Cricket Academy at Dubai Sports City.

After a series of attempts he agreed to talk to Khaleej Times but there were no clear answers.

While answering a question about the Misbahul Haq’s nomination as Test captain for South Africa series being played in the UAE, he said: “Misbah is a top performer in domestic cricket and there is no harm in naming as captain.

“He is well-educated and we hope he will handle the pressure well to bring the best out the youngsters against South Africa.”

Butt, who himself played Test cricket, has failed to cure the ills of Pakistan cricket. He has been roundly criticised in Pakistan and abroad for his mismanagement.

He is known for taking hasty decisions and then retracting. The recent example is his allegations against England team of throwing the matches for money.

He added: “We are trying our best to solve the problems faced by cricket in the country. It is not true that the boys are not taught about perils they can face by committing mistakes.”

Butt was adamant that game is on the right track in the country.

He said: “After losing first two one-dayers against England, Pakistan made a great comeback to level the series.

“It shows that there is no dearth of talent in the country. Afridi is doing a fine job as a one-day and Twenty20 captain and we hope Misbah will rally the boys against strong South Africa in the UAE.”

He added: “Pakistan is preparing well for World Cup to be held in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

“Since it is being played on the subcontinent pitches, Pakistan has chance to reach the knock-out stages.”

International teams are reluctant to visit Pakistan due to security reasons and the country is forced to play its home series on foreign lands.

Butt said: “It is very sad that Pakistani spectators are devoid of cricket due to reasons beyond our control but the hosts of neutral venues extract a big chunk of money from us.

“The UAE even charges more than England does. Money aspect should be kept in mind while hosting neutral series.

“We are forced to play outside because of problems at home but it should not be exploited by the other countries.”