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Pakistan concerned over task force report

KARACHI - Pakistani cricket authorities on Wednesday voiced concern over the International Cricket Council’s proposals for overhauling the sport in the troubled country.

The Pakistan Task Team (PTT), set up by cricket’s governing body, presented a report at an ICC meeting last month with 63 recommendations including changes to the style of governance and reviving matches with India.

Ijaz Butt, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said his organisation had identified discrepancies in the report.

“While the intent (of the PTT) cannot be questioned, a few discrepancies can be identified in the report, which PCB has rectified and sent to the ICC in a hope it’s taken in a positive spirit,” said a PCB release quoting Butt.

The PTT was formed to revive international tours of Pakistan, suspended after a terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009, and to strengthen the game in the country which has been battered by allegations of spot-fixing.

Its recommendations are not binding on Pakistan.

The PCB statement said it considers the report to be a “scholarly exercise” that has not made substantial steps to restart international cricket in Pakistan.

Butt urged the International Cricket Council and PTT to work on the resumption of games with India, stalled in the wake of a 2008 terror attack on Mumbai.

“Whereas the Indian government issued favourable statements regarding the resumption of cricket, the Indian Board is still waiting formal signal from its government.”

“We feel PTT and ICC can play a lead role in ensuring that all bilateral commitments are honoured by India,” the release said.

The board also rejected a PTT recommendation that the cricket chief of the country should not be appointed by President of Pakistan who also patron the PCB.

“The circumstances in Pakistan are unique and cricket administration requires and deserves government support,”

“Without government support international cricket may not return to the country,” it added.

Butt was involved in a public spat with former one-day captain Shahid Afridi, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) punished the all rounder for allegedly breaching a code of conduct and making allegations against the board.