Former players lambast Butt

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt has come under severe criticism from former players for his mishandling of the internal rift in the national team which led to Younus Khan being forced out from captaincy for the New Zealand tour.

Former captains Moin Khan and Aamer Sohail said they sensed the chief patron of the board - President Asif Zardari - could be making changes in the PCB soon.

"I think the time has come for changes and the way things are going I think they are going to be changes in the next few weeks," Sohail said.

Sohail though felt that instead of appointed Mohammad Yousuf as captain, the board should have backed Younus Khan all the way despite the ODI series loss to New Zealand. Moin said the situation had not been handled well by the team management and administration.

"Before the team left for Abu Dhabi every effort should have been made to sort out the problems in the team by talking to the players in one sitting," Moin said.

Former Test batsman and ex-national selector Basit Ali said it was time President Zardari took notice of the mismanagement by the present board officials.

"I think it is about time changes are made in the board and I feel this is going happen soon because the situation is not good in Pakistan cricket," he said.

Former Test player and ex-chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed was also critical off the board for not supporting Younus at this crucial juncture.

"I don't understand what sort of message the board chairman was sending out by agreeing to Younus withdrawing from the New New Zealand tour, he said.

"Younus had taken his decision because some players were not supporting him and this was an issue that was the result of poor team management and the board failed to resolve this at the right time leading to another crisis," he added.

Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia, a former chairman of the board, said weak management had led to the existing crisis in the team and another show of player power.

"I think the board chairman should start taking advice from his advisors who understand cricket. I think it would be a good idea if Javed Miandad is brought in as national coach because he can handle the situation well," Zia said.