PCB trying to convince Sohail to take back resignation

Karachi:

Pakistan Cricket Board is trying to convince Aamer Sohail to reconsider his decision after the former skipper recently resigned from the twin post of PCB, Director of Game Development and as head of the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Sohail said he had decided to quit from the posts as he was not getting job satisfaction. He also made it clear that he is in no mood to withdraw his resignation and would prefer to resume his cricket commentary career.

PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt is due to meet Soahil on Tuesday and address his grievances, which largely border on the fact that the former left-handed opener has not been given a free hand to implement his plans at the NCA and as Director of Game Development of the board.

Sources in the PCB said Butt would try to convince Sohail to take back his resignation as another former player quiting from the board is likely to have an adverse affect on his tenure as Chairman.

"This is not the first time that a former player has resigned in Butt's tenure and that too in acrimonious circumstances. It is obviously not reflecting well on Butt's capabilities as a leader or an administrator," a well placed source said.

In the last seven months, two other former greats, Javed Miandad (Director of Cricket Affairs) and Abdul Qadir (Chief Selector) also resigned from their respective positions after differences with Butt.

Miandad, however, used his influence in the government to force the PCB chief to take him back but this time on a higher salary.

Sohail, when contacted, said he had taken the decision to resign after much thought.

"I have resigned due to personal reasons that is all I can say at this stage but I think the board is in a better position to give out the reasons for my resignation," he said.

Sources in the PCB said Sohail was frustrated with the delay in approving the budget for the NCA and also the fact that the Chairman and other directors were not approving the comprehensive plan he had drawn up for the academy and for the development of the game.

"Add to this his recent problems with Wasim Bari, the Director of Human Resources and it is obvious why Sohail has resigned," one source said.

Sohail was livid when Bari issued a show cause notice to him last month for not attending a game development course in London on the instructions of PCB Chairman.

However, Sohail, who had sent his deputy Ali Zia to attend the course because of his wife's illness, refused to respond to the Bari's notice.

"He was also unhappy that Bari was staying in the residential quarters of the NCA in a VIP room and paying the rent for a normal room and he had brought this to the notice of the Chairman who ignored the matter repeatedly," the source added.