Karachi: Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today lashed out at PCB chief Najam Sethi saying cricket in the country has further deteriorated under him, after a sudden withdrawal of allrounders Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik from the South African tour due to fitness problems.
"This is really a joke and sad the way Pakistan cricket is being run. You mean to tell me no one knew about the fitness position of these players when the team flew straight to South Africa from Dubai," Akhtar said on Geo news channel.
"I don't know what is going to happen in Pakistan cricket because now it is at its lowest ebb. How can the team management and board say Malik and Razzaq are returning home because they are not fit. Didn't the selectors or team management not know the condition of these player why were they included for the South African tour," he asked.
Akhtar criticised Sethi and his style of management saying cricket had gone from bad to worse under him.
He deplored Sethi for having captain Misbah-ul-Haq on his talk show and then asking him questions about the team and his form and captaincy on Live TV.
"For god's sake doesn't he know he is the Chairman and not a TV anchor now. I don't know who gave him this advice to do this but it was really embarrassing the way he was cross questioning Misbah and the way he (Misbah) retorted back aggressively. It was a sham," Akhtar said.
He pointed out that he had never seen such a thing happening anywhere in his life.
"Where does the board Chairman come on television and start cross questioning his own captain," he asked.
The programme which is normally a political talk show saw Sethi asking Misbah the reasons for the team's recent performance and the captain responding rather aggressively to some questions.
Imran rubbishes PCB chief's claim of lack of talent
Imran rubbishes PCB chief's claim of lack of talent
Karachi: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan today slammed Pakistan Cricket Board interim chief Najam Sethi for his reported claim that there was a problem of talent in national cricket.
"I accept this challenge from the PCB Chairman Najam Sethi and will now interfere and get involved with Pakistan cricket affairs once again and unearth new talent," Imran said on a television show.
"Now I am compelled to say I will now get involved where necessary and I will find new talent for Pakistan cricket. To say there is no talent in our country is rubbish," said the cricketer-turned-politician.
Imran's Tehreek-e-Insaaf party now rules in the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province and has a sizeable presence in the National Assembly as well after the May general elections.
Due to his busy political career, Imran has rarely got directly involved in Pakistan cricket affairs since his retirement in 1992 and only recently made an appearance at a peace match in Peshawar organised by the sports and youth wing of his party.
Imran said it was unfortunate that the Board Chairman was trying to hide his failures by blaming it on talent.
"There is lot of talent in Pakistan cricket and I will now find it and prove him wrong ... I will find and groom talent which can serve Pakistan cricket for years," Imran, who led Pakistan to 1992 World Cup triumph, said.
"Pakistan cricket has never been short of natural talent but it is the cricket administration and royal style of running affairs which has disappointed and let down and I am now going to get involved I cricket matters where necessary," he added.
