Zaheer Abbas quits PCB post

BY : A CORRESPONDENT.
KARACHI: Former Test captain Zaheer Abbas has resigned as a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) playing committee.

Known as the ‘Asian Bradman’ in his playing days for his artistic batting skills, Zaheer confirmed on Tuesday that he had sent in his resignation to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which nominates members from Pakistan on various committees of the ICC.

Zaheer has served in various capacities on different ICC committees and was till recently a member of the playing committee.

Having served on the technical committee for the 1996 World Cup he was also on the committee set up by the ICC to access the cricket infrastructure in Kenya before deciding to award them One-day International and test status.

Zaheer said he had resigned because of his other commitments and also because he didn’t want to be involved in a conflict of interests with the Board.

The former captain has been contributing a popular weekly column for a English daily which has at times contained some hard truths and facts about the mistakes made by the Board in recent times.

Sources say apparently some people in the board have not been able to accept the strong writing style of the former captain and recently he was conveyed this indirectly in a letter regarding his position on the ICC playing committee.

After which Zaheer decided it was best if he sent in his resignation. Zaheer who has also served as a chief selector and Pakistan team manager on several occasions in the past said he was pained by the ongoing problems between the chief selector and the team management being carried in the newspapers.

"I feel sad because to me being a former Test player who played for Pakistan with pride nothing is greater than the interests of the team. It is the team that has to perform and represents the country. Individuals should not be allowed to overrun team interests at the altar of ego problems," he said.

Zaheer said he had no doubt that the Board could improve in a lot of areas and the Chairman needed to be stronger about some things. "If the team is doing well everything is okay but if the team starts falling apart than no one is willing to except any excuse and it is the board which is held responsible," he pointed out.

- The News International, Pakistan.

Wednesday, November 19, 2003.
source : © UAEcricket.com.