Departure of Miandad - why? (23 April 1999)

23 April 1999

Departure of Miandad - why?

Hasan Masood

The whole cricketing world is perhaps shocked about the resignation of the Pakistan coach Javed Miandad last Wednesday. But, believe it or not! It was very much on the card.

Ever since excerpts of the proceedings of the Qayyum Inquiry Commission was made public last February, it was just a matter of time. The testimony of 16 people before the commission over match-fixing allegations in Pakistan were exposed by the Indian weekly, "Outlook", four days before the first match of the Asian Test Championship between India and Pakistan.

Among those 16, Miandad's testimony, which was recorded by the commission before the tour of India began, appeared first in a serial where he clearly charged Wasim Akram, Salim Malik, Waqar Younis, Ijaz Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saeed Anwar for their involvement in match-fixing during Imran Khan's captaincy. He also named a few of them for being involved in the dirty business in Pakistan's domestic cricket. Miandad recommended that those cricketers be banned for life for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

Ironically, five of the six cricketers named - Wasim, Saeed, Malik, Ijaz and Waqar - were in the Pakistan team playing at Calcutta when the weekly released its February 22 issue on February 12, ten days before it was scheduled to go on market.

What can be the morale in the dressing room when five key players of a team learn that their coach testified against them in an inquiry on match-fixing?

On many occasions in the recent past, Pakistan captain Wasim Akram praised Javed Miandad for his profound coaching as Pakistan were winning matches. But, the speedster's inner dejection with his coach after reading the 'Outlook' was apparent when he arrived for the official press conference at the Eden Gardens without "Bare Miah" on February 15. Tour manager Shaharyar Khan, who accompanied Wasim at the press conference, was too eager to praise the city of Calcutta instead of explaining why Miandad was not present as per tradition.

Things did not change during the five-day match as, after winning the Test, Wasim once again faced the press without his coach, although he was praising him all the while.

It was gathered that during those five days, none of those five senior players maintained any warmth in their relationship with the coach.

Wasim's attitude towards his coach was once more made public when the Pakistan team arrived in Dhaka last month to play the final against Sri Lanka.

The official press conference of the Pakistan team was scheduled at the Sonargaon Hotel immediately after the team's arrival. Miandad, knowing the official schedule, entered the conference room first and started talking to the press informally. Wasim came up to the door of the conference room and, seeing Miandad there, he quickly changed his course of movement and went to his room.

Miandad, after waiting for about ten minutes and realising that Wasim would not appear before the press along with him, went to his room. Shortly after Miandad left the conference room the tall Pakistan captain returned with a happy face along with the tour manager Mohammad Munir.

It became apparent that very day that Miandad might have to lose his job on account of Wasim, who was bringing laurels for the team.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who are seemingly not very keen to dig out the match-fixing allegations before the World Cup, put Miandad in greater problem when they named all those cricketers in their 15-man World Cup squad. Miandad was reportedly unhappy with the selection of the WC squad. But PCB would not budge as long as the team continues to bring success.

The row between Miandad and the senior players of the Pakistan team finally came out of the bag during the Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah earlier this month when Miandad lodged a complaint with the PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood that his team played a fixed match against England.

Mahmood is very close to Wasim and he declined to believe Miandad's allegation. And, that perhaps finally forced Miandad to submit his resignation after returning home last week.

What Miandad said before the Qayyum Inquiry Commission

"On one occasion, I was informed that there had been match-fixing but I refused to believe it. The person concerned put me on telephone conference with that third player. Two of the players were agreeing and two were not. I disclosed this fact to Imran Khan immediately on telephone. As a result, we decided to bet the amount of the runners-up prize on the Pakistan team in Sharjah. That match was won by us.

"The manner in which the Pakistan team played and lost certain matches led me to the conclusion that there was some truth in the allegation regarding match-fixing and betting. There are different methods of match-fixing and the players have to give indication to show that the match has been fixed. In 1992-93 when I was captain, I was subsequently informed by Idrees, brother of Hanif Kentbury (a bookmaker), that he had bought three of my players, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and another whose name I don't remember.

"I know Saleem Parvez who has friends who are involved in gambling. If he (Saleem Parvez) says that he had paid money to some Pakistani players in Sri Lanka, it must be true. I believe that the Australian players were telling the truth, In their culture nobody accuses another without any foundation. I strongly recommend that the culprits be punished sternly. They should be banned for life and even if we have to sacrifice the whole team we should do so in order to salvage the country and the cricket team.

"I know that in Sri Lanka Saleem Parvez was staying in the same hotel where Pakistan team was staying. In one of the matches in the Australasia Cup, Saeed Anwar had retired hurt and amazingly he came back to bat at No 9. He should have come back much earlier. The modest total of 162 runs was by no means a difficult target to achieve in 50 overs. It is not understandable as to how Pakistan could not achieve the target. Once Mushtaq Ahmed confided to me that the evil of match-fixing in the team is going on and once he was also involved.

"So far as I know, Even the veteran Pakistan team which recently visited India was also involved in this malpractice.

"The Domestic match to which Imran had referred was in which I was captain of Habib Bank. One day subsequent to the match, I was informed that the match was fixed. This information was given to me by one Afzal of Bisco carpets. He disclosed that five of the players had been won over.

"In order to fix a match, it is not essential that the captain of the team must also be involved. Five key players suffice. In the said match, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed were also playing for Habib Bank Limited. The names of the players disclosed to me by Afzal were Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmed, Akram Raza, Nadeem Ghori and Naveed Anjum. What I have heard is that the senior players have been influencing younger players also in order to persuade them to indulge in match-fixing."

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)