Dr Altaf to take up Shabbir's issue with ICC

Islamabad, Oct 25: Pakistan Cricket Board Ad hoc Committee will take up the issue of Pakistan's newest pace sensation Shabbir Ahmed with the International Cricket Board (ICC) whose "arbitrary" decision in slapping the investigation over bowling action of the youngster had triggered wide ranging criticism in Pakistan media.

The newly appointed chairman of PCB ad hoc committee Dr Zafar Altaf, minced no words in condemning the lack of leadership at the helms of cricket affairs in administering the vital issue involving career of a budding pace bowler.

Dr Altaf was talking to Dawn after his appointment was given official status through a notification issued by the Ministry of Sports on Monday afternoon following approval by the Patron-in-Chief President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar. Dr Altaf who has served Pakistan cricket in various capacities including the manager of Pakistan team during the World Cup in England,has replaced Mujeebur Rehman.

Commenting on the issue of Shabbir Ahmed who was dropped from Pakistan's Australia-bound team, Dr Altaf said that he had seen the bowling action of the youngster and found no flaw in it with that. The chairman ad hoc committee maintained that umpires are the controlling authority in the field and if the umpire did not call the bowler for a no-ball over a suspect action then the match referee had no point in doing so.

"I am going to Lahore to see what the records say, but, definitely the case will be taken up in earnest," the official said.

The official did not rule out changes in the present cricket set up, besides, looking up the dozens of swift financial decisions by the former chairman. "I firmly believe that the cricket board's money should be spent judiciously since it has come due to the hard work of the players," he said.

The official said that there were advantages and disadvantages of having a foreign coach but maintained that people who have played a vital role in grooming cricketers in Pakistan during hot summer days should also be in the forefront of national cricket.

He said that the on-going process of club-scrutiny will be completed as planned and vowed to work for the promotion of domestic cricket.

Dr Zafar Altaf first tenure as member of the ad hoc committee was in late 1970s. He also worked as secretary of the then Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan in the same decade. Between 1994 and 1995 he served as a member of the ad hoc committee and was appointed chief selector when the reconstituted Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was formed in 1995. His last assignment was as manager of the Pakistan cricket team during the World Cup.

By virtue of being appointed as chairman of the ad hoc committee, Zafar Altaf will automatically be the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

Zafar Altaf, when contacted in Islamabad on Monday, confirmed that he received the official notification at 4:30pm.

He was quick to spell out his agenda of this term.

"Everything will change. The cricket set-up will not be the same as it was about two weeks ago," he said.

Explaining the changes he would make, Zafar Altaf said the selection committee and the members of the ad hoc committee will be the first panels that would be replaced immediately.

He added that domestic cricket will be restructured as there was quantity but no quality.

"I will see the contracts of the Pakistan cricket coach and physiotherapist before deciding what has to be done about the two. But the two will not be replaced, if they have to be replaced, until the conclusion of the first leg of the Australian tour," he said.

He said he has fixed no deadline when to appoint the new faces in the ad hoc and selection committees but minced no words in saying that he had a short-list of people in mind who had worked with him and knew his style of working.

Regarding the members of the ad hoc committee, he said he knew which people he would be inducting but said he has to first seek their availability before announcing them.

According to well placed sources, Col.Naushad Ali will be one of the co-opted members of the ad hoc committee.

As for the selection committee, Zafar Altaf hinted that he would reappoint the body of Wasim Bari. "There was no logic or reason to replace Wasim Bari's selection committee. It had done a terrific job.

"I don't want to commit that I would reappoint the same set of selectors but yes, some of the new selectors will be from the same committee," he stated.

Salahuddin Ahmad and Shafiq Ahmad were the members of Wasim Bari's selection committee.

About the domestic circuit, Zafar Altaf said Pakistan was producing excellent fast bowlers but no quality batsmen. Efforts have to be made at the national front to produce good, solid and consistent batsmen.

"The concentration will now shift from administration to cricket. This is my agenda and I have full blessings of the government," he stressed.

Zafar Altaf, who has always expressed his annoyance at allegations of betting and match-fixing in Pakistan cricket in the past, said he would like to see the report of the judicial commission which has been submitted to the sports ministry.

He said until he sees it, he cannot comment on the issue. "If I have anything to say, I will say directly to my Patron (Mohammad Rafiq Tarar)," he said.

However, he said it was very strange and disturbing when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) itself became a prosecutor in the entire issue.

"After whatever experience I have gained from the current players, I can confirm that there has been no such activities as pointed out by various quarters. What I have observed (during the World Cup) was that the players played for the glory and reputation of the country," he said.