'I never interfere in cricketing or selection matters'

In the second part of Cricinfo's interview with Nasim Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman discusses impending changes in the domestic structure and the case of the missing constitution and answers accusations against his management style.

CI: Moving on to domestic cricket, regional associations will be financially strengthened under this board. Where does it leave departments in the scheme of things?

NA:I have been in touch with regional associations constantly to find out what it is that they want. For example, they wanted local selectors in their associations - they weren't there in the past and with good reason too, because of nepotism and infighting. Now there is a three-member committee, a chairman and one member from the region and one from the board will join them as a monitor to make sure there is transparency. From the West Indian series last year, for all the gate money for the matches, half goes to region and half to the local association that held the match. Basically, all of it goes back.

We want to offer financial support for regions to pay players, say, 10,000 rupees a month as salary. In that system, and this is just thinking out loud, we will pay 10,000 rupees a month to every domestic cricketer picked by the regional selector, so essentially they will have their own central contracts with the region. We will pay them double the current match fee so an average first class cricketer makes something like Rs 200,000 annually. We have discussed it informally and the idea is well received. Associations have an immensely important role to play.

And where does this leave departments?

It doesn't mean we are doing away with departments. No decision has been made. We have to evolve a consensus by speaking to departments and asking them what they want. I want them to tell me. Many have disbanded their sports teams. Then we will meet regions. Basically, we want to make domestic cricket more competitive, to reduce the gap between domestic and international. Any decision will be based on what various stakeholders have to say.

What timeframe do you have in mind for these changes?

We want to wrap these ideas up and introduce them in the 2007-08 domestic season which starts in December. The challenge is that there is so much international cricket, our national players don't find time to play domestic cricket. You can put in any structure you want, but if the top cricketers do not play domestic, your standards will not improve. There will be no TV interest, therefore no financial resources. India faces a similar problem so how to tackle this in a way so we don't jeopardise our domestic game will be discussed at the ICC.

What is the latest with the constitution? Many promises were made, yet it remains elusive.

I am totally committed to the constitution. Within two weeks of taking office the revised version of the constitution was sent to the Patron's office, which then sent it to the Attorney General. It is still sitting there. He is obviously busy with more pressing matters of state but as soon as he vets it legally and it is approved by the Patron, that constitution will be implemented the next day. We already have a proper functioning board with a highly qualified ad-hoc committee. All decisions are approved and made by it but I am personally committed to the constitution.

What will your position be once the constitution does come? Will you have to be re-elected?

No, right from the beginning of the board, the president or chairman is always appointed by the patron who is the president of Pakistan. That is the system we have and it should be kept that way, otherwise it becomes too political. If you look at some countries which have democratic boards, they have lots of difficulties in running them.

There have been accusations that you don't have enough time for cricket, particularly with your other official commitments (as chairman of the National Commission for Human Development).

This is absolutely invalid. All chairmen globally are not full-time. Sharad Pawar is a federal minister. The Sri Lankan president is the owner of a hospital chain. David Morgan, Sir John Anderson, Ray Mali, all of them. I have plenty of time and I enjoy this.

It is said that you are too hands-on and interfere in team matters.

Absolutely not. My job is man management and motivation of the team. I never interfere in cricketing or selection matters. I do reinforce the absolute demand for fitness. I encourage them in terms of lifting morale and handling pressure situations and things like that. The feedback I get from the team is that they feel motivated by my presence. If I was watching a game from the dressing room in South Africa, of which a fuss has been made, it is ridiculous. I was just watching and if the team didn't do well, I would only motivate them in broad terms. My job is man management and support, to motivate the team and give them the best environment within which to operate.

Why did you resign after the World Cup?

Because I was the head of the organisation and we had had a poor performance at the World Cup. As head, I felt it was my moral responsibility to resign.

But are we then to believe that, having resigned once, you are still committed to the job?

As I told you, I only resigned because I thought it was my moral responsibility. I have a very clear plan for Pakistan cricket. I am committed to this and we are building a team for 2011. In terms of my personal obligation and commitment I am giving 100%. I am able to do that in a very balanced way with my commitments to the NCHD. If there was any compromise, I would accept that and resign. I am absolutely confident, feeling fresh and excited.

This is a fresh start after the World Cup. Between October and March we were in a holding pattern. We had been advised and had decided, and announced, that we would implement and introduce our plans after the World Cup.