Pakistan board may come under sports ministry

The Pakistan Cricket board could come under the authority of the sports ministry if a bill, being worked out by the senate committee, is passed in the Parliament. The senate committee on sports met with board officials on Saturday and informed them that the government was concerned about the decline of cricket in the country.

"They [PCB officials] have been told in clear words that all's not well in Pakistan cricket," Enver Ali Beg, a senate committee member, told the News, a Pakistan daily. "They were told that things will soon change with a government legislation that would end the days of free rides enjoyed by the PCB bosses."

The committee was especially concerned about how the national team had slipped down the ICC rankings. Pakistan are placed sixth in Tests and fifth in the ODI rankings. Since 2006 they have won only two Tests away from home, both in the subcontinent. Their home record for that period isn't too impressive either, with only three wins from eight Tests. In ODIs they have done better, winning 29 out of 54 since January 2006.

"We are aware that when he [Ashraf] took over as PCB chairman Pakistan were ranked number three in both the Test and ODI rankings," Beg said. "Now we are currently placed at No. 6 in Test rankings and No. 5 in the ODI list. That clearly shows that our team has done badly under Ashraf. We reminded him that it was the senate committee's efforts during the last four years which forced the PCB bosses to adopt a constitution."

Beg recently criticised the board for imposing the ban on Shoaib Akhtar and called for a revamp of the cricket administration in the country.