PCB yet to recommend names for civil award

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not recommended names of any of its player for the prestigious Pride of Performance award to be conferred by the President on March 23.

A top official of the PCB confirmed that he had no information regarding the names of the players, admitting that no nominations had been sent until Monday.

"If there had been a move, some document pleading the case of the player must have been prepared," the spokesman said, adding: "I am not sure if the PCB chairman decides in next few days to nominate the names of a few players."

The director general of the Pakistan Sports Board, Brig Saulat Abbas, said from Islamabad that all the affiliated units of the PSB have been directed to suggest the names of their players who have achieved anything significant at the international level.

"But the PCB comes directly under the President and not the PSB," he said.

President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar is the Patron-in-chief of the PCB.

The Brigadier added: "In the next 20 days, the list of sports personalities to be awarded the Pride of Performance would be released."

Pakistan cricket is plagued with controversies with corruption charges still hanging over some of the leading players despite the publication and implementation of Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's report on match-fixing.

To rub salt into the wounds, Pakistan cricket team's performance in the year that has just concluded has been a mixed bag. Last time any cricketer got the Pride of Performance award was few years back.

Last year, the PCB honoured Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar with lifetime achievement awards.