S Hasan: Mushtaq quitting job, says he is not greedy (31 May 1997)

31 May 1997

Mushtaq quitting job, says he is not greedy

By Samiul Hasan

KARACHI, May 30: Mushtaq Mohammad on Friday said he was told by the Chief Executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Majid Khan, that India's tour was his last as Pakistan team's cricket manager.

"I don't want any controversies but the fact of the matter is that Majid Khan had conveyed the decision to me two hours before the team was to embark on the Indian trip," Mushtaq told Dawn referring to his statement of quitting the job because he was under-paid. Mushtaq's contract with the PCB was due to expire on Aug 31. The switch in the PCB decision means that there will be a new coach of the team when it plays the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka between July 14 and 27.

Mushtaq, who was skipper of Majid Khan in his playing days, said before leaving for the Australian tour last November, he had written to Majid to review his contract. "I talked to him again when I returned from Down Under but when the team was about to leave for India he came down to me and said the Council had refused to improve my contract and that this was my last tour. "Frankly speaking, I was heart-broken. I didn't like the way I was treated. Since my future was crystal clear, I took the opportunity of massive electronic and print media coverage for the Independence Cup to convey the other Test-playing countries about my availability as a professional coach".

"I don't think I have breached any Code of Conduct. I haven't criticised the board. I only said that I will not be coaching the Pakistan team after the Indian tour. And I said this because the Chief Executive himself told me that this was my last tour," Mushtaq said. Mushtaq refuted claims that he was greedy. "Cricket is my livelihood. Every professional goes for better opportunities but that doesn't mean everybody is penny-pinching. I ask the people who have criticised me that haven't they changed loyalties as professional cricketers when they were offered better packages," questioned Mushtaq? However, Mushtaq emphasised that no one but he was responsible in this issue. "I made the mistake of signing the contract. No one forced me. "I had signed the contract hoping that if the team performed well and my show was equally good, I would be offered an enhanced contract. The performance of the team from Canada to India is no hidden secret but even if my services are not being acknowledged, I would rather back out than beg for a contract".

"I am extremely grateful to the cricket administrators who have given me an opportunity to serve the country," said a dejected Mushtaq. Asked about his previous package when he was the cricket manager in 1995-96, Mushtaq said it was an ideal one. "Me and Majid were being paid equal to the amount which Javed Miandad used to get because then Miandad had not retired. That included all the allowances and share in the sponsorship as well".

"If Majid had retained the previous arrangement, I would have been paid equal to the amount which Salim Malik would have got after every series. But I don't know why that policy was changed. After all, Majid also benefited from that scheme." Commenting on the Pakistan team's performance in the Independence Cup, Mushtaq said it was quite satisfactory. "In the absence of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmad and Aamir Sohail, we were considered under-dogs. But we played well with the limited resources and managed to qualify for the finals." Mushtaq was, nevertheless, not happy with the bowling at all. "We bowled badly and in the end it was a below standard performance. Except for Aqib Javed, who took five wickets on a couple of occasions, none of the other bowlers clicked. How do you expect to win matches when the bowlers concede 300 runs between them. There was no excuse for such a horrible bowling performance. "I don't think Ramiz Raja made many mistakes in the field. He set the field according to the demands of the bowlers but what he can do when his bowler starts bowling on either side of the wicket. You can't set a field for a bowler who is wayward.

"With whatever resources Raja had, he couldn't have done better," said Mushtaq. Mushtaq, however, emphasised that besides the bowling, everything went against his side. "At Mohali in the first final, there was dust storm and we had to bowl 90 minutes in those conditions. Can you imagine when the bowler was running to send his delivery, he was eating all dust with some going into the eyes. Ramiz Raja complained to the umpires about the conditions but his plea was turned down. During those 90 minutes, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start and we also missed four catches. "If anything was left in making things worse, Inzamamul Haq fractured his thumb and Abdul Razzak's blood vessel was busted. So we were left with just nine players," recalled Mushtaq. At Calcutta, Mushtaq continued, Ramiz Raja lost a vital toss and Sri Lanka piled up 309. "We couldn't get the opening start we wanted and consequently kept struggling".

"Here I want to say that the batting was not that consistent. Saeed Anwar played a marvellous and electrifying innings but that was the only big innings he played. Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmad scored two or three half centuries between them while Shahid Afridi was a failure if an overall analysis is done of the tournament." Mushtaq Mohammad endorsed Ramiz Raja's opinion that Sri Lanka's tour only a week before the Indian trip was very vital. "The players got used to the hot and humid conditions in Calcutta and Chinnai. Had we not played cricket in Sri Lanka, I assure you that the players would have collapsed," said the former captain. Mushtaq called for more series between Pakistan and India. "If more tours are exchanged, the followers of the game will understand that it is just a sport with nothing at stake. Sometimes India will win and sometimes we will win. It will also help in removing the misconception of defeat and victory among the general public," concluded Mushtaq.

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)