Zaheer vows to bat for revival of Indo-Pak series

KARACHI: Nominated for the ICC presidency, Zaheer Abbas announced on Tuesday that he will push for the revival of Indo-Pak cricketing ties during his one-year tenure which begins later this summer.
Zaheer Abbas, regarded among the legends of Pakistan cricket, told ‘The News’ in an interview that he would also help the International Cricket Council (ICC) in its campaign to turn cricket into a truly global sport.
“It’s a great honour for me,” said the former Pakistan captain, who is known in the cricket world as Asian Bradman. “And I am thankful to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for nominating me for the ICC presidency,” he added.
Zaheer’s nomination was sent to the ICC by PCB a day after Najam Sethi opted to withdraw his candidature from what is now a ceremonial post.
“I am hopeful that I’m successful (as ICC president) for the sake of world cricket as well as Pakistan cricket,” Zaheer said.
Zaheer will become the second Pakistani after Ehsan Mani to assume the position of ICC president. But he is fully aware of the fact that unlike Mani he would have no power to call the shots as ICC president.
Last year, the ICC carried out sweeping changes in the structure of its top-level administrative hierarchy by creating the new post of chairman. The presidency was turned into a ceremonial position while the power was handed over to the chairman. India’s N Srinivasan was chosen as the ICC chairman in 2014.
“I’m not too familiar with the administrative structure of the ICC,” Zaheer admitted. “But I do know that ICC presidency is now a ceremonial post. That doesn’t mean that an ICC president cannot do anything. As a former Test cricketer and as somebody who has an immense love for the game I’m sure of contributing something positive during my one-year term,” he added.
Among the biggest goals for Zaheer is to play a role in the revival of bilateral cricketing ties between Pakistan and India.
“Matches between Pakistan and India are something that the whole world wants to see,” Zaheer said. “It is also something that is very close to my heart and as ICC president I will try my best to help make it happen.”
India suspended bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. But it did allow BCCI (Indian cricket board) to host a Pakistani team back in 2012-13.
The last time the two teams faced each other in a bilateral series was in 2012-13, when Pakistan played two T20s and three ODIs in India. The last bilateral Test series between the two countries was also played in India in 2007. The Indians have not played a full series in Pakistan since 2006.
In recent times, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has been raising hopes about the possibility of Pakistan hosting India in the UAE later this year. According to him Pakistan will play India in a full series comprising three Tests, five One-day Internationals and two T20 Internationals starting December.
However, the Indians have so far given a lukewarm response to the idea of their team visiting the UAE to play a full series against Pakistan.
Zaheer said that he has been following all related developments, adding that signs are positive about the revival of bilateral cricketing relations between India and Pakistan sooner rather than later.
“It is something that fans on both sides of the border and all over the world want to happen. And I am sure that everybody who loves cricket will push for an Indo-Pak series that is held on a regular basis.”
Also on Zaheer’s wish-list is playing the role of cricket’s global ambassador in a bid to make the sport popular all over the world.
The man, who was once a scourge for bowlers all over the world wants, to bat for the promotion of cricket in countries like China, USA, Russia and “anywhere where the sport is not yet popular”.
“As president I will try to help the ICC in its efforts to popularise the game all over the globe,” said Zaheer, who served as principal advisor to Sethi, when the latter was PCB’s chairman.
Zaheer, 67, was among three former Pakistan cricket stalwarts including Majid Khan and Asif Iqbal, who were regarded as favourites to replace Sethi as Pakistan’s nominee for ICC presidency.
The trio’s names emerged soon after Sethi wrote to the ICC to inform the body about his decision to withdraw his nomination on Monday, exactly a month before his tenure as ICC president was set to begin.