Not much to cheer about on cricket front, says Ramiz

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja Wednesday said that it was just like starting from a scratch as nothing has been done in the past to raise a platform for a solid takeoff as a head of a leading board.

In a virtual media interaction with sports scribes Wednesday afternoon, Ramiz said it was like starting from KG-I and KG-II in cricketing affairs as there was nothing on the sound footing in the country.

“Pitches conditions, ground and infrastructure setup is in a deplorable condition. I have inherited this. I have started everything afresh like KG I and KG II student. I could not find any setup required for a top-class cricketing nation. Equipment, pitches, cricket at the grassroots level all are in worst condition. I have a fight at hands on every front. No development work at all has been initiated so far in Interior Sindh, Balochistan and even Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from where we get the bulk of talent these days. It is nothing less than a mystery for me-the way cricket has been run in the past.”

The PCB chairman was unhappy over the poor state of pitches at domestic level.

“High scores, draws, no competitive element at the domestic level-all these are matters of grave concern for me. That is why I have recalled Agha Zahid and asked him to look into the pathetic state of pitches where domestic cricket is being played. For hosting a mega event we are just 10 percent ready instead of the required sixty percent at this stage.”

Now when the Champions Trophy 2025 has been allotted to Pakistan, the PCB chairman pointed out that a lot of work had been put in over the year to convince ICC and related committees on Pakistan resolve and administrative qualities to host mega international events in a befitting manner. “The world has accepted our role as a leading cricket playing nation in wake of recent developments that saw Greenshirts playing extra ordinary cricket in the T20 World Cup and also efforts made on the side lines ever since New Zealand pulled out of the tour and England failed to honour their commitments. We have proved our point of view with greater force in wake of what had happened with Pakistan cricket in the recent past. To get the sole hosting rights of the Champions Trophy 2025 was nothing less than a moral victory for Pakistan. So much effort has been put by PCB officials over the years to make this happen. Our inner voice has convinced the world of cricket that Pakistan have all the resources in place to host international teams.”

Ramiz added that the game’s governing body and the world cricket boards believed that Pakistan was safe to host any international event.

“The security experts rate Pakistan’s security as better than the one you see in major football leagues and other sporting events around the world. We are even considering making adjustments in security cover provided to foreign teams to make it look more sporting.”

The PCB chairman repeated his earlier statement, saying preparing the groundwork was on to organize the tri-nation series in years to come.

“We are consulting other boards on the teams’ availability. Bilateral series against India was largely dependent on the political relations between the two countries while both countries will have to honour their commitments when it comes to participation in the ICC events. India are expected to travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup.”