KARACHI - Pakistani cricket bosses on Wednesday hit back at the
International Cricket Council's proposals for overhauling the sport in
the troubled country, suggesting it was a pointless "scholarly
exercise".
The Pakistan Task Team (PTT), set up by cricket's
governing body, presented a report at an ICC meeting last month with 63
recommendations -- including changes to governance and moves to revive
matches with India.
Ijaz Butt, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said his organisation had identified problems in the report.
"While
the intent (of the PTT) cannot be questioned, a few discrepancies can
be identified in the report, which PCB has rectified and sent to the
ICC in the hope it?s taken in a positive spirit," said a PCB statement
quoting Butt.
The PTT was formed to revive international tours of
Pakistan, suspended after a terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in
2009, and to strengthen the game in the country which has been battered
by allegations of spot-fixing.
Its recommendations, however, are not binding on Pakistan.
The
PCB said it considered the report to be a "scholarly exercise" that has
not made substantial steps to restart international cricket in Pakistan.
Butt
urged the International Cricket Council and PTT to work on the
resumption of games with India, stalled in the wake of a 2008 terror
attack on Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
"Whereas
the Indian government issued favourable statements regarding the
resumption of cricket, the Indian Board is still waiting formal signal
from its government," Butt said.
The board also rejected a PTT
recommendation that the country's cricket chief should not be appointed
by Pakistan's President, who is also patron of the PCB.
"The
circumstances in Pakistan are unique and cricket administration
requires and deserves government support," the PCB statement said.
"Without government support international cricket may not return to the country," it added.
Butt
was involved in a public spat with former one-day captain Shahid
Afridi, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) punished the all rounder
for allegedly breaching a code of conduct and making allegations
against the board.
When contacted ICC chief executive Haroon
Lorgat on Wednesday confirmed that ICC has received the PCB's
reservations but reiterated that the PTT was formed to help Pakistan.
"We
have to adopt a strategy to ensure Pakistan manages to fulfil all its
current and future commitments and doesn't suffer any isolation,"
Lorgat told AFP from Dubai. AFP
