ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi met Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar Thursday to discuss cricket issues including his association with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the future.
The performance of the Babar Azam-led unit in the ongoing ICC World Cup and grooming of cricketers from the grassroots to international level was also discussed during the meeting.
In an exclusive talk with this correspondent, Shahid Afridi confirmed his meeting with the prime minister and discussing cricket development issues.
“I received a call from the Prime Minister’s Office Thursday and had to rush to Islamabad to meet the PM. It was really a pleasure talking to the PM on cricketing issues. He looked keen on the proper training of youth and grooming them in a systematic way so that they could go on to make a name for themselves and for the country,” Afridi said.
The star all-rounder said that PM wanted him to play a role in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“I sought some time to decide on my association with the future PCB. What Pakistan cricket requires is systemic and par-excellence training of the players from the start to the top level. That has not been happening in Pakistan cricket with the result that we struggle to polish the available talent and make them a real-world beater,” he told The News.
Afridi had all praise for the available talent but admitted that talent alone cannot fetch the required results.
“What we need is grooming of cricketers in a systematic way. Unless we sincerely make efforts to nourish the available talent, we will not be in a position to make consistent progress at the international level.”
Meanwhile, Zaka Ashraf’s fate as the chairman of the Management Committee hangs in the balance as his four-month tenure ends on November 4. As the things stands on Thursday evening there are no clear indications as to whether the PM would extend the sitting Management Committee’s tenure or the PCB would have a new Management Committee in place after November 4, headed by some fresh name.
“There has not been any decision as yet as to whether to give an extension to the sitting MC or to establish a new one. Both the previous and current management committees have failed to hold PCB elections for which these were established. Now it is up to the PM who is also Patron in Chief of the PCB to decide on the matter. Hopefully, things would be much clearer in a day or two,” an official of the Ministry for Inter-Provincial Coordination said.
The IPC ministry also sent a summary to the Prime Minister on Friday to sought the latter’s opinion on the future of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman, Zaka Ashraf.
Abdul Mohi Shah Abdul Mohi Shah is a senior reporter for The News- Shahid Afridi