Former players, officials warn PCB
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke wanted a meeting with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf.
Amidst growing speculation that the meeting will be used to offer to play Pakistan at neutral venues and in turn get on their good side. Similar offers have been floated about by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) as well.
The reports come ahead of ICC' executive board meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29 in which India, Australia and England are keen to get a working paper approved, that restructures the governance of world cricket and cedes executive decision making to them.
Many former players and office bearers have come out and warned the PCB to act with caution.
"It is clear they want us to support this restructuring of world cricket and are offering us a lollipop. Pakistan must keep in mind its long term interests and also the interest of world cricket and other members before deciding on a clear line of action," said Zaheer Abbas.
"I would warn the Pakistan board to not fall into this trap of India promising to play us at neutral venues or even England wanting to give us a series," said former PCB chief executive Arif Abbasi. He added that India, Australia and England were basically trying to become first class citizens of the ICC and make the seven other nations second class citizens.
Former captain Rashid Latif came out strongly in opposition of the "sheer discrimination."
"It is a case of the big three vs the spineless as far as I am concerned. You don't have to be a genius to realise that if this working paper is passed India, Australia and England will be calling the shots all the way," Latif said.
"This paper preaches sheer discrimination and must be shot down immediately," he said.
Mohsin Khan, another former Pakistan captain also echoed similar sentiment , "I have not seen this paper in detail but from what I have heard, some of the proposals are ridiculous and Pakistan needs to be strong on this issue. If this paper is accepted it will divide the cricket world," he warned.
"The authors of the paper (BCCI, ECB and CA) benefit significantly in financial terms from their proposals and promote their own self-interests," said Ehsan Mani, the former ICC president.
He also went on to say that the Position paper should be shown to an external panel and that the ECB, CA or BCCI should not be a part of it to avoid clear conflicts of interest.