Thaindian News

Lahore, Sep 3 (IANS) Former Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail Thursday took another swipe at Ijaz Butt, saying the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman is misleading board’s patron - Pakistan President Asif Zardari — and is also hoodwinking the general masses regarding relocation of the 2011 World Cup matches out of the country.
Aamir said he was amazed at PCB chairman’s audacity to call people naive and suggesting that they are not aware of the ground realities.

“Let me assure Mr. Ijaz Butt that the people of Pakistan are not naive. They are passionate about cricket, knowledgeable and fully aware of what is going on in the cricket world. Instead with all due respect it is Mr. Butt who is wearing blinkers and does not have a clue as how to handle the affairs of cricket domestically and internationally”, said Aamir, who resigned at PCB’s Director of Game Development last month.

Aamir said that PCB’s dealing with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the 2011 World Cup dispute was highly faulty.

“What was the haste in going into a costly wrangle when the result was a foregone conclusion. Whereas the Host Agreement does not say that in case of relocation of matches the host country will be stripped of hosting and participating fee”, Aamir asked.

He also alleged that the ICC forced the PCB to take back the court case otherwise it would not only deprive PCB of the hosting fee but also claim the legal cost of the case.

The former Test opener said Butt was ill-prepared for executive and IDI (ICC Development International) board meetings held in April last when a decision was taken to remove Pakistan as a host nation citing security concerns.

“It appears that Butt Sahib has no worthwhile advisors who can help him in evolving any strategy at all.”