Pakistan Cricket Board still undecided on boycotting next week’s ICC awards – Cricket News Update
The Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf , on Monday said that he has been saddened by wily Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s omission from the ICC’s World Player of the year award’s shortlist. However, he opined that they have not yet reached a decision on boycotting the awards ceremony, to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday, September 15, 2012.
“We are discussing the issue with the ICC and no final decision has been taken yet to boycott the award ceremony or not,” said Ashraf at a ceremony in Lahore, celebrating Pakistan’s impressive T20 series win over Australia.
The PCB chief said that though boycott would be an extreme measure, they are under immense pressure to take the action.
Saeed Ajmal picked up 72 wickets in 12 Tests played between August 4, 2011 and August 6, 2012, the time period for qualifying for the award, and was arguably one of the leading contenders for the accolade. However, the 32-member independent jury, which also included former Pakistan skipper Aamer Sohail, surprised cricketing fraternities in Pakistan as well as across the globe after excluding the off-spinner from the short list for the award.
Ajmal, however, has been picked up in ICC’s Test team of the year as the only spinner in the 12-team squad, including South Africa’s wicketkeeper batsman AB de Villiers as the twelfth man.
The PCB chairman also questioned the system of appointing an independent jury, calling it a flawed system.
“The system of appointing the jury is flawed,” said Ashraf, who was appointed as Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman in October last year, after Ijaz Butt’s term had expired.
“We would not have objected had he not won the award after being short listed but in this case, he has been 'overlooked' for his performance,” he added further.
Pakistan fans and former cricketers have been urging the board to boycott the awards ceremony in Sri Lanka, later this week to protest against Saeed Ajmal’s unjust omission.
It is pertinent to mention here that Cricket South Africa had boycotted the 2009 ICC awards after their deserving players were overlooked by the so-called independent jury.
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