Pakistan Cricket News: PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt’s Inevitable U-Turn
Barely 24 hours after claiming that he was not going to apologize to the English players and the ECB over his match fixing allegations, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ijaz Butt, ate his
words for the umpteenth time in his torturous two year stint at the helm of
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 cricket.
He had made it clear that he was not going to apologize over his comments upon his arrival in
England yesterday but it seems that in the traditional “Butt way,” he decided to change his mind and release the following statement.
"I wish personally and on behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board to withdraw the comments I made concerning the
England and Wales Cricket Board and each of the
England players who played in the one-day International at The Oval on Friday 17 September. It is regrettable that there was a misunderstanding arising from my comments.”
"I would like to make it quite clear that in the statements which I made that I never intended to question the behaviour and integrity of the England players nor the ECB nor to suggest that any of them
were involved in any corrupt practices or in a conspiracy against Pakistan cricket.”
"In particular, I wish to make it clear that I have never seen any evidence of any wrongdoing by any
England player or the ECB at any time." He added, "I deeply and sincerely regret that my statements have been interpreted to cast doubt upon the good names of the
England players and the ECB and hope that this public withdrawal will draw a line under the matter."
Butt added that he regretted causing distress in English cricketing ranks and thanked them for their continued support of
Pakistan cricket even though the team is tainted with spot fixing allegations which have seen three top players facing a suspension from the ICC.
"The ECB and its chairman have been and continue to be a friend of and hugely supportive of
Pakistan cricket," Butt said. "I am very grateful for their efforts in that regard and for their hospitality this summer. We at the PCB, like all other cricket governing bodies, are committed to a zero tolerance policy to corruption
in the game and will continue to work hard with the relevant authorities to eradicate it."
Meanwhile the English Cricket Board released a statement as well after receiving the response from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128.
The statement claimed that the matter was now closed once for all and no further comments were to be made in this regard.
"The ECB and the
England players who played at The Oval warmly welcome this withdrawal and now regard the matter closed," the statement concluded. "Giles http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 confirmed that following this statement he is continuing in his role as the ICC Pakistan task
team chairman."
Only a few hours before the statement by Butt, the Chief Executive http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719 stressed that there was a need to look at the bigger picture and make decisions that were not ego-centric and had adverse
long term repercussions for the bodies involved.
His statement and softened stance was a clear indication that the ICC, ECB and PCB had reached an agreement and had put their recent troubles behind them.
Butt’s response is also being linked to the same; yet what is depressing for a Pakistani cricket fan and critic is the embarrassment that the game and the nation as a whole faces with the constant U-turns
of Mr. Butt who has made the administration of cricket in the country a joke.
On the other hand it means that the doubts about the future of international cricket for
Pakistan are laid to rest as the ICC has assured continued support of the terror ravaged country that has not hosted an international match since the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team in
Lahore.
Ijaz Butt and his legal advisor are set to return to
Pakistan in a couple of days. However they are set for hard times in the coming weeks as the two had claimed on electronic and print media in the country that they were not going to apologize to the English players and the ECB.
Tags: