Pakistan cricket misplaced considered one of its most controversial, vibrant and robust directors when the indomitable Ijaz Butt handed away in his hometown, Lahore, attributable to well being points. The historical past of Pakistan cricket will stay incomplete with out discussing the tenure of Butt, who handed away on Wednesday, aged 85. He performed eight Exams for Pakistan and held a number of key administrative positions. From being a member of the 1987 Reliance World Cup organising committee to a four-year tenure as secretary of the Pakistan Cricket Board within the 80s to managing the senior staff and at last heading the PCB from 2008 to 2011, Butt did every little thing on his personal phrases.
Maybe, no Pakistan cricket chief has been as daring but additionally as cussed as Butt who as soon as had the braveness to even flip down a request from the then President of Pakistan.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari had appointed Butt as PCB chief in 2008.
However Zardari was informed in clear phrases throughout a packed assembly that it will not be attainable for the board to maneuver the nationwide T20 championship from Lahore to Karachi as he desired.
That was Butt in a nutshell.
He was by no means afraid of getting entangled in controversies that would have been dealt with with extra tact.
It was little surprise then that Butt’s tenure as PCB chairman was probably the most controversy ridden occasions in Pakistan cricket.
Nothing embodied it greater than the banning of senior gamers like Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi or Kamran Akmal.
Quickly after Butt took cost of the PCB, the fear assault happened in Mumbai.
The entire chain of incidents ultimately closed the door of IPL to Pakistani gamers and led to an entire freeze in cricketing ties between the 2 nations.
One 12 months later regardless of variations between Butt after which chief selector, Abdul Qadir, Pakistan received the 2009 T20 World Cup in England and likewise performed within the ICC Champions Trophy semifinals in South Africa.
The fallout between Butt and the aforementioned senior gamers started from that journey to SA as the previous was satisfied there have been gamers’ energy centres within the staff and it was damaging Pakistan cricket.
After experiences of infighting within the staff in South Africa got here by way of and Pakistan have been whitewashed in Australia, PCB banned the senior gamers for indiscipline and leaking confidential staff data.
Regardless of a hue and cry from politicians and former gamers, Butt did not budge and the gamers solely returned to the staff after apologizing and paying their fines.
One 12 months later, Afridi additionally learnt Butt’s strategies the onerous approach.
The all-rounder needed to half with 4.5 million rupees as tremendous earlier than he obtained again into the great books of the PCB, which had disciplined him for asserting his sudden retirement from ODIs and likewise for making severe accusations towards the board.
They have been many supporters for Afridi as effectively when he declared that he wouldn’t play till Butt was the chairman, and he responded with: “Sau Bismallah.” Butt made it clear that solely an apology and tremendous would save him or Afridi can neglect about enjoying for Pakistan and getting NOCs for leagues.
Nonetheless, Butt shaken by the spot-fixing scandal in England that led to the banishment of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
Butt made Misbah ul Haq as Take a look at captain and later made him ODI captain as effectively.
However the largest blemish on Butt’s tenure was the militant assault on the Sri Lankan cricket staff in March 2009.
It led to Pakistan getting stripped of internet hosting rights of 2011 World Cup and overseas groups refused to tour the nation citing safety causes for a decade or so.
What was pertinent after the assault was Butt’s failure to deal with issues diplomatically which led to problems in Pakistan cricket.
One 12 months later Butt accused the England gamers of linking up with bookies and it was a significant row between the 2 nations.
Butt lastly withdrew his assertion. However at one stage the then ICC CEO Malcolm Velocity had termed Butt a “buffon” in an interview.
It was a harsh and one-sided view. However one factor can’t be unsure — Butt by no means believed in enjoying to the galleries.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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