PCB under fire for failure to save World Cup matches from being shifted

Lahore, Apr.20 (ANI): Ever since the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that the 2011 World Cup matches would not be held in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been facing severe criticism over its failure to convince the ICC and other member cricketing bodies over the issue.

Former Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Zakir Hussain Syed, while blaming the PCB for its laid back attitude over the issue, said that the board will have to 'shoulder a fair bit of blame for this failure'.

Syed charged the PCB of not doing enough to rescue its chances of hosting the mega event.

He said that the lukewarm attitude of the board following the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore also put the apex cricketing body of the country in a bad light.

"Just look at the actions and response of the PCB during the period between the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and the ICC decision. It was on the PCB's assurance of providing fool-proof security that Sri Lanka agreed to undertake this tour. Once the security guarantee failed, the PCB should have tendered a public apology not only to Sri Lanka but also to the entire cricket world," The Daily Times quoted Syed, as saying.

Syed also lashed out at the PCB officials who launched a verbal attack on the ICC match referee Chris Broad who had criticized the board for the slack in security during the Lahore attack.

"'When ICC match referee Chris Broad came out with criticism of security arrangements by Pakistan, the PCB chief launched a scathing public attack on him without even pausing to think that Broad was an ICC official and his official report to the games' governing body will be of crucial importance," he added.

Syed stressed on the need of some immediate steps to be taken in order to save Pakistan cricket from a long term effect of this debacle.

He said that a high level Government delegation should visit cricket playing countries and convince them about the need to reconsider this decision so as to avoid its long term repercussions on Pakistani public. (ANI)