LAHORE: Not losing hope and still awaiting a reply from the BCCI on the bilateral series, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan is convinced that the role of the Indian cricket board is now vital to persuade its government for endorsing the crucial series after the ice-breaking visit of Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad the other day.

“The official announcement [on restoring India-Pakistan bilateral dialogue] is very positive and very constructive. Therefore, I believe it will serve significantly in improving Indo-Pak relationship, provided the same atmosphere continues,” Shaharyar told Dawn during an exclusive interview here on Thursday.

However, he remained guarded on the chances of resumption of bilateral cricket. “There is disappointment as the communique had no word on [resuming] bilateral cricket. However, there is hope because the people-to-people contacts clause is included in the communique and yes cricket is the biggest source to improve people-to-people contacts.”

‘Our players lack crisis management skills’

When asked if it was not the ideal time for the BCCI to take advantage of this very clause (in the communique) to convince its government to endorse the series, the chairman replied in the affirmative. “Yes, the BCCI could take advantage as the ground has been prepared after the inclusion of people-to-people contact clause.”

Interestingly, Shaharyar also defended the BCCI, saying it had already played a positive role by agreeing in the last meeting held in Dubai that it was willing to play the bilateral series, and was only awaiting a reply from its government.

“Today, I sent an e-mail to the BCCI asking them to give a final reply in the next 48 hours. Otherwise, it will be hard [for us] to make arrangements for the series. In the afternoon, I received the reply from the BCCI, informing us that they are still waiting for the green signal from the [Indian] government,” he disclosed.

As the time for the much-awaited series, now scheduled to be staged in Sri Lanka later this month, runs out with every passing day, Shaharyar fears it would be mighty tough for Pakistan to make requisite arrangements for the series.

“Though we had already booked hotels in Sri Lanka [for the series], now they have cancelled our bookings, saying it is getting too late. Now we have to book the hotels again,” the PCB chief stated.

“Receiving Sri Lankan visas and getting the appointments of ICC umpires for the series are two other major tasks on our hand. However, we still believe all these obstacles will be overcome once the BCCI gives [us] a go-ahead signal within the next 48 hours,” he said.

Shaharyar dispelled the impression, expressed by many in the national cricketing circles, that the PCB was begging the BCCI to play the series. “It is wrong that we are begging, we are only urging the BCCI to fulfill its commitment it made in the MoU,” he maintained.

“We have a very narrow window for the bilateral series — in December till the first week of January. After this India have to tour Australia [to run until January end] and we have a [limited-overs] series scheduled in New Zealand.

“Therefore, if we do not grab this opportunity, holding the Indo-Pak series will not be possible for the next one year with both teams facing a packed schedule almost throughout 2016,” underlined Shaharyar.

The chairman said he believes the BCCI may suggest the PCB to play the series next year, but reiterated there was no window for it. “Though we can play in September but the BCCI has said they are busy in that month,” he said. “If the series is postponed [now] the PCB next time will not agree to play a limited-overs series; rather we will only opt for a full-fledged series also including Tests. But for that a window is not possible, so now is the ideal time to resume the bilateral series,” he insisted.

To a query, Shaharyar said Giles Clarke, the former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), was still playing a facilitating role [for the series] between the BCCI and the PCB. Shaharyar also rejected the impression that the PCB could face financial problems in case the India series was not held.

“We can easily survive [postponement of the series against India]. Even PCB’s plan to host the inaugural Pakistan Super League in the UAE [in February 2016] will not suffer due to the postponement. We are not begging for the series to mint money, rather trying to resume cricket between the two countries for betterment of the game,” he maintained.

Responding to a question regarding IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla’s statement that the PCB should have prepared at least one safe venue, like Lahore, instead of playing its home series at a neutral venue since 2009, Shaharyar said the PCB wanted to do it but regretted that it had no land to get private party to build a five-star hotel [to accommodate visiting teams] near the Gaddafi Stadium.

But when pointed out that the PCB had land available at the National Stadium (Karachi), Multan Cricket Stadium (Multan) and even at the Iqbal Stadium (Faisalabad), the chairman said he was already in negotiations with a five-star hotel chain authority to build a hotel in Karachi.

The PCB chief further said he had also talked to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in this regard.

Moving on to other topics, Shaharyar admitted he was concerned with the performances of Pakistan’s ODI and T20 teams. “Our players have a tendency to be emotional and that sees them lose focus at crucial stages of games,” he said, adding that Javed Miandad, in the past, and now Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan Azhar Ali and Shoaib Malik had good crisis management skills.

“I believe our players are blessed with huge talent but lack in crisis management skills. One batsman has been a cause of five run-outs in the series against England alone.

“I’ve asked [chief selector] Haroon Rasheed to consider how mature a player is and how his temperament is before considering him for selection.”

Despite the team having separate batting and fielding coaches along with head coach Waqar Younis — a renowned fast bowler of his era, Pakistan team has lacked consistency. “The team has improved in the fielding department,” Shaharyar said.

Asked if he held any meeting with the batting coach to ascertain reasons for Pakistan’s struggles, he said: “I’m only used to meeting Waqar.”

The PCB was hit by a row recently when 150 U-19 players were first declared overage in a wrist test before being cleared in a second medical test.

Shaharyar said it “was unfortunate” and the PCB had now decided to conduct wrist tests of players who were below 16 years of age before saying that for players who come in the radar after that age, they would try to have wrist tests when they are below 18.

“After picking the player inside 18 years of age, the coaches and trainers will have a year to groom them till the Junior World Cup,” he said, before adding that “PCB will then have to hold its Junior tournament for U-18.”

To a question about the PCB rendering a step-motherly attitude to its employees working in the regional cricket associations by not giving them a salary raise, which was given to employees working in the PCB, Shaharyar said it was “unfair” and he will look into the matter.

When asked about injustices in picking up regional cricket associations in the Board of Governors of the PCB for a period of four years on the basis of a year’s performance in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, Shaharyar said it “needs an amendment in the PCB constitution” and he alone couldn’t do that.

He agreed that there was a conflict of interest that a president of a regional cricket association had become head of the PCB cricket committee, which has the authority to deal with the domestic and international cricket affairs, but said he couldn’t undo that step.

Shaharyar, meanwhile, admitted that the bio-mechanics lab at the National Cricket Academy was incomplete due to corruption.

“Today we have cancelled the contract of the previous contractor and we will now bid for a new contract while we have decided to refer the case of corruption to the legal authorities to give severe punishments to the corrupt elements,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2015