KARACHI, Jan 28: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Wednesday urged President Asif Ali Zardari to reform the national game of cricket, which he said was in as much mess as the country.

“If Zardari really wants to help Pakistan cricket then he must allow it to be an institution. It should be constitution-based and have an elected chairman with elected representatives,” Imran said.

Pakistan’s cricketing woes saw Shoaib Malik replaced as captain by Younis Khan following the team’s humiliating 234-run loss – their worst one-day defeat – handing visitors Sri Lanka a 2-1 series win last week.

It was the third major reshuffle in as many months. In October, Zardari appointed Ijaz Butt as chairman PCB, after Dr Nasim Ashraf resigned.

Ijaz then sacked Australian coach Geoff Lawson for national team’s poor performance.

“Our cricket is as much in the mess as the country,” said Imran.

Further chaos followed later on Wednesday when batting legend Javed Miandad quit his post as director general PCB following disagreements within the crisis-hit governing body of the national sport.

PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt refused to comment on Miandad’s decision until talking to him or returning from Perth, Australia where he is due to attend an International Cricket Council’s Executive Board meeting.

Imran, who led Pakistan to their only World Cup triumph, in Australia in 1992, and is now in politics, said the country’s head of state appointing the cricket board chairman was the bane of Pakistan cricket.

“No way should the president of the country appoint the cricket chief,” stressed Imran.

The president of Pakistan is patron of the cricket board and appoints its chairman, unlike in most countries where the chairman is elected.

Imran said in a country obsessed with the game, cricket needed to be organised properly.

“Why can’t Pakistan cricket be based on successful models like Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, where the talent is concentrated in six regional teams set up by nurseries below?” asked Imran, who played 88 Tests for Pakistan.Imran, who retired from cricket in 1992, now heads his own political party Tehreek-e-Insaaf and has never held a post on the cricket board.

Imran ridiculed a proposal from Zardari, who suggested holding a round-table conference to resolve cricketing matters.

“Cricket is run on an ad hoc basis in the country, so the president is now suggesting a round-table conference without knowing that the previous regime of Dr Nasim Ashraf wasted millions on such conferences to no avail,” he said.

Imran noted the saddest aspect was that the team was going from bad to worse.

“Ever since the 1992 World Cup win and the 1999 runners-up finish, the performance graph is having a downhill trajectory. In 2003 and 2007, we were ousted in the first rounds,” he expressed.

Imran, regarded as one of the top four all-rounders of his time, emphasised the country’s entire cricket structure needed an overhaul.—AFP