PCB Director General (Cricket) Javed Miandad is pushing for radical changes in the way the Cricket Board functions in the wake of spot-fixing scandal and has made some suggestion to Pakistan President Asif Zardari in this regard.
Zardari, who is also chief patron of the PCB, met Miandad and gave him a patient hearing, sources said. "After Javed was given a patient hearing by the President, the former captain conveyed some suggestions to improve the way the board is governing cricket affairs in the country," one well-informed source said.
The source said Zardari then directed a senior bureaucrat to meet Butt and tell him clearly that certain recommendations and suggestions made by Miandad must be implemented.
"This senior bureaucrat from the Presidency also met with Butt in Lahore few days back and conveyed to him clearly what the President wanted done," the source said Butt assured him suggestions made by Miandad would be implemented immediately.
"But soon after Butt left for London and except for one suggestion no other suggestions have been implemented as yet by the board Chairman. "The one recommendation Butt immediately implemented and signed on was an increase of 15 percent in the salaries of all board employees below the rank of GM or Manager in the board," the source said.
He said Miandad was now playing the waiting game to see how Butt handles the instructions from the Presidency. "Miandad has asked for enhanced powers and also to have a direct say in purely cricket issues like selection and team affairs. Miandad is confident that if this time Butt does not implement the directives coming from the Presidency, he will be removed by Zardari," the source said.
{{/usCountry}}He said Miandad was now playing the waiting game to see how Butt handles the instructions from the Presidency. "Miandad has asked for enhanced powers and also to have a direct say in purely cricket issues like selection and team affairs. Miandad is confident that if this time Butt does not implement the directives coming from the Presidency, he will be removed by Zardari," the source said.
{{/usCountry}}Miandad, a former captain, largely looks after domestic cricket matters and does odd coaching assignments due to his turbulent relations with PCB chief Ijaz Butt.
Butt only recently allowed the former great to enter into the mainstream of the PCB affairs. Butt has faced scathing criticism from all quarters for the way he has handled the spot-fixing scandal or allowed things to get out of hand in the team.
He is also blamed for interfering in purely cricket and team matters something which no Chairman has done in the past. "Miandad also spoke to President Zardari about the continued ignorance of a talented and experienced player like Younus Khan," the source said.