Stop relying on BCCI, asks former PCB chief

Lahore, Sep 18 (UNI) In a statement that might sour relations between two cricketing giants, former national cricket chief Arif Ali Abbasi has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stop relying on its powerful Indian counterpart BCCI.

''The Board has to stop this total reliance on India,'' said Abbasi who is a former chief executive of the PCB.

Abbasi, who is a strong contender to stage a comeback as the next PCB CEO, further added, ''Just like India, Pakistan is also a full memeber of the ICC and has every right to take its own decisions.'' ''We can't just sit back and let India solve our problems.

That is not going to happen,'' asserted Abbasi who was instrumental in holding the 1996 World Cup in the sub-continent.

The Pakistan Board has always asked for a helping hand from the BCCI but the PCB were in for a surprise when India did not support it to stage the Champions Trophy as scheduled.

The ICC postponed the Champions Trophy until a year, however, the hosting rights still remain with the PCB.

''It was farcical when Pakistan's (former) cricket chief (Nasim Ashraf) said thanks to India's help for the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan.

''Such statements have really annoyed the rest of the world.

The fact that the Champions Trophy was not held in Pakistan is a clear proof of that,'' Abbasi added.

He further advised the Board to improve its relation and reputation amongst the member nations so as to have a strong lobby for itself.

''We will have to reach out to the rest of the world. We will have to lobby with their decision-makers to ensure that normalcy returns to the Pakistan cricket,'' he conceded.

Abbasi did agree that the Pakistan cricket is at its lowest, but said still all is not lost and it is just a matter of time and efforts that go in to arrest the situation.

''Yes, things have gone from bad to worse but still all is not lost. We have it in us and are capable enough to save our cricket from the present crisis like we did several years ago.

''Efforts need to be made and through organised plans we will stage a come back to reach where we deserve to be,'' he said.

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