How Jagamohan Dalmiya Helped Shoaib Akthar Revive His Career:
A former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) disclosed that it would have ended the career of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar in 2000-01 had it not been for support provided by the late ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya. The International Cricket Council had told the PCB in 1999 that the bowling action of the pacer Akhtar is under review. Former head of BCCI Dalmiya, one of India’s biggest cricket administrators, served as the president of the ICC from 1997 to 2000.
“Jagmohan, who had been president of the ICC and a prominent voice, helped us a great deal regarding the Shoaib Akhtar bowling action case. He stood up for us despite the ICC representatives arguing that Akhtar’s bowling action was illegal,” said Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia, who headed the PCB from 1999 to 2003.
“But because of Dalmiya’s stance and myself, the ICC eventually admitted that Akhtar had a medical flaw in his bowling arm since birth which gave him an extension of the hyper elbow and he was allowed to play on,” he added.
Zia also said some players could have been under-performed at the 2003 World Cup due to factionalism within the squad at that time.
He said he had then asked chief selector Wasim Bari to remove stalwarts from the squad after the World Cup including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Saeed Anwar.
Pakistan has failed to qualify in South Africa and Zimbabwe World Cup’s even for Super Six stage.
“I was really disappointed with the way the players performed during World Cup, because it was the best team we could have picked for the World Cup,” said Zia.
“I heard about these groupings and disputes within the team even before the tournament and I suspected some of them had underperformed due to their conflicts,” he said.
In that World Cup, Waqar captained Pakistan and there were allegations of him not receiving support from some players during the whole event.
“I tried to make Wasim captain for the World Cup but this was opposed by many people in the board and even the ICC had its reservations due to the inquiry reports that were being conducted,” he said.
The former chairman said he sat down with Bari after World Cup.
“I told him now is the time to relieve Wasim, Waqar, Saeed and some others from Pakistan cricket. We then made Rashid Latif the captain and asked him to build a new team.” Zia pointed out that senior players like Shoaib Akhtar and Inzamam-ul-Haq had also been removed from the team so they could build a new outfit.
“I thought Rashid was doing a good job and it looked like we were rebuilding the team for a while but circumstances led to other issues.”
