Those of you that read this blog regularly will know that I have complete contempt for Ijaz Butt, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. His continual interference and undermining of the team, coach and selection committee has made a difficult time in Pakistan cricket all the worse.
Butt reached a new low when on receiving a report outlining the reasons for the teams poor performance in Australia, he decided that effectively sacking his two best batsmen and sanctioning several other players would deal with the problem. Player infighting and poor performance was part of the problem, but certainly not the major element, which surely sits squarely on the shoulders of Chairman Butthead himself.
And now his actions have led to Pakistan's best batsmen Mohammad Yousuf announcing his retirement. Giving his reasons, a seething Yousuf didn't hide the reasons for his decision saying that "I received a letter from the PCB that my staying in the team is harmful for the team, so I announce my retirement from international cricket," he said in Karachi. "I thank the fans around the world, all the senior players and family members for supporting me throughout my 12-year career. I always played for my country and if my playing is harmful for the team then I don't want to play."
What a sad way for one of Pakistan's greatest ever players to go (he certainly makes my Pakistan XI of the last 30 years). It is to be hoped that this is a tactical move by Yousuf as part of a grander strategy to rid Pakistan cricket of Butt. Only then, or so it seems, can Pakistan hope to regain fomer glories.
If it is to be the last we see of Yousuf then cricket has lost one of its best current batsmen, if not one of its best captains.
Comments