Pakistan cricket misplaced one among its most controversial, vibrant and powerful directors when the indomitable Ijaz Butt handed away in his hometown, Lahore, as a result of well being points. The historical past of Pakistan cricket will stay incomplete with out discussing the tenure of Butt, who handed away on Wednesday, aged 85. He performed eight Tests for Pakistan and held a number of key administrative positions. From being a member of the 1987 Reliance World Cup organising committee to a four-year tenure as secretary of the Pakistan Cricket Board within the 80s to managing the senior staff and at last heading the PCB from 2008 to 2011, Butt did all the pieces on his personal phrases.

Perhaps, no Pakistan cricket chief has been as daring but additionally as cussed as Butt who as soon as had the braveness to even flip down a request from the then President of Pakistan.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari had appointed Butt as PCB chief in 2008.

But Zardari was advised in clear phrases throughout a packed assembly that it could not be attainable for the board to maneuver the nationwide T20 championship from Lahore to Karachi as he desired.

That was Butt in a nutshell.

He was by no means afraid of getting entangled in controversies that would have been dealt with with extra tact.

It was little surprise then that Butt’s tenure as PCB chairman was one of the controversy ridden instances in Pakistan cricket.

Nothing embodied it greater than the banning of senior gamers like Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi or Kamran Akmal.

Soon after Butt took cost of the PCB, the phobia assault befell in Mumbai.

The complete chain of incidents finally closed the door of IPL to Pakistani gamers and led to a whole freeze in cricketing ties between the 2 international locations.

One 12 months later regardless of variations between Butt after which chief selector, Abdul Qadir, Pakistan gained the 2009 T20 World Cup in England and in addition performed within the ICC Champions Trophy semifinals in South Africa.

The fallout between Butt and the aforementioned senior gamers started from that journey to SA as the previous was satisfied there have been gamers’ energy centres within the staff and it was damaging Pakistan cricket.

After studies of infighting within the staff in South Africa got here by way of and Pakistan have been whitewashed in Australia, PCB banned the senior gamers for indiscipline and leaking confidential staff data.

Despite a hue and cry from politicians and former gamers, Butt did not budge and the gamers solely returned to the staff after apologizing and paying their fines.

One 12 months later, Afridi additionally learnt Butt’s strategies the exhausting means.

The all-rounder needed to half with 4.5 million rupees as superb earlier than he bought again into the great books of the PCB, which had disciplined him for saying his sudden retirement from ODIs and in addition for making critical accusations towards the board.

They have been many supporters for Afridi as effectively when he declared that he wouldn’t play till Butt was the chairman, and he responded with: “Sau Bismallah.” Butt made it clear that solely an apology and superb would save him or Afridi can overlook about enjoying for Pakistan and getting NOCs for leagues.

However, Butt shaken by the spot-fixing scandal in England that led to the banishment of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.

Butt made Misbah ul Haq as Test captain and later made him ODI captain as effectively.

But the most important blemish on Butt’s tenure was the militant assault on the Sri Lankan cricket staff in March 2009.

It led to Pakistan getting stripped of internet hosting rights of 2011 World Cup and international groups refused to tour the nation citing safety causes for a decade or so.

What was pertinent after the assault was Butt’s failure to deal with issues diplomatically which led to problems in Pakistan cricket.

One 12 months later Butt accused the England gamers of linking up with bookies and it became a serious row between the 2 international locations.

Butt lastly withdrew his assertion. But at one stage the then ICC CEO Malcolm Speed had termed Butt a “buffon” in an interview.

It was a harsh and one-sided view. But one factor can’t be unsure — Butt by no means believed in enjoying to the galleries.

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