If Ashraf had blocked the road without having all the facts, the Pakistan Cricket Board may have been punished.
Soon-to-be chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Zaka Ashraf did a complete ‘volte-face’ by accepting the four matches allocated to the original hosts less than 24 hours after he had publicly “rejected” the ‘Hybrid Model’ for the Asia Cup after a formal nod from the Asian Cricket Council. India will play all of their games, including two against their archrivals, in Sri Lanka due to the Hybrid Model through which Pakistan and Sri Lanka will co-host the Asia Cup. During a press conference on June 27, the banker who will take over PCB from Ashraf announced that he had “rejected” the plan that Najam Sethi, Ashraf’s predecessor, and nemesis, had suggested.
It has been learned that Ashraf was unaware that PCB chief Sethi had already signed off on the ‘Hybrid Model’ that was passed by the all-powerful ACC Executive board led by BCCI supremo Jay Shah and cannot be altered.
If Ashraf had blocked the road without having all the facts, the Pakistan Cricket Board may have been punished.
Ashraf was quoted on ESPN Cricinfo as saying, “In my personal opinion, this whole hybrid model isn’t beneficial for Pakistan and I didn’t like it.”
As the tournament’s host, Pakistan should have been able to bargain to have the whole thing played there. Having Sri Lanka get the bulk of the games while Pakistan gets just four isn’t good for our country, he continued.
Then Ashraf changed his tune completely, admitting that he hadn’t been given all the information.
However, I can see that a choice has been taken, and it appears that we must adhere to it. I have no intention of resisting the choice or putting up any kind of roadblock. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with no choice but to keep my word. However, from this point forward, we will always act in the best interests of the country.
