Nawaz Sharif sure team can repeat '92 performance (25 April 1999)

25 April 1999

Nawaz Sharif sure team can repeat '92 performance

The Dawn

ISLAMABAD, April 24: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a "Boost Pakistan Cricket Team" ceremony held at PM House on Saturday morning wished a World Cup victory for the team. Led by skipper Wasim Akram the 18-member Pakistan squad was praised for its recent back to back victories at India and Sharjah during the official ceremony which lasted 45 minutes.

The prime minister was convinced the present team had the capabilities of repeating the 1992 performance. However, he asked the squad to maintain strict discipline if they want to continue in the present winning ways. An advise of shunning all differences was also forthrightly put to the players.

The PM showered praise on those whose distinctive performance earned Pakistan three titles in the span of two months. Among those skipper Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Azhar Mehmood, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi were specifically mentioned.

Also present on the occasion were the top brass of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which including chairman Khalid Mehmood, chief executive Majid Khan and about 12 other council members. The three national selectors, Javed Miandad, Sarfraz Nawaz and other high ranking officials from ministry of sports also attended the function.

Wasim Akram presented a PCB shield to the prime minister and invited him to play against them at Lahore. The PM is learnt to have accepted the invitation and arrangements for a limited overs game under floodlights on Sunday may be held at Gaddafi Stadium. However, confirmation of the event could not be made due to security reasons.

The PCB chief Khalid Mehmood also praised the exploits of Pakistan team and assured of their best performance in the World Cup.

PCB chairman Mehmood, col (R) Rafi Nasim, media advisor PCB and Saeed Anwar took exception during the ceremony to lash out at the negative reporting in the newspapers especially in Urdu newspapers. They maintained that most reports originating from various quarters are baseless or the facts are completely distorted. Mehmood stated that he was horrified and shocked to see a number of interviews attributed to him whereas he had not spoken to the reporter.

Talking to Dawn, the PCB chief did not add anything new on the Javed Miandad resignation controversy. "The resignation will be put forth before the PCB council who will debate the issue and announce their decision. I am afraid I cannot go beyond what I have already said. After all what can one say anything when the person has submitted his resignation owing to personal reasons," Khalid Mehmood said.

During the ceremony, the minister incharge sports held separate meetings with Javed Miandad and senior players including Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed.

The minister incharge sports failed to respond to at least two dozens calls made to clarify the position. But, primarily, it was learnt that Miandad had already reversed his decision to resign. However, most of the senior players including skipper Wasim Akram are against him. The episodes during Pakistan's defeat by 62 runs against England at Sharjah and besides other issues regarding stern discipline at net practice etc. are the reasons behind senior player's revolt against the stalwart.

It has been learnt that further communication on resolving the Miandad-players crisis is under the guidance of minister incharge sports.

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)