PCB keen on reviving Sahara Cup series

“I am for it (Sahara Cup). If the sponsors are ready, I am ready,” Rehman said.

The series was called off after Sahara India, the sponsors, pulled out in the wake of the Pakistani intrusion in Kargil.

Rehman said, “we have to see what is their (Sahara’s) opinion now”.

The Toronto series was a five-year agreement by both BCCI and PCB with International Management Group (IMG) and is in the fourth year.

The PCB interim chief said his country will also participate in the triangular one-day tournament in Australia in January where India is the third team. The Australian Cricket Board (ACB)had sought confirmation from both countries in view of the strained relations.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has no problem in maintaining cricketing ties with India,” Rehman said.

Rehman mum on Akram

Mujibur favoured an early end to the match-fixing controversy around the national team, but said it was too early to say anything on skipper Wasim Akram’s fate.

The ad hoc panel would not take any step in probing the betting and match-fixing allegations around Pakistani players since the matter was being investigated by a judicial commission.

But he appealed to the Justice Mallik Mohammad Qayyum commission to release its report before the start of the next season to enable the team to take up new assignments with its morale high.

Rehman told PTI that he did not agree with allegations of match-fixing at the World Cup and strongly defended the Pakistan team for reaching the final.

“I don’t agree with that (allegations), we must give credit that this team has gone upto the final,” Rehman, whowas named as head of the interim panel after the PCB was dissolved by President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar in the wake of betting and match-fixing allegations following the World Cup final debacle said.

Rehman’s defence of the team come as a surprise as PCB dissolution is said to have come in the wake of widespread allegations of match-fixing and betting against the team and the team’s defence by outgoing chairman Khalid Mehmood.

Asked whether Akram, who is still in London, had got in touch with him or he had tried to contact him, Rehman replied in the negative. The PCB interim panel chief who was in Doha, Qatar when his appointment was made arrived home only yesterday.

Rehman, however, said he will call all the players and listen to their side of the story. “I will make my impression about the senior players once I talk to them,” he said.

Rehman said he might take the help of former Test players to run the board and that he would include three or four more members to the committee in 10 to 15 days andalso constitute the new selection committee by then.

The new PCB chief denied reports that the Ehtesab (accountability) Bureau headed by his brother Saifur Rehman was also inquiring into allegations that Pakistani players indulged in “objectionable activities” during the World Cup.

He said the Lahore High Court has only asked the Bureau to help in the probe.

Rehman, whose appointment is said to have taken place because of his brother’s proximity to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, dismissed criticism that he has never played top level cricket.

“I am not going to play (for Pakistan),” Rehman said, and added that his job was to professionally manage PCB.

The committee also includes javed Zaman Khan, a close friend of Nawaz Sharif and cousin of cricketing idols Imran Khan and Majid Khan.

Majid Khan, whose contract as PCB chief executive ended only last month, is widely expected to make a comeback.