PCB will target Afridi, Yousuf next: Razzaq

Razzaq, who was reacting to the five-year ban imposed on Akhtar on Tuesday, told Pakistani reporters in Hyderabad to cover the Indian Cricket League that he was saddened by the way senior players were being treated by the present set-up.

“I had started realising after the 2007 World Cup that the senior players were in for a hard time. Soon these fears started coming true and we were all gradually shunted out,” Razzaq said.

Razzaq joined the ICL after he was not considered for the Twenty20 World Cup last year in September and is now banned from playing in Pakistan.

“I don’t think this behaviour with senior players is acceptable. Coach Geoff Lawson can do nothing as he is an employee of the Board and has to follow their directives,” he said.

“As far as Lawson is concerned if the selectors include me in the team now the very next day he will praise my selection and my talents and say I am a very good performer,” Razzaq said.

Razzaq did not believe that the PCB would ever change its policy on the ICL.

“With the advent of the Indian Premier League and with most of the money in cricket coming from the Indian market who would like to annoy the Indian Board,” he said.

“But I want to make it clear that Pakistan has always been my top priority and if I had been treated justly I would never have joined the ICL,” he said.

Razzaq immediately made it clear that he was enjoying playing for the Hyderabad Heroes in the ICL event.

“The decision to join the ICL was taken after carefully studying the circumstances. I didn’t have much choice. The ICL people were very interested in me and cricket is my bread and butter and I had to think about my family,” he added.

He also insisted he didn’t regret joining the ICL and he was enjoying himself and the competition level in the ICL. Razzaq appeared in 46 Tests and 231 one-day internationals before joining the ICL.