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The cracks in the Pakistan cricket set-up are only widening amid the senior men’s team’s floundering World Cup 2023 campaign. On Monday, former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned from his role as the chief selector midway through the premier tournament.
Inzamam sent his resignation letter to Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf following Pakistan’s four-match losing streak in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
The termination of Inzamam’s contract as chief selector by the PCB could create a significant financial burden for the board. Reports emerging from media in Pakistan suggest that the board may be compelled to pay Inzamam a substantial sum of approximately PKR 15 million. This disbursement equates to a monthly salary of 2.5 million rupees which would be allocated over six months.
Inzamam’s dismissal is further complicated by his involvement in potential conflicts of interest. As it emerges, Inzamam is a shareholder in “Yazo International Limited,” a company owned by cricketers’ agent Talha Rehmani.
This association has raised eyebrows, given that Rehmani represents some of Pakistan’s leading cricketers, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Further muddying the waters is the fact that Rizwan also holds co-ownership of the same firm.
These revelations followed reports of significant discord between the PCB and the players concerning the central contract. Before the 2023 World Cup, these tensions reached a zenith, with players mulling over the prospect of boycotting commercial activities during the high-profile tournament. One of their demands was to receive a share of the money that the PCB received from the ICC.
Inzamam, who shares his agent with the foremost Pakistani cricketers, stepped in to mediate and pledged to resolve the dispute within 48 hours. His intervention culminated in a resolution to the impasse, with all the players’ demands being acceded to.
Consequently, Inzamam’s involvement in the contract controversy and his potential conflicts of interest cast a shadow over his erstwhile position as the chief selector.
