I'm delighted to present an interview with the former Pakistan Cricket Boad Chairman, Ijaz Butt. He mentioned to me that he had received hundreds and hundreds of calls over the last couple of days for interviews and had turned most of them down. So whether we agreed with some of the decisions he made or not, or some of the things he said during his tenure, I'm sure we all appreciate him giving up his time in doing the interview for PakPassion.

Oct 2011

PakPassion.net : How do you feel about your reign as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board?

Ijaz Butt : I enjoyed my stay. I think I have tried my best. I accept some criticism as I have made some mistakes also. I think I have achieved what I had planned for myself.


PakPassion.net : What in your opinion were the high points and low points of your tenure as PCB Chairman?

Ijaz Butt : That is not for me to decide. Let other people decide on what went well and what didn’t go so well, but I think there were a number of good things. The curbing and subsequent elimination of player power is one good thing and we have been able to get youngsters coming through the system and into the Pakistan team in all formats. The strengthening of domestic cricket is something that I feel has gone well and I think domestic cricket in Pakistan is set up nicely for the future.


PakPassion.net : The Twenty20 World Cup win under your Chairmanship must be one of the high points for yourself?

Ijaz Butt : Yes that’s very true. It was a good tournament and a very good day at Lords.


PakPassion.net : You appointed Shahid Afridi as test captain last year, with the hope that he would prove to be a stable and long term appointment. Looking back at that appointment what are your thoughts on his resignation after just one test match as captain?

Ijaz Butt : I don’t wish to talk about individual episodes but we have brought discipline into the team and we have been very strict on enforcing discipline and there have been no compromises on discipline. We took strict action on any player who didn’t adhere to the disciplinary codes we have enforced and who went beyond the disciplinary steps laid down by the International Cricket Council.


PakPassion.net : The Spot Fixing scandal last year and the ongoing trial at Southwark Crown Court are dark chapters in Pakistani cricket. Your thoughts on what happened last year involving Asif, Salman and Amir? 

Ijaz Butt : I cannot control what individuals do. We cannot monitor them 24/7. It was and remains a very sad episode. We at the PCB have been trying to do what we can possibly do to ensure this sort of thing doesn’t occur in the future. 


PakPassion.net : The PCB also came in for some harsh criticism during and after the spot fixing revelations. Do you think under your Chairmanship the Pakistan Cricket Board have done all they could to ensure that something like the spot fixing scandal of last year doesn’t reoccur?

Ijaz Butt : We have implemented educational programs at all levels of domestic cricket, from first class cricket right down to club cricket, to ensure that all of the players know the difference between right and wrong. 

We have had a team of individuals working on this project led by Wasim Bari and they are working all over Pakistan including the rural areas educating cricketers at all levels. 


PakPassion.net : In recent times we have seen a number of Pakistani cricketers have “run-ins” with the Pakistan Cricket Board, resulting in bans and various other punishments. Do you think you and the Board have done all you can to ensure that the Board versus player scenarios are not prevalent in future?

Ijaz Butt : I really don’t know, it all depends on the plans and the policies of my replacement. It all depends on the “new man” and what his plans are. I can’t tell him what to do and what not to do. I wish him the best of luck and I hope he can do some good for the game of cricket in Pakistan. There is a lot of talent in this part of the world and we can be at the top of everything if proper efforts are made on a regular basis.


PakPassion.net : Pakistan failed to secure hosting rights for the World Cup earlier this year. How disappointing was that for you and the Pakistan Cricket Board?

Ijaz Butt : That was purely down to the unfortunate and very sad incident with the Sri Lankan team when they toured Pakistan. Yes it was very disappointing that we couldn’t co-host the tournament, but the Pakistan Cricket Board and I did all we could.


PakPassion.net : In years to come, how would you want your reign as PCB Chairman to be remembered?

Ijaz Butt : I don’t want to rate the job I did. The best way to be rated will be in future when people look back at this period of Pakistan cricket. When everyone looks back in 10 or 20 years time, then that will be the right time to look back and rate the job that I did.


PakPassion.net : Would you have been happy to continue in the role of Chairman if the President had asked you to continue?

Ijaz Butt : No, no, no, no, no! I made it clear to the relevant authorities that I am not available to continue performing the role and that some other person should be appointed. My tenure ended on 8th October but I had already communicated to the relevant authority a couple of weeks prior to my term ending that I would not be continuing in the role.

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