As the Pakistan Cricket Board ponders on holding its own version of the Indian Premier League (IPL), former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad denounced the idea saying such a move would destroy the game in the country. We at zeecric.com bring to you the excerpts:Miandad said the IPL is nothing but entertainment and lacks quality."The involvement of too much money will destroy the game of cricket. It (IPL) lacks quality and a cricketer can never get the confidence he needs as a player. Even the greatest of bowlers cannot do anything about conceding sixes and fours," Miandad told the `Dawn`.The former Pakistan coach insisted five-day cricket not T20 was the real test of a player`s ability as there was the latter does not require players to showcase their technique.Miandad also felt Pakistan cricket was on a downward spiral and said the absence of quality opponents in the team`s schedule."One reason for this is that talented players are not being groomed properly. Also, we are not playing against high ranking teams and competing with the weaker sides which doesn`t improve your game.
"It is contesting against quality teams like Australia and India that your potential is truly put to the test But this is not the case at present," he said. Australia recently refused to tour Pakistan for a Test series due to security concerns, which was later rescheduled for 2009-2010.He came down heavily on the Australian players who played in the IPL at the cost of the pre-scheduled tour of Pakistan."It would have at least made it clear if whether their players had genuine security concerns or they were avoiding the Pakistan tour because they wanted to play in the IPL," he alleged.The cricketer, who has played 124 Tests, also lashed out at the PCB saying there was not a single person who knows the game."It`s an one man show in the team and the board."Miandad also criticised the Board`s handling of Shoaib Akhtar issue and said the pacer should not have been allowed to play in the IPL."There should be no compromise on discipline. The Board handled the issue so poorly that the image of the country has been tarnished. No country is now ready to attach importance to Pakistan. Mistakes should not be tolerated to prevent them from being repeated again."A tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh recently suspended Shoaib`s five-year ban for one month so that he could play in ongoing Indian Premier League.
"It is contesting against quality teams like Australia and India that your potential is truly put to the test But this is not the case at present," he said. Australia recently refused to tour Pakistan for a Test series due to security concerns, which was later rescheduled for 2009-2010.He came down heavily on the Australian players who played in the IPL at the cost of the pre-scheduled tour of Pakistan."It would have at least made it clear if whether their players had genuine security concerns or they were avoiding the Pakistan tour because they wanted to play in the IPL," he alleged.The cricketer, who has played 124 Tests, also lashed out at the PCB saying there was not a single person who knows the game."It`s an one man show in the team and the board."Miandad also criticised the Board`s handling of Shoaib Akhtar issue and said the pacer should not have been allowed to play in the IPL."There should be no compromise on discipline. The Board handled the issue so poorly that the image of the country has been tarnished. No country is now ready to attach importance to Pakistan. Mistakes should not be tolerated to prevent them from being repeated again."A tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Aftab Farrukh recently suspended Shoaib`s five-year ban for one month so that he could play in ongoing Indian Premier League.
