The shameful high-handed role of ICC umpire, Darrell Hair, at The Oval is a blotch on the game of cricket. Nobody, including an umpire, can conclude without evidence, that a team is involved in cheating.
The apologetic role of PCB chairman and the gentlemen accompanying him on yet another all-paid junket, was pathetic. The sad part is that nobody in the PCB seemed to be aware of ICC rules. The umpires, having wrongfully taken off the bails, should have rung some bells in PCB management. Instead the retired career diplomat, came out "thumbs up", our team goes out into the field, only to be booed and then unceremoniously returned to their dressing room.
The PCB chairman did not handle the situation in a dignified manner. This is what happens, when wrong choices are made for key appointments.
It is time somebody questions the PCB hierarchy of the large non-playing contingent, that accompanies tours to UK etc. After all how many other cricket Test playing nations waste so much funds on luxurious ungainful misadventures.
PCB needs to set its own house in order. A protest should be lodged both with the ICC and ECB.
The ECB, as the host nation, has a moral responsibility, to investigate whether their coach had approached the umpires with allegations of ball tampering, prior to start of the game. The chairman PCB must not be seen to be apologetic, while taking up the issue with his ECB counterpart. It is time PCB shows it has the spine to stand up and be counted. The President of Pakistan, in his role as patron, must act now.
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