Big Bash League to rev up Pak cricketers: Zaka Ashraf

By Shoaib Ahmed

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 8, 2012: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appreciated the Pakistani cricketers getting a chance to play in the KFC Big Bash League (BBL) saying playing under Aussie conditions will help them become better cricketers.

PCB double standards comes to the fore yet again as stylish Mohammad Yousuf is yet to get NoC for featuring in President’s Trophy

Talking exclusively with TheSportsNEXT.com on Thursday, the PCB Chairman said that playing in Australia domestic cricket competition is a good opportunity for Pakistani cricketers.

"In Big Bash League, Pakistani cricketers make good money and get ample opportunities to play against the world’s top players on Australian wickets which is going to help them to achieve the competitive edge at international nationals”, Zaka Ashraf told this scribe.

The PCB has once again showed its double standards as on one side it has allowed top cricketers like Saeed Ajmal, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi to play in the KFC Big Bash League but on the other it has stopped Mohammad Yousuf from playing in the domestic cricket tournament.

It is a good omen for Pakistan cricket that foreign cricket leagues are inviting them but at the same time it’s a hard nut to crack for the cricket fans in Pakistan that why Zaka Ashraf is yet to hand Mohammad Yousuf NoC to play in the domestic cricket competition.

The PCB refused to issue a non-objection certification (NoC) to Mohammad Yousuf for his participation in the ongoing President’s Trophy first-class cricket tournament.

Only last month, Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf had told this scribe at the National Stadium during the exhibition match between Pakistan Stars XI and World International XI that he was not going to risk Pakistani cricketers before the much-anticipated Pakistan-India cricket series as the national team can’t bear fitness problems to any of the top cricketers.

However, on the other hand, Mohammad Yousuf, who is out of PCB selectors’ favors for a long time, is still waiting for green signal from the PCB to play national domestic cricket tournaments but the PCB officials are keeping mum on his issue.

The PCB’s silence has prompted former skipper Rashid Latif to lash out at the cricket board officials who are not doing justice to the talent and experience of Mohammad Yousuf.

Rashid Latif wants Mohammad Yousaf in his domestic team Port Qasim Authority and he requested the PCB to issue him the required NoC in this regard but he is yet to receive the PCB version on the issue.

The PCB officials and authorities were not available to comment on the issue despite of several attempts.