- Rana Sanaullah calls for disclosure of sports-related expenses.
- Says mentors have admitted to being paid Rs5m “to do nothing”.
- Wants issue to be discusses before cabinet and in parliament.
Pakistan’s humiliating run and early elimination from the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025, it seems, have not only invited widespread criticism from fans and the cricket fraternity but also raised eyebrows in Islamabad.
“The prime minister will personally take notice and we will also ask him to raise these [cricket-related] issues in the cabinet as well as in parliament,” PM Shehbaz Sharif’s aide on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said while speaking on Geo News‘ programme “Geo Pakistan” on Thursday.
The politician’s remarks come against the backdrop of the dismal performance showcased by the Mohammad Rizwan-led side — also the defending champions — in the first International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament hosted by the country in nearly three decades.
During the tournament, the Green Shirts suffered back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and arch-rivals India. The national side will face Bangladesh today in Rawalpindi — the match, however, has been reduced to a dead rubber as both teams have already been knocked out.
With fans left utterly dejected, interim head coach Aqib Javed has defended the team selection, saying that not a single player in the squad was included without performance.
Power grab
Sanaullah, while expanding on the issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said that the body was an independent institution and could do whatever it wanted which it has done.
Saying that he would personally ask PM Shehbaz to take up this issue in the cabinet as well as parliament, the seasoned politician remarked: “This is not just about one chairman’s appointment. Take a look at the last five to 10 years, and what has been happening.”
While addressing the issue of finances and the expenditure concerned, the PM’s aide said: “The sport at college, district-level is [in a bad position] and the amount that has been spent on a professional level should be revealed before the public.”
The politician further lamented that an amount as high as Rs5 million was being paid to mentors who have in fact admitted on the media that they were unaware of their responsibilities and were being remunerated for doing nothing.
“You will be surprised after hearing about the perks and privileges of other officer bearers — you’ll be confused whether they are officials of a Pakistani institution or those belonging to a developed nation,” the adviser said.
“These issues have been going on for years; people take charge [at the cricket board] through power and then they do whatever they want, leading to the current condition of the board.
“A consistent system should be in place so that this board can function smoothly, like others in the country,” Sanaullah opined while lamenting the situation in other sports associations of the country where people retire and come back for perks and privileges.
It is important to note that against New Zealand, the Green Shirts fell 60 runs short of the 321-run target after being bowled out for 260 runs in the tournament’s opening match.
Moreover, against India, the Pakistan team suffered a six-wicket defeat after failing to put a respectable total on the board.
Also, prior to the Champions Trophy, the Rizwan-led side suffered two defeats against New Zealand both in the home tri-series opener and subsequent final.
This isn’t the first mega-tournament that the Green Shirts have performed poorly at. The national side, in 2023, only managed to win four out of their nine matches and finished in fifth position on the points table with eight points in the ODI World Cup 2023.
The Green Shirts then also crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2024 which saw them losing to India as well as the United States.
