Ejaz Butt and other officials could find themselves facing the axe from the government after the ICC's decision to shift the 2011 World Cup matches from Pakistan.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt and other officials could find themselves facing the axe from the government after the International Cricket Council's decision to shift the 2011 World Cup matches from Pakistan due to security reasons.
Sources in the Sports Ministry said that president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the chief patron of the board, was certain to ask for a detailed report on the situation that led to Pakistan losing the World Cup rights.
"There is every possibility there might be changes in the board to allow Pakistan cricket to make a fresh start with new faces," one source said.
The sources pointed out that since Butt took over as chairman last October, nothing had gone right for Pakistan cricket.
"We have gained nothing but lost a lot and the final straw was losing the World Cup hosting rights at a time when the government is trying hard to revive the economy and convince other countries to invest in the country," one source said.
Butt and other PCB officials also came under strong criticism from many former captains and players after the ICC announced its decision on Friday.
Many of them felt the board had not done enough homework or taken things seriously enough to lobby in the world of cricket and ICC and prevent the World Cup matches from being moved from Pakistan.
The sources said the helplessness of Butt in the face of the ICC decision had also not gone down well with government ministers who were already unhappy with Butt's performance.
"Already after the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March for which many government officials feel the PCB is also responsible for its lack of responsibility and Butt has been under pressure to retain his position," one source said.
He said now there were indications that Pakistan lost the World Cup hosting rights because member countries at the ICC Executive Board meeting in Dubai did not show confidence in the PCB's ability to provide adequate security for touring teams.
"The word is that Butt came under pressure at the ICC meeting after the feedback given to the ICC Executive Board members on the attack on the Sri Lankan team," the source said.
A board official admitted that if Pakistan lost to Australia in the one-day series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that could be the final blow for Butt and his men in the board and they would find it hard to retain their seats in the PCB.
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