Former PCB chief Ashraf lashes out at current head Sethi

Karachi: Former Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf has lashed out at his successor Najam Sethi, blaming him for the sport`s rapid deterioration in the last two months.

In a statement, Ashraf claimed the situation had deteriorated after his departure from the board and said he felt discord, disunity and fear in the national team now. He also attacked the Board under Sethi for inducting "tainted" players in different roles in the PCB. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in February had removed Ashraf as chairman of the PCB and appointed Najam Sethi in his place to run the affairs of the PCB. Sethi now heads a managing committee to run Board affairs and on Monday appointed former captain, Moin Khan as chief selector and manager. "I left Pakistan cricket in good standing. But it has gone down," Ashraf said in the statement. "When I was the chairman, Pakistan made a historic clean-sweep against world number one England in Tests." Ashraf said in his time the team was united but now things had changed and there was discord within the side. He cited Pakistan`s early ouster from the recently concluded World Twenty20 as an example of the discord that has since bred in the squad. Taking a dig at former captains Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, Ashraf said it was surprising that the team performed the way it did despite the presence of "three captains in the side" "These captains were playing for their personal causes instead of team`s cause. I felt disunity and fear within the team," he commented.