Tribal youth of Khyber Agency have said the resignation of Shahid Khan Afridi from international cricket was against the interest of the country. They demanded removal of Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ejaz Butt.
Speaking at a news conference, on Wednesday, Central President, Khyber Union Khyber Agency, Haris Khan Afridi said that Shahid Afridi has tendered resignation due to dictatorial attitude of the chairman PCB.
Flanked by members of the organising committee Subat Khan, General Secretary Saleem Khan and Bismillah Jan, he said that the PCB was on the verge of disaster. The Board, he said, had inducted blue-eyed boys in international team at the behest of members of the PBC governing body by sidelining experienced cricketers, which was totally unfair and violation of procedure and criteria.
Due to inexperienced players, he said the cricket team's moral has gone down. The team's selection was made on the basis of favouritism and nepotism and talented boys were not selected. Afridi accused that the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt had created disputes among cricket team members since resuming the office. In the prevailing situation, he said that three captains had replaced under his three-year tenure, whereas the neighbouring India cricket team played for the last five years headed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
He said that Shahid Afridi is an honest and experienced cricketer, who has played role to purge of match mixing culture and united team under his captaincy. He said that the unity and full concentration had made Pakistan team to play semi-final against India. Haris viewed that Shahid Afridi had tendered resignation due to pressure of Chairman PCB, Ejaz Butt. He called for removal of PCB chairman instead to accepting resignation of Shahid Afrdi to save the international cricket.
He tribal youth warned that if the government failed to remove PCB chairman, they would launch protest campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkwa and FATA. Meanwhile, Afridi Students' Union (ASU) also staged a protest demonstration against the resignation of Shahid Khan Afridi.