Pakistan says attempts to marginalise it in new FTP

Pakistan believes there were attempts to marginalise it, and other countries, in the draft of the next six-year international cricket programme but the plan is being reworked with a promise from the ICC that its interests will be protected.

"Yes, there were attempts to marginalise us [in the next tour programme]," the PCB's chief operating officer Salim Altaf told AFP. "The ICC was due to approve the Future Tours Programme (FTP) by June 25 but after our concerns it has gone back to the table. We hope our interests will be addressed, as the ICC has promised."

The ICC last week began chalking out an FTP that aims to provide a structured schedule of cricket for the ten member countries from 2012 to 2018. Teams have been wary of playing in Pakistan amid a wave of Taliban-linked attacks over two years, and in the past year the ICC moved the Champions Trophy 2008 out of Pakistan, after several teams refused to travel there, and stripped it of its World Cup matches after a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March.

It is believed, however, that a number of sides, including South Africa, promised Pakistan that they would be willing to play them "anytime, anywhere [on neutral venues] and honour all their contractual commitments" in the next FTP. England, where Pakistan will next year play several off-shore Tests, has also been helpful; the recent meeting has seen the PCB attempt to repair relations with members of the ICC as well as the governing body itself.

However, board officials believe that a "cartel" of the big four countries - Australia, South Africa, India and England - is building up, which will marginalise Pakistan and other, less profitable countries, raising concerns of a two-tiered cricket world of the haves and have-nots. This is one of the main objections that has been raised and is likely to now cause delays before the FTP is ratified.

"We have raised the issue with the ICC and said to them that there is a cartel building up of four countries and no cartel is ever a good thing," an official present at the meetings told Cricinfo. "They [the group of four] wanted to reduce the number of ICC events to two in four years also. The ICC is abdicating their responsibility here but they are now realising it at least."

It has also been learnt that there are no scheduled series between India and Pakistan in the FTP post-2012, indicating that relations between the BCCI and the PCB have yet to improve. The two boards have been close in recent years, but a change in administration within the PCB and a change in the political atmosphere between the two governments has changed that. The PCB's legal case against the ICC over the 2011 World Cup - set to continue now in the disputes resolution committee under Michael Beloff - has further fractured the relationship. The BCCI, say officials, has pointed to the uncertain political ties between the two countries as a reason for not scheduling any tours.

How Razzaq's return made a difference.

The Pakistan allrounder is happy to take the new ball and keen to work on his fitness as he joins the national side after two years away.

Now that he is back on the international track, Abdul Razzaq can't stop talking cricket. Barely minutes after reaching London, following a two-hour bus ride from Nottingham, Razzaq is in the hotel lobby, picking the brains of Pakistan's bowling coach Aaqib Javed. Aaqib is weary and desperate to get into his room, which is taking rather long to get cleaned up. In contrast, Razzaq is fresh and eager, having left his wife, two young kids and the kitbag in the room.

"I was thinking I should work more with the old ball. I feel a little stiff, too," Razzaq points out to Aaqib in Punjabi. Aaqib thinks for a moment before nodding. Both agree things will pick pace with time. It is easy to sense at the moment that more than anything Razzaq is searching for motivation from his team, having left it two years ago.

Razzaq's game against New Zealand last week in the Super Eights was his first for Pakistan immediately after he had cut ties with the unauthorised ICL. He had joined the ICL having decided to retire in frustration as the Pakistan selectors dropped him from the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007. Little did he imagine that he would bounce back, and play a crucial role in Pakistan's route to the final of the second edition of the tournament.

Razzaq replaced the injured Yasir Arafat and played New Zealand, barely 24 hours after flying into London. Obviously he was gripped by nerves. Luckily Wasim Akram, his former Pakistan captain and bowling legend, walked up to him minutes before the game to help him relax. "It was nice of him [Akram] to speak to me. He understood he didn't need to tell me about my bowling as I've played 250-odd ODIs [237] but the talk did motivate me," Razzaq said.

Between being asked to join the squad in England and playing New Zealand, Razzaq decided to keep an open mind about his role in the team. "When I left Pakistan [to join the team in England] I was willing to fit into any role."

Little did he know that Younis Khan would tell him to take the new ball. With Sohail Tanvir off colour in first three games, Pakistan desperately needed a senior strike bowler to complement the talented left-armer Mohammed Aamer. Younis admitted it was a brave move on his part to gamble with the experienced Razzaq. Still it was a well-thought out move.

When he ran in for that first ball, Razzaq had made sure he had kept his mind positive. "I was not nervous. I backed myself a lot and never allowed any negative thought to enter the mind like 'I'm coming back after two years and what would happen'." His impact was immediate: Pakistan managed to keep New Zealand tied down during the Powerplay overs, which Aaqib repeatedly mentions as the most pivotal period in a Twenty20 match. Before Razzaq replaced Tanvir, Pakistan were lagging behind in the first six overs: 63 for 2 v England, 37 for 1 v Netherlands and 65 for 0 v Sri Lanka. Once Razzaq came on board, Pakistan took control: 37 for 3 v New Zealand, 37 for 1 v Ireland and 40 for 1 v South Africa.

"We want a good start in the Powerplay from Aamer and Razzaq," Aaqib said. "He [Razzaq] has a big, big responsibility due to his experience."

Razzaq, who Shahid Afridi reckons is one of the best allrounders in the game, is not shying away. "I understand it is a challenge to start with the new ball, but it is the team's requirement so I have to bowl in the first six overs," Razzaq said. "The key is not to give runs. That is the most important thing to succeed for a bowler in Twenty20."

Going into Sunday's final, Aaqib's only concern about Razzaq is his lack of pace since he is feeling a little tired. But Aaqib is not after some quick-fix solution that will boost Razzaq's speed. If anything, Aaqib is confident about Razzaq's sharp bowling acumen. "He is an intelligent bowler," Aaqib said. According to him Razzaq can mix the deliveries along with his natural inswinger into the right-hander. "He also uses the slower ball cleverly, so that could be very crucial in the first six overs."

Another positive Razzaq brings to the team, Aaqib said, is his ability to hit the yorker-length balls. "He is one of the few batsmen who can hit big off yorker-length delivery. In Twenty20 cricket most bowlers cramp the batsman for space and Razzaq is so good to score big still."

After spending two years in the minor-league cricket witnessed in the ICL, Razzaq admits international cricket has become fast and fitness is the most important thing for a player now. Clearly, that's his priority. "My aim is to lift my fitness to the required level."

And if he can get fit he can gain the desired pace, too. "I'm not bothered about the speed.

When the fitness is achieved, speed will increase simultaneously."