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Rashid Latif
 ‘It was a childish move to make Shoaib Malik captain of the side. After Inzamam’s retirement, either Younus Khan or Mohammad Yousuf should have been asked to lead the team,’ says Rashid Latif
An understatement: Rashid Latif doesn’t mince words. The former captain and wicket-keeper of the Pakistan cricket team is known for blunt statements that often ruffle many feathers.
A few weeks ago, caught up with him and discussed our national cricket team’s recent string of poor performances. The following are excerpts from his interview:
In the late ‘90s you spoke against the match-fixing scandal. What’s the present situation?
It’s disappointing to know that I am known more as the whistle-blower on the match-fixing saga rather than a wicket-keeping batsman. Sometimes I feel that my personality has been unjustly associated with this situation. But, yes, I am proud of the fact that I spoke against it, and my cricketing career got shortened because of it. Had that not happened I would certainly have made some records.
Did you succeed in what you were trying to achieve by letting the cat out of the bag?
I admit that I take cricket as a passion instead of a profession. When I raised my voice and brought the scandal to everybody’s notice, PCB and the media should have taken some serious measures. But that didn’t happen.
Will the names of the culprits be made public?
Never! Neither the players nor those related to the match-fixing mafia will ever be caught, because thieves don’t catch thieves. Corruption is rampant everywhere. What progress has the ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit made? I think it has miserably failed to solve even a single case of match-fixing.
In 2006, a serious scam in soccer surfaced in Italy. The soccer associations there acted timely and relegated the Champion club Juventus and deducted AC Milan’s points. Things have improved and the Italians are now on top.
Does match-fixing still happen?
There is no proof, but doubts remain. Obviously there’s a big mafia involved which cannot be eliminated overnight.
Your rivalry with Moin Khan on the cricket field is quite famous. What’s your take on it?
You could call it professional jealousy, but it always proved in favour of the Pakistan team. For example, in the 1996 tour of England I was the first-choice wicket-keeper and Moin was there as a backup option. But in the middle of the Test series I suffered a back injury that created a chance for Moin to play in the next match. He grabbed the opportunity and scored a century. In the last Test the team management found it hard to pick a wicket-keeper, but I tried to resolve the problem by suggesting that Moin should be in the playing XI because of his last performance.
 However, after the tour I was upset when I read Moin’s statement that he had played because he was better than me. I was tempted to reply. The next year when I fortunately got a chance to play in his absence, I scored a century at Sharjah. At the time when newsmen hurled questions at me regarding the rivalry between the two of us, I said I was in the playing XI because I was better than Moin!
How do you rate Moin Khan as a wicket-keeper?
Moin was a very hardworking cricketer, a true fighter and always performed on crucial occasions.
Do you like any of the current international wicket-keepers?
I like Kumar Sangakara, because keeping wickets off Muttiah Muralitharan is never an easy job; but he does it efficiently. Adam Gilchrist and Mark Boucher are also quality wicket-keepers; but my all-time favourite is Geoffery Dujon of the West Indies. He was a natural wicket-keeper and I learnt a lot from him.
You left international cricket in mysterious circumstances. Why?
I wanted to change the destiny of Pakistan cricket. It was because of my efforts that the salaries of cricketers were increased and the way was paved for the central contract system. But this success went against me as I got on the wrong side of the selection committee and the PCB. My presence in the team was not in their interest. They were waiting for me to make a mistake. And when I faced the ICC ban for taking a suspect catch of Bangladeshi cricketer Alok Kapali, the board tactfully ousted me from the team.
It was a mistake on my part that I was trying to change the system by fighting for the right of my players and turned the administration against myself. Subsequently it was revealed that the players supported the one who’s in the team. So I got no support when the PCB ousted me. By that time huge money was at stake and the players didn’t want monetary loss.
What happened next?
The rebuilding process stopped when I was left out and each player, including Inzamam, tried to cement his place rather than groom the new talent. Many talented players like Misbahul Haq, Asim Kamal and Abdul Rauf suffered because of that. Ultimately that proved to be the main reason for Pakistan’s defeat in the World Cup 2007. That’s the difference between Inzamam and me. He left cricket without giving anything to the team, whereas when I left cricket there was a fully groomed team, full of young players.
What’s your opinion on Pakistan’s recent performance in India?
These days I am totally out of touch, but I can say that it was a childish move by the PCB to make Shoaib Malik captain of the side. I still think after Inzamam’s retirement either Younus or Yousuf should have been asked to lead the team.
 Younus Khan has declined captaincy. Being one of his close friends, what’s your take on that issue?
Younus has been with me while I was captain of the national side. He knows what kind of pressure and tensions I faced when I had the job. I don’t think he was too thrilled. Today there is too much money involved in cricket, so even Younus doesn’t want confrontation with the board. But if he agrees, Younus is the best choice.
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