Asif Iqbal (left) with CBFS Chairman Sheikh Abdul Rehman Bukhatir COLOMBO, July 20: Former Pakistan skipper Asif Iqbal has espoused the cause of neutral venues. Iqbal, here as a member of the technical committee for the Asia Cup Championship, said that it will give a new dimension to the conventional form of the game played at the highest level.``When Test matches are played today, one side gets a few clear advantages the familiar local conditions, knowledge about the nature of the wicket and vocal home support. But a neutral venue neutralises those advantages. Of course, One-Day Internationals are played on neutral venues.But, that is a different ball game. Test matches on neutral venues would indeed be a great novelty.''Sharjah, of course, could be a candidate particularly for an Indo-Pak Test. Iqbal, who is a co-ordinator for the Cricketer's Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) in Sharjah said, ``As part of its ongoing progress, the Sharjah Stadium is getting floodlights under which the Champions Trophy this December will be played between India, Pakistan, West Indies and England.''Iqbal lamented that contemporary cricket is no more a sport, but an industry. ``When I say this, people call me a mercenary. But, I truly believe in it. I think Kerry Packer was very good for cricket.He made pots of money, but he made sure that players profitted from it. Innovations like coloured clothes and night cricket are to his credit.Iqbal, who now resides in England, is also critical of the step-motherly treatment meted out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to match referees and umpires from the Asian region. ``Why can't we get to officiate more matches involving England, Australia and South Africa?''However, he was optimistic that with Jagmohan Dalmiya at the helm of ICC, things will change for the better. ``I have a lot of hope in Jaggu,'' he said.Iqbal is most vociferous in criticising Aamir Sohail and Manoj Prabhakar for making wild allegations without substantiating charges. ``I will be interested in asking Sohail and Prabhakar only one thing: It all happened when they were still part of their teams. If their morality is so high, then why did they not stand up then and there.If they had, their statements would have seemed more credible. To come out with this sensational news after being dropped is not acceptable; more so, because they are not naming anyone. I think they are dishonest.''Asked how he would eradicate the allegations of match-rigging , Iqbal said: ``Where is the qiestion of eradication ? You see, these guys are not speaking, they are whispering. If they are speaking, then they should be heard loud and clear. And not give unconditional apologies,'' he said in a suble attack on Sohail who did exactly that and got back into the team.Iqbal also defended Sharjah and said that criticism against the venue as a nerve centre of betting was baseless. ``Betting is illegal in UAE. There is no gambling. Why are fingers pointing at Sharjah when Ladbrokes have a tent on the cricketing grounds in England ? I think they are making Sharjah a scapegoat.''Iqbal's most acidic comment was reserved for his former Pakistani team-mate Sarfraz Nawaz, who is one of the worst critics of Sharjah. The former Pakistani new-ball bowler has often gone on record to sya that betting is rampant in Sharjah and has even named some important personalities behind the whole alleged operation.Says Iqbal: ``Let me put itthis way. He (Sarfraz) was the best bowler Pakistan has ever produced. He was very intelligent, I think even better than Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Having said that, I would like to add that I will not allow my children to even cross his shadow. The man does not even thinks when he talks. He's terrible. I do not need to stoop to his level to reply to his accusations.''
