Former PCB chairman Ijaz Butt passes away
LAHORE: Former Test player and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt passed away at his residence here on Thursday. He was 85.
Born in Sialkot on March 10, 1938, Ijaz featured in eight Tests for Pakistan from 1959 to 1962. He served as the PCB chief from 2008 to 2011 and during his tenure Pakistan won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009.
“Pakistan Cricket Board through its Chairman and members of Management Committee, Board executives and employees has expressed its grief and sorrow over the passing of former Test cricketer and its former Chairman Ijaz Butt today,” a PCB statement read Thursday.
Ijaz’s funeral prayer will be offered at the Ghalib Market mosque at 11:00pm on Friday.
The demised left behind a widow, a son and two daughters. Ijaz had been unwell for the last one year and his social interactions were limited through the period.
Current PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and former Test cricketers Intikhab Alam, Mohammad Ilyas and Wasim Bari condoled Ijaz’s demise, while hailing his services for the sport.
“On behalf of the PCB, I want to express my deepest condolences on the sad demise of Mr Ijaz Butt,” Zaka said in a statement. “I had the privilege of knowing him personally and I have nothing but utmost respect for Mr Butt.
“I offer my deepest condolences to Ijaz Butt’s family and friends, and assure them that he will always be remembered for the contributions he made to Pakistan cricket.”
During his playing days, Ijaz was a dependable opening batter and a capable wicket-keeper. He made his Test debut against the West Indies in 1959 in Karachi and scored 41 not out in a 10-wicket win. In his eight Test outings for Pakistan, he accumulated 279 runs.
Before being appointed as chairman PCB in 2008, Ijaz had served as the secretary of the then Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan between 1984 and 1988, in which Pakistan hosted the World Cup for the first time in 1987 with India.
He also held the post of president of the Lahore City Cricket Association during the 70s and the 80s. During Tauqir Zia’s tenure as PCB chairman he was also appointed as president of the Punjab Cricket Association.
And under Nasim Ashraf’s reign as the PCB chief, Ijaz was a member of the first Board of Governors of the body in which two seats for former Test cricketers were reserved.
In 2008, at the age of 70, he was appointed as chairman of the PCB. His term at the helm was an eventful time for Pakistan cricket as the team won the T20 World Cup months after the Sri Lankan squad was attacked in Lahore.
A year later, Pakistan cricket was shook by the 2010 spot-fixing scandal during the national side’s tour to England. Ijaz appointed Misbah-ul-Haq as the Pakistan captain after the setback.
Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023