KARACHI, 21 March 2003 — Life has come full circle for the 34-year-old Rashid Latif since 1998 when he was unceremoniously dumped as Pakistan captain and booted out of the team because of his refusal to toe the line of the establishment and drop his crusade against the match-fixing menace.

In August ’98, when he was dumped as captain and player, the reason given was that he was out of form and not fit. But the fact that a wicketkeeper and batsman of his caliber was constantly ignored for national selection until April 2001 confirmed Latif was being punished for his role in exposing the nexus between bookmakers and some players in Pakistan cricket.

He won his battle against corruption in June 2000 when the Justice Malik Qayyum match-fixing inquiry commission delivered damning recommendations against some players.

But despite his success after a long wait Latif had made more enemies than friends in and outside the establishment, but surprisingly not many in the team.

They were those, who despite their anger at his role as a whistle-blower, knew in their heart that what he had done was for the long term benefit of Pakistan cricket.

But more importantly Latif’s reputation as a honest and straightforward person not willing to bend backward to accommodate the corrupt made him an instant hero in the eyes of the masses and the media.

And his league of fans and supporters remains big even though many former Test players and officials still don’t agree with what he had done.

From 1998 to April 2001, Latif lost his prime years at the international level. But he kept himself in the news in the domestic scene and was chosen to lead the Pakistan ‘A’ team on a few occasions.

This, perhaps more because of guilty conscience off the men in power than anything else.

To his luck the man who took his place in the team, Moin Khan turned out to be a quality performer and this made a comeback more difficult for Latif. Although it was obvious to many that Latif even during Moin’s heydays commanded an automatic place in touring sides as the reserve keeper. But this never happened.

Latif finally got his break in April 2001 when Moin lost favor of the establishment and when Waqar Younis was appointed captain, Latif was brought back as the team’s No. 1 wicketkeeper.

Since than it has been a roller coaster ride for him with his performances touching the extraordinary to the ordinary, but in all these months he has shown himself to be a competent performer, the one who has always been there to encourage the players in pressure situation and the one with the popular and logical voice in the team.

This has been a factor that has played a key role in his re-appointment as captain on Wednesday by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The board has so far not explained whether Latif is at present only appointed for the Sharjah tournament or is also there for Test matches as he announced his retirement from Test cricket last November.

But all the answers should be evident when the new captain and chief selector hold their press conference in Lahore, as usual.

“I have accepted the responsibility of leading the team at this critical stage as I want to play a key role in the revival of the senior team,” Latif said on Wednesday before leaving for Lahore.

“It is a big honor for me and I will work closely with the new selection committee and team management to bring positive results for Pakistan,” he added.

And one can be assured these are not mere words from Latif, as he accepts that Pakistan cricket is passing through a critical stage and time has come for a revamp.

Asked about his decision to retire from Test cricket and than his intentions of retiring from One-Day Internationals after the World Cup, Latif says circumstances have dictated changes in his plans.

“I have decided against retiring now because this is a critical period for the team. And I believe I can still play a vital role in the rebuilding process,” he added.

They are many who will not be happy with his appointment, those who have been working overtime behind the scenes to get Moin reinstated in the team.

But like they say no one can fight with fate and fate certainly has destined that Latif now reap the benefits of his fight against corruption and also the injustices he had suffered.

For the moment he says he would not like to say much on what the team make up is going to be. “Let the team be announced and you will know everything. But you were there in the World Cup and you know what is on the cards.”

But in his heart even Latif knows that the time has again come to take some unpopular decisions and earn the wrath of his friends in the team if Pakistan cricket is to be put back on the road to success and with the future in mind.

No wonder the Board has turned to this man at such a critical juncture to take the strong decisions.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled its initial measures aimed at rebuilding the Pakistan cricket team after the failed World Cup campaign, when they appointed the team of Latif and Javed Miandad to take charge of the revamping process.

The appointment of the two respected and senior players as captain and coach did not come as a surprise as their names had been circulating in the last few days.

The decision to again appoint Latif as the captain is a clear indication that the board this time is dead serious about rebuilding and grooming a new look team in conditions conducive to discipline and commitment.

Apparently the PCB Chairman Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia after consulting his aides prevailed upon Latif to play on until the new look team is well settled and a new captain is groomed.

Another thought which clearly went into appointing Latif as captain was his close relationship and comradeship with Javed Miandad who in his previous two tenures as coach in 1998 and 2000 has had problems getting along with some senior players or vice versa.

But his comeback is a welcome sign for Pakistan cricket because all said and done there is no better cricket brain in the country and neither a more committed and sincere person toward Pakistan cricket.

Having failed with its experiments with foreign coaches, the Board has struck the right note with the team of Latif and Miandad with another former Test player, albeit a more low profile one, Haroon Rasheed as the manager.

The first assignment of these three Karachi based players would be the triangular series in Sharjah starting from 1st April and also featuring South Africa and Sri Lanka.

“The name of Moin Khan as a candidate for the captaincy from outside the team was discussed but the votes went in favor of Latif as he has been playing for the last two and half years and knows well the problems in the team, the worth of the players and also because of his positive info with Miandad,” a source said.

However, the decision to have Yousaf Youhana as deputy to Latif indicates that the board is still undecided on the future captain. The Pakistan board and selectors have come in for lot of criticism after the poor performances in the World Cup.

There have been angry calls for the axing of senior players captain Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Inzamam-ul Haq.

The new wave of private television channels and the increasing liberal policies of the state owned television channel have seen regular discussion programs being broadcast on the failed World Cup campaign with viewers and critics demanding changes in the Pakistan set-up.

PCB spokesman Samiul Hasan said that the new appointments were done after a lot of consultations and keeping the future in mind.

The PCB wants to start afresh for the future. The concept is to introduce new ideas and thinking in the selection process,” he added.