Pakistan Cricket in a Quandary
By Arshad Shami
Phoenix, Arizona
The recent actions taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board, run on whims rather than any principles, has raised many questions. The future of the game looks bleak, to say the least. If the present setup continues it is feared people will soon lose their patience and the game would be a thing of the past. It is strange that the Board continues to take actions which tantamount to harming the game rather than promoting it which should be its foremost and primary agenda.
Oblivious of the results the Board Chairman, a former test cricketer, has unwittingly ruined the game. For one thing no country is willing to come to Pakistan on the pretext of security reasons but the Board has failed to bring home to the ICC, the governing body that why the same teams are ready to go to other countries where acts of terrorism have taken place. To cite one example, in Britain almost every city where cricket is played has been the scene of worst riots and killings but the Indian team has not decided to call off its tour.
In India itself acts of terrorism have taken place yet no country has the audacity to refuse to travel and play there. The Indian Cricket League draws players from all the playing countries, except Pakistan and Bangladesh yet no player or country has refused because of the uncertain conditions. It shows the weakness of our Board which has succumbed to the authoritarian policies of the ICC to please India which does not want Pakistan to present the picture of a safe country.
However, the ICC has chalked out a program to initiate measures to restore the game in the country though they sound half-hearted. We are now concerned with the fate of our leading players. Following the sacking of Shahid Afridi as captain of the Pakistan team, the Board has sacked associate coach Aquib Javed for supporting Shahid Afridi. Not only he has been sacked but to the surprise of many Abdur Razzaq, who has not been selected in the Zimbabwe squad, has been given a contract.
Other unfortunate players are former captain Shoaib Malik and leg spinner Danish Kenairia who have to wait to see the outcome of their case. During the last three years the Board Chairman has dealt heavy blows to the game by sending home five captains, among them Muhammad Yousuf, our most outstanding batsman, who has been dumped though he was forced to come out of his self-imposed retirement. He has been totally ignored. Younis Khan, Shoaib Mali,k, and now Shahid Afridi, have been added to the list of those who have earned the wrath of the PCB Chairman, who even has declared that Shahid Afridi will not be considered for future selections.
Shahid himself has declared that he would not like to play till the Board has been replaced and sanity has been restored. It is surprising to see that the relatively new comer and emerging fast bowler, Riaz Wahab, has been ignored for selection for the team for Zimbabwe on the plea he has been rested and will be included in later selections. He is still fresh and the Zimbabwean tour would have helped him do still better. Umar Gul has been left out on the same plea and some new comers have been included for grooming.
While it is good to introduce newcomers it is important that those who have performed so well in the past are not be sidelined. Intikhab Alam, the former coach and manager, has also been replaced. In a statement the former leg spinner and captain, said he has served the game according to his conscience and has not acted against anyone. Intikhab is a straightforward and honest man. I know this because he started his career under my leadership in our club Pakins Cricket Club of Karachi. He was an instant success.
Intikhab has never indulged in any dirty politics though some people have tried to malign him. He is still part of the Board. Some other officials have been sent home in a shakeup which bespeaks of the maladministration in the Board. The Board Chairman is adamant he would not listen to reason and he is well entrenched in that position because he has the backing of the Federal Defense Minister.
In fact it is time that we do away with the practice of appointing heads of sports organizations by the President and bring democracy in sports organizations so that we are able to regain our past glory and place in the world of sports. Short of this, we cannot hope to stay atop in various sports disciplines.
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