Adil Najam
Pakistan plays its second group match in the 2007 World Cup Cricket against Ireland today.
Having already lost the first match to hosts West Indies, if the troubled Pakistani team also loses this game, it would have effectively eliminated itself from the tournament even before the ‘Super 8’ begin. On the other hand, if Ireland wins, it will be a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day windfall for the Irish.
Even though Ireland had pulled in a remarkable effort by tieing against Zimbabwe, the odds say that Pakistan will not lose today (and if they do, would there be any hope at all left for Pakistan cricket?). But around 20 per cent of our readers seem to think that Pakistan will fail to make it to the Super 8 – if not by losing today’s game, then by losing the last Group game against Zimbabwe. This according to the results of our ATP Poll on Pakistan’s prospects for the Cricket World Cup 2007.
(Click above for larger image)
The overall prognosis from the Poll seems to be rather bleak.
- A total of 398 votes were cast in the Poll.
- Some 20 per cent (79 votes) believe that Pakistan will not even make it past the group stage into the ‘Super 8.’
- This means that 80 per cent feel that the team will get into the Super 8. However, just about half (47 per cent; 188 votes) believe that Pakistan will not get beyond the Super 8 stage.
- A total of 34 per cent (131 votes) believes that Pakistan will, in fact, get to the Semi-Finals. But 20 per cent (78 votes) are of the view that the team will get no further than the Semi-Finals.
- 53 people (14 per cent) are of the view that the green caps will get to the Finals; and of these 43 (11 per cent of total) feel that we will win.
Personally, in this case I would hope that the majority is wrong and the 43 people who think that Pakistan will actually win the World Cup turn out to be correct. I hope so, but, frankly, I am not holding my breath.
We should definitely flood the letters to the editor section in newspapers and TV channels. It may not change anything, but at least people will know that he has not been accepted by the general public.
Ashraf has not completed the “agenda” which was assigned to him by the dictator. How could he leave in this way? His public stunt of resignation was just to fool the awam of Pakistan nothnig else. He knew his resignation wouldn’t be accepted that’s why he faxed to the general.
By the way, did somebody watch his today’s live press conference in which he announced his new “top managmnet team” in which he announced to suspend current contracts of players and said no foriegn coach will be appointed in future. Aaqib Jawed has been appointed as Chief Coach. Baseball coach will be appointed to improve the fielding of Pakistani team0 *intresting*.Some info given on Cricinfo:
tinyurl.com/2uw6m8
The debacle of Pakistani cricket started the moment Dr. Nasim Ashraf injected himself in the cricketing world by forcing him into the Oval fiasco, then playing a hidden hand in the Younus Khan captaincy mess forcing Shaheryar Khan to resign; and then eventually handling the Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif issue poorly in spite of the fact that he is a doctor by training. To make matter worse. Dr. Ashraf was no where to be found (hidding somewhere in interior sindh) when the tragic death of Woolmer took place. It was only after a week when he returned from his vacation that he found out the email from Woolmer that he had sent to him.. talk about setting up the priorities correctly.
Musharraf should have done the the rightful and sack the person responsible for bringing the shame to the only game that brings any joy to the Pakistani’s around the world – alas…we are seeing another sham of axing the minnows and keeping the man who started the mess to begin with. Case in example is the suspension of 14 policemen (out of which inspector being the highest post) in the media attack massacre with the person who executed the whole issue still floating around…
A very sad and dejected Pakistani cricket team fan.. ..
– Asif Alam
This man is such a failure, couldn’t even succeed in getting his resignation accepted.
Is there a way to start an e-mail campaign on this?
Another failed friend of Musharraf gets a pass.
Did the President offer any expalanation for retaining this “flim flam” man?
So he hires a US fielding coach (not a bad idea) but what changes is he going to bring to this failed organization?
Pakistan need professional managers to run this multi million dollar enterprise.