Joint Post by Syed Ahsan Ali and Owais Mughal
Oops! The blue-eyed boy of Pakistan’s cricket team has done it again. This time hitting his team-mate by a cricket bat. Who said that we are an intolerant nation. It is utterly wrong. Look how oblivious we are of Mr. Shoaib Akhtar‘s failings. He misbehaved; we said he is a match-winner. He accused former greats for overshadowing his success; we said he is a match-winner. He tried to disrupt Inzamam‘s discipline over the team; we said he is a match-winner. He was caught using performance-enhancing drugs while whole world was saying him cheat and druggie; we said he is a match-winner. And now he hit his colleague on the thigh with a bat, disgracing the game, name of the country and fellow-colleagues, what would we do now? We hope this incident would get us out of our slumber and decide whether he is a menace or necessity for the team.
Today, Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to send him back from the Twenty20 World Cup and handed him an indefinite ban pending a hearing, which will take place after the team returns from South Africa.
A press release issued on Friday by team manager Talat Ali in Johannesburg said:
“The decision [to send him home] has been taken on an incident that took place yesterday [6th September] afternoon at the Centurion Park after the practice session of the Pakistan team. It was reported to us by Asif that Shoaib had hit him on his leg with a bat and abused him.”
According to Dawn news, PCB chief executive officer Shafqat Naghmi said:.
“Shoaib Akhtar will be returning by the first available flight….(the) decision was taken on complaints of discipline violation.”
To his defense Shoaib akhtar‘s statements appears at the website Cricinfo where he says that he made a mistake “in the heat of the moment”.
“I’m human and made a mistake in the heat of the moment…Asif said something to me that made me lose my temper. I apologised to him, but I was very upset.”
He asked the media not to paint him as a villain and said,
“I’m feeling bad that two minutes of temper have ruined my comeback. Sometimes you do things in a fit of temper. I will explain the situation to everyone and apologise. I will address a press conference and apologise for my actions. I will try and make it back for the series against South Africa next month.”
PCB Chairman Naseem Ashraf‘s statement also appears in electronic media today where he has said something to the tune that Shoaib won’t be back even if Pakistan gets to play more than 5 matches in the tournament.
In the past we have covered Shoaib Akhtar quite a few times at ATP e.g. Here, Here and Here. Just like all other cricket fans, our sweet-bitter relationship with him seems to continue with this post. Shoaib now seems to be transgressing again and again. Some say this is because he gets away with it after facing media trial and paying heavy bucks. Few years back, famous broadcaster Harsha Bhogle wrote in an article that Shane Warne is a great cricketer but he is not a nice role-model to idolize for young cricketers. Now it appears that the case may not be too different with Shoaib Akhtar.
Credits: Title photo of this article is from www.cricinfo.com
Shoaib has big ego issues and high level of attitude. This kind of personality is not good for cricket, in-fact for any professional field.
It is a big blow to the pakistan team but i would consider it as a boon as people with such personality can create instability in the team and affect the performace of other players.
few details have come out.
Afridi advised Shoaib to be bit cool and reserve with juniors. Afridi then looked towards Asif and asked,”did I say right?”, Asif smiled which made Shoaib mad and beat Asif with the bat. That’s the whole story which was revealed by GEO.
Pakistan is a nation of men, not laws. Same goes for Pakistani cricket, Shoaib Akhtar has made a name for himself, now it doesnt matter what he does, he will continue to play in the team until HE decides to retire from it.
A sportsman is not one excelling at his game, the behaviour On and Off the field is equally if not more
important. “Sportsman Spirit” is not just a slogan, it is the foundational discipline which ranks higher than performance. Haven’t we seen in all sports the decision of the referee/umpire, however incorrect, is accepted and the games proceed in their true spirit.
This fellow is a habitual offender and not a great player, as generally projected. Given his track record he is bad news. It drains the team when he bowles his initial 4-5 overs and then walks to the pavilion to rest and recover. He is about 10% of the team. Cricket is a team game and a team cannot afford a player who is useful for the first half-hour. The 12th man is to support absences from field of the entire Eleven.
Pakistan possess an enormous amount of (raw) young talent in all departments of the game. Someone counted names of an entire team made up of fast bowlers who were waiting in the wings to be called upon. Why is the PCB wasting its energies and enormous financial resources to pamper and often legally defend someone who is of not much use and mostly a liability. Rather, expend a fraction of those energies and money to line up a half dozen fast bowlers from that raw-talent available to the country. In any case at age 31 he is goner as a fast bowler.
PCB is totally managed by unprofessionals like other institutions in pakistan. Result is clear, we can find chaos every where like in our land of pure.
Shoaib is ofcourse a good crickter. At the same time we can say he is the most rude,stooge, illitrate (especially in manners) and over confident chap. I think he must be ban for his childish behavior as he is destroying not the cricket environment but also bringing bad name to Pakistan in foriegn media.
By blaming Afridi, he looks more stupid than ever………behaving like a guilty child who blames every one for his wrongdoings..