Adil Najam
A general rule that many parents teach their children is that if you have to keep saying “sorry” for the same mistake again and again and again and again; then, apology loses its effectiveness, and you your credibility.
A first instinct at hearing about Shoaib’s Akhtar “unconditional apology” to the nation and the PCB for his repeated misbehavior is to remind him of this fact.At the same time, however, parents do also know that sometimes it does take a few repeat mistakes for us to actually and truly feel sorry. Parents also know that sometimes we ourselves overdo our anger and place in penalties that exceed the mistake.
Shoaib Akhtar’s most recent misadventures may be a case of all of the above.
There is a part of his “bad boy” image that has, in fact, gone out of control. But it may also be the case that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may actually have been overzealous just to set an “example”. And one does truly hope that age and public humiliation might combine to mellow him down – maybe not as a bowler, but certainly as an impresario.
Here is the news (from Reuters) of Shoaib Akhtar’s unconditional apology to the nation and to PCB as the tribunal set up to hear his appeal against the 5-year ban on him meets.
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar made an unconditional apology on Monday to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tribunal hearing his appeal against a five-year ban. Shoaib was suspended earlier this month for repeated disciplinary violations, the most recent being his criticism of board policies when the new central contracts were announced in January. “I would like to apologise from the bottom of my heart for any grief and embarrassment I have caused with my actions and sayings to the nation, my team and the Pakistan Cricket Board,” said the 32-year-old in a statement read out by his lawyer Abid Minto. “I have resolved to alter my habits and to refrain from any such actions in future.” Former high court judge Aftab Farrukh, heading the three-man tribunal, said: “His apology will be given due consideration … and taken as a cause for leniency.” Shoaib, suspended on six counts of indiscipline, filed his appeal earlier this month with his lawyers saying then that the ban was illegal and unconstitutional.
Now, you decide for yourself.
I think this is the right question to ask.
how many times will he say SORRY and how many times will we overlook his behavior?
Frankly I think that now he is more famous for his misbehavior than for his cricket.
I liked this comment:
“In India, he would have been larger than Sachin
In Australia, he would have been the biggest celebrity
In England, he would have been equal to Beckham”
Countries like India, Australia, and England have many super stars and celebrities but Shoaib could be the ONE and ONLY in Pakistan.. Sachin and Beckham would have envied him. He could be like what Maradona used to be for Argentina.
What a loser…
In India, he would have been larger than Sachin
In Australia, he would have been the biggest celebrity
In England, he would have been equal to Beckham
Pakistan didn’t use him. Forget his attitude, forget his words/actions…those are of no concern to public and PCB. What he does off-field is off-limit to PCB and to public. Who cares if he had bad mouthed PCB, I ask you, so what? Players like Miandad and Imran Khan who made fortunes with cricket bad mouth PCB.
The problem lies with Nasim Ashraf – he has an attitude problem. Shoaib not only has cricket value, he has entertainment value. He gives the Pakistani team that unique feeling. Yes, for sure PCB should have been strict about making Shoaib play more than he did…he should have easily played twice as many matches by now.
He is 32 and he is still the most talked about cricketer in Pakistan and one of the most recognized sports figure in India (atleast in Mumbai), what else do you want? I say let him in, fire the likes of Nasim Ashraf, and make Akhtar the captain – he deserves it. At the same time, PCB has to twist his arm behind the curtains so Akhtar doesn’t screw up his game.
I tell you, today Akhtar is gone, tomorrow Afridi will be pulled out, and then who else is left worth the excitement? Mohammed Yousuf, and Shoaib Malik are very graceful figures, and they don’t add that ‘masala’ in the game.
Consider it this way. If the player in question was not one of the most talented fast bowlers in Pakistan, would he have been given as many chances?
Shoaib does more harm than good to the team as he is a negative influence on morale. I strongly believe that if a more competent board had been in place, rather than the sham ad hoc committee that has been in place for years, they would have nipped the problem in the bud. The only damage-limiting option now is to ban Shoaib.
I do not think he shpuld be given any breaks