Adil Najam
This news item in The News intrigued me:
A galaxy of former cricket stars on Sunday stepped forward and offered a helping hand in a bid to lift Pakistan cricket out of the prevailing crisis. Ex-Pakistan captains Rameez Raja, Wasim Akram, Inzamam ul Haq, Saeed Anwar and Mushtaq Ahmad met Law Minister Farooq H Naek in Lahore and offered to put in a team effort aimed at improving Pakistan cricket. Naek welcomed their suggestions and later floated the idea of setting up of a high-powered committee formed by ex-Test stars that will help in ensuring a smooth functioning of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
He said that by garnering the support of former greats, Pakistan cricket can regain its rightful place on the world stage. “It would be great to have our cricket legends backing efforts for the betterment of cricket,” said Naek. The minister said a five-men committee, comprising former stars, should be formed to ensure that cricket was run in a professional manner in Pakistan. Pakistan cricket is facing hard times as top teams are refusing to tour the country because of security fears. World champions Australia scrapped a Test tour of Pakistan earlier this year while September’s ICC Champions Trophy which was to be held here was postponed after five of the eight competing teams raised safety concerns. Pakistani cricketers are now starved of international cricket while the PCB is facing a financial crunch because of major losses due to the postponement of the Australia series and the Champions Trophy.
It is because of the grim situation that the ex-Test stars have decided to campaign for Pakistan cricket. They are suggesting that a World XI should be invited to Pakistan to play a series, saying that such an exercise would help restore the country’s image in the cricket world. They gave this suggestion during an hour-long meeting with Naek. “We had a useful meeting in which the former Test cricketers expressed their concern over the downfall of the game and the situation we are facing in which foreign teams are not visiting Pakistan,” said the minister. Naek said that these cricketers should be given a wider role by including them in a committee that could help curtail the powers of the PCB chairman. Raja said he and his fellow players had no hidden agendas. “We are just here to help Pakistan cricket,” he stressed.
I read this, and was at first intrigued, then momentarily amused, and then left with a rather disturbed.
What does this say about the state of Pakistan cricket? What does this say about the state of Pakistan? Is this a reflection of where our society stands today, or where our cricket stands today? Maybe, it reflects both. Both our society and our cricket is reflecting that sense of helplessness and near hopelessness that wants us all to do something, but leaves us unsure about what needs to be done.
I do not know the answers to any of the above. But this I know. Reading this odd news item left me hoping that Pakistan cricket would be revived, whether by these former stalwarts or by someone else. I desperately need to hear good news about Pakistan. Not made up good news. But real and really good news.
Where better to look for it than on the cricket field!
Nation also needs to support the game whether its a win or loss, a great time for Pakistan team or a bad time. If its the game they love, they should support it in any case.
A very recent experience worth mentioning here:
20/20 Canada this past weekend. The qualifying match Pak vs Srilanka. Pakistan chased a target of 138. Lost wickets is typical fashion until no 7, with 3 overs remaining and high 20s to score…
Statistically, realistically and technically all was not lost… but some of Pakistanis left the stands & I just could shake my head. This is the level of patience and sports spirit that our nation has. If they leave the stands, why do they expect the team to stand on the ground?
People did leave & to my happy surprise the team pulled a comeback in the 2nd last over and won the game.
As far as cricket is concerned our nation wants just wins.
Its true that our performance has deteriorated (due to a lot of factors) but this is when the team needs a nation’s support the most.
@ Ali Dada…
Seems like someone has studied hard for a BS….in BS!!!!!
while your rant has been commented upon and will be…i’d JUST like to ask you one question…
you state that ‘Saudi
Ali Dada
Are you some sort of nut that you wish to bring a totaliatarian and isolationist dictatorship in Pakistan just to improve the standard of cricket?
Why dont you just move to North Korea instead?
I think its absolutely disgusting that Australia refuses to play in Pakistan but plays in India with so many bomb blasts happening there as well
@Ali Dada,
I had a rye smile when I read your “solutions”. Peoples like you ARE the problem with your inward thinking. Your solution of banning everything foreign is going to lead to ….more talibanisation…more islamisation …and ultimately to shariat…which I am not entirely against …after all Pak was split from India based on religion.
But a for real solutions…. we need must encompass learning to live within the means that we have. This means looking at the land, water, economic resources that we have and projected to have.
Immediately this will tell you that we cannot support the population of Pak.
1) So the PRIMARY problem is to educate peoples to STOP (or severly slowdown) the “production” of babies. If necessary …pass a law that no more than 2 babies per new family from a specific date….help peoples by giving out condoms….support this by hukumat building new condom factories in every major city…and hand out free condoms per family…keep a register….stop the madness…we don’t need so many peoples…we cannot support them.
Have a monetary fine if a third child is born with possible vivisection if a fourth is born.
Peoples WILL learn this lesson if only in this way.
2) If you want to educate the peoples in science & education …then you need to shut down the maddrassae.
But as soon as this is mentioned the religious community will
create havoc… you KNOW that a big change is required…but no one even wants to talk about this let alone implement.
So you see your solutions are no solution at all…you don’t tackle the fundamentals….and without changing the roots….nothing CAN change.
Fullness of time will show that I am right.