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!
How can we win medald when we do not have enough to eat ? A hungry, malnourished, underfed, and physically weak nation cannot produce sportspeople capable of competing at the highest level.
While it is true that cricket or any other sport or activity do not exist in vacuum and the overall national political, security and economic situation affects everything, I think it is important to attempt to insulate cricket from government and politics. I think PCB should be organized and managed along the lines of BCCI, Cricket Australia and ECB. It should be run independently of the government as an autonomous body accountable to the cricket fans and sponsors rather than to please any politicians who happen to be in power at any given moment.
To understand the link between athletics/sports and the country’s political/economic achievement, please read my post: http://www.riazhaq.com/2008/08/india-pakistan-and- johnsons-olympics.html
I guess its a great step! For once i felt that ex-cricketers many of whom are now commentators have finally realised that they have to step up to stop the laughs that they get while commentating. Wasim Waqar in bowling department,Miandad Ramiz Inzi in batting and if this committee is headed by Imran (whom everyone will listen- provided he be given all authority) will definitely help pak cricket.
These players are influencial and can be great ambassadors for pakistani cricket if provided with a-political grounds to work on. They themselves should leave thier personal vendattas against each other behind to uplift the game…
Im pretty hopeful!
2. continued…. And the promulgation of a body of law is the responsibilty of Law Ministry. So, these cricketers might be wanting law minister to play an important role in PCB constitution making.
I think they met Law Minister primarily for two reasons.
1. He is a close aide of president, and is in a position to influence the latter to take serious steps to uplift the state of cricket in Pakistan.
2. The retired Pakistani cricketers have often urged the need for having a constitution of PCB based on unanimity, for it would ensure that the affairs of the organization are not run arbitrarily.