It's often said that things get worse before they get better. In recent years one has been hoping that things will, somehow, start getting better for Pakistan cricket.
There's been no such luck and our national pastime remains mired in this seemingly endless things-getting-worse phase as people at the helm of Pakistan's cricket affairs continue committing the same mistakes again and again.
I won't even talk about the so-called 'spot fixing' scandal, which was a direct result of what is a weak and incompetent Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Instead, let's talk about PCB's decision to recall Misbah-ul-Haq out of nowhere and then to install him as Pakistan's Test captain for the series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates next month.
Let's talk about what's happening to our World Cup 2011 plans. More importantly, let's also talk about PCB's decision to snub Younis Khan once again even though almost everybody I know agrees that Pakistan desperately need a batsman like him.
Misbah is already 36, which means that age is definitely not on his side. His last Test appearance came more than eight months ago in Sydney where he flopped in both the innings, falling for 11 and 0. He hasn't featured in any One-day International after playing a Champions Trophy match against Australia at Centurion in September 2009. His last four Twenty20 International outings have fetched him just 19 runs.
Yet Misbah was picked to represent Pakistan in all three formats of the game against South Africa. More importantly, PCB has decided to appoint the middle-order batsman as Pakistan's Test captain, replacing Salman Butt who is currently under suspension for his alleged role in a corruption scandal.
Can a captain with such credentials and a question mark over his form inspire a team like Pakistan, which is still reeling after an acrimonious tour of England? A quick look at his recent stats makes it quite obvious that Misbah is just a shadow of his previous self. His last eight Test scores are: 21, 33, 0, 7, 65, 0,11 and 0 - a total of 137 runs at 19.57. He was a controversial choice even when Pakistan picked him for the ICC World Twenty20 this year and was dumped after he flopped miserably in the Caribbean. His last seven T20I scores are: 0, 3, 3, 13, 41, 8 and 5. Misbah has a good T20 career record with 577 runs from 29 matches at 36.06 but he has just scored 85 runs in his last ten matches.
Misbah was touted as a future captain after scoring prolifically on the 2007 tour of India but is yet to prove his leadership ability.
In contrast, Younis Khan inspires a lot more trust. The 32-year-old may not have played for Pakistan since the catastrophic tour of Australia but nobody can argue the fact that he is one of Pakistan's most prolific Test batsmen. Younis has a career average of over 50 in Test cricket and is a part of an elite group of players, who have scored a Test triple century.
But people at the helm of Pakistan's cricket affairs will tell you that Younis needs a 'clearance' to get selected for national duty.
What clearance? Has he been accused of fixing matches? Has he used or carried illegal drugs? Has he beaten up a teammate? No, he hasn't committed any of those crimes. Had he been involved in such practices, probably the PCB would have taken him in the team because, after all, the Board has been backing players with poor track records. Most of the players, who have been involved in serious breaches of discipline are either in the team or will be picked for it once cleared by higher authorities. You know what I mean.
What Younis has done is much worse, at least in the eyes of the PCB chiefs. He has defied them and their tendency to take whimsical decisions. Younis has dared to question their decision to ban him after the tour of Australia. He has asked for reasons that forced the PCB to ban him indefinitely after the tour. And he refused to say sorry, insisting that he won't apologize for something he didn't do in the first place.
It's actually absurd. Because the fate of a cricketer with over 5000 Test runs and a World Cup triumph under his belt is in the hands of a man who has done more harm to our cricket than anybody else, at least in recent times.
Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, is the man who has refused to clear Younis for Pakistan duty. Why are we still allowing such a character to dictate terms is beyond my comprehension.
Pakistan were crushed by England in the previous series and it doesn't seem that things would get any better for them when they face South Africa in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in two T20s, five ODIs and two Tests.
Even more alarming is the fact that Pakistan have once again put themselves on the wrong track in the lead up to the World Cup. The much-awaited event is just a few months away but sadly Pakistan are only messing up things, which could lead to yet another World Cup disaster. The 1992 champions flopped miserably in the 2003 and 2007 editions and might once again disappoint millions of their fans both at home and abroad in World Cup 2011 to be played in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
A whispering campaign has been going on in our cricketing circles about a rift between Pakistan coach Waqar Younis and his senior players. By delaying naming a captain for the limited overs series against South Africa, the PCB has only added weight to all such rumors.
Earlier this year, the Board has hinted that Shahid Afridi will continue as Pakistan's captain till World Cup 2011 but it had a few second thoughts before retaining the all-rounder as skipper for the UAE tour.
It's an open secret that Pakistan's team is far from united right now.
There was similar acrimony among team members before the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and four years later Inzamam-ul-Haq failed to unite the team and Pakistan crashed out of the first round following a shocking defeat against Ireland. Unless, Pakistan miraculously overcome the problems in their dressing room, there seems little hope for them to regain the World Cup next year
I won't even talk about the so-called 'spot fixing' scandal, which was a direct result of what is a weak and incompetent Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Instead, let's talk about PCB's decision to recall Misbah-ul-Haq out of nowhere and then to install him as Pakistan's Test captain for the series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates next month.
Let's talk about what's happening to our World Cup 2011 plans. More importantly, let's also talk about PCB's decision to snub Younis Khan once again even though almost everybody I know agrees that Pakistan desperately need a batsman like him.
Misbah is already 36, which means that age is definitely not on his side. His last Test appearance came more than eight months ago in Sydney where he flopped in both the innings, falling for 11 and 0. He hasn't featured in any One-day International after playing a Champions Trophy match against Australia at Centurion in September 2009. His last four Twenty20 International outings have fetched him just 19 runs.
Yet Misbah was picked to represent Pakistan in all three formats of the game against South Africa. More importantly, PCB has decided to appoint the middle-order batsman as Pakistan's Test captain, replacing Salman Butt who is currently under suspension for his alleged role in a corruption scandal.
Can a captain with such credentials and a question mark over his form inspire a team like Pakistan, which is still reeling after an acrimonious tour of England? A quick look at his recent stats makes it quite obvious that Misbah is just a shadow of his previous self. His last eight Test scores are: 21, 33, 0, 7, 65, 0,11 and 0 - a total of 137 runs at 19.57. He was a controversial choice even when Pakistan picked him for the ICC World Twenty20 this year and was dumped after he flopped miserably in the Caribbean. His last seven T20I scores are: 0, 3, 3, 13, 41, 8 and 5. Misbah has a good T20 career record with 577 runs from 29 matches at 36.06 but he has just scored 85 runs in his last ten matches.
Misbah was touted as a future captain after scoring prolifically on the 2007 tour of India but is yet to prove his leadership ability.
In contrast, Younis Khan inspires a lot more trust. The 32-year-old may not have played for Pakistan since the catastrophic tour of Australia but nobody can argue the fact that he is one of Pakistan's most prolific Test batsmen. Younis has a career average of over 50 in Test cricket and is a part of an elite group of players, who have scored a Test triple century.
But people at the helm of Pakistan's cricket affairs will tell you that Younis needs a 'clearance' to get selected for national duty.
What clearance? Has he been accused of fixing matches? Has he used or carried illegal drugs? Has he beaten up a teammate? No, he hasn't committed any of those crimes. Had he been involved in such practices, probably the PCB would have taken him in the team because, after all, the Board has been backing players with poor track records. Most of the players, who have been involved in serious breaches of discipline are either in the team or will be picked for it once cleared by higher authorities. You know what I mean.
What Younis has done is much worse, at least in the eyes of the PCB chiefs. He has defied them and their tendency to take whimsical decisions. Younis has dared to question their decision to ban him after the tour of Australia. He has asked for reasons that forced the PCB to ban him indefinitely after the tour. And he refused to say sorry, insisting that he won't apologize for something he didn't do in the first place.
It's actually absurd. Because the fate of a cricketer with over 5000 Test runs and a World Cup triumph under his belt is in the hands of a man who has done more harm to our cricket than anybody else, at least in recent times.
Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, is the man who has refused to clear Younis for Pakistan duty. Why are we still allowing such a character to dictate terms is beyond my comprehension.
Pakistan were crushed by England in the previous series and it doesn't seem that things would get any better for them when they face South Africa in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in two T20s, five ODIs and two Tests.
Even more alarming is the fact that Pakistan have once again put themselves on the wrong track in the lead up to the World Cup. The much-awaited event is just a few months away but sadly Pakistan are only messing up things, which could lead to yet another World Cup disaster. The 1992 champions flopped miserably in the 2003 and 2007 editions and might once again disappoint millions of their fans both at home and abroad in World Cup 2011 to be played in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
A whispering campaign has been going on in our cricketing circles about a rift between Pakistan coach Waqar Younis and his senior players. By delaying naming a captain for the limited overs series against South Africa, the PCB has only added weight to all such rumors.
Earlier this year, the Board has hinted that Shahid Afridi will continue as Pakistan's captain till World Cup 2011 but it had a few second thoughts before retaining the all-rounder as skipper for the UAE tour.
It's an open secret that Pakistan's team is far from united right now.
There was similar acrimony among team members before the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and four years later Inzamam-ul-Haq failed to unite the team and Pakistan crashed out of the first round following a shocking defeat against Ireland. Unless, Pakistan miraculously overcome the problems in their dressing room, there seems little hope for them to regain the World Cup next year
