Does Pakistan Cricket need a 'Break'?

Pakistan has been the cricketing world's problem child for a while now. One would think that all the various controversies from administrative hiccups to corruption over the years would have taught a thing or two to those running the affairs of cricket in Pakistan about administration and how to stay away from those controversies but that has not been the case. Administration of cricket in Pakistan seems to touch new lows almost every other day and it seems that the ordinary fan of Pakistan cricket, who has had to put up with so much over the years and yet continues to lend unwavering support to the national team, will continue to be agonized for a long time to come.

The Pakistan cricket fan has been a sufferer of sorts of late. Cricket is one of the many problems he has; political instability, social unrest and volatile security situation in the country are few of the other worries that he has to think about. Until last year, it seemed that cricket was an adequate vent for the frustration gripping the country and the cricket fans. The T20 World Cup victory in 2009, surprising and exciting as it was, did wonders to assuage the wounded Pakistani pride, which reflects how deeply cricket is embedded in the DNA of the national psyche; it also shows how much the sport matters to the ordinary folk of the country.
This begs the question: do the ordinary folk, the diehard cricketing fans and those aspiring youngsters involved with cricket in Pakistan need to be put through more agony? Should the faith of these enthusiasts in the spirit of the sport that binds the Pakistani nation together be further tested? Should the already battered national psyche of the Pakistani nation be further scarred?
The answer is -- of course not. But then what do we do. Clearly the current states of affairs, as they are, are not likely to bring about any improvement. A change of guard at the top, that is the office of the chairman of PCB, might do some good to the morale of the battered cricketing nation, where the incumbent is more hated than the most hated man of the country i.e. its President. Yet cynics would tell you that the panacea infecting cricket in Pakistan runs deep and that changing one man, who admittedly is the worst of all cricketing administrators Pakistan has had, will not solve the many problems of Pakistan cricket. So, what to do?
Noted commentator and former Indian Test cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a simple idea. He suggests 'Give them a break'. By break, he doesn't mean that a ban should be imposed, implying some sort of punishment for Pakistan cricket; instead he proposes that a year or two year break should be given so that cricket in Pakistan can be disconnected from the scourge of corruption that seems to be so embedded in the structure.
While the idea would be scoffed at by most Pakistanis, given that it is coming from an Indian, but rationally speaking it makes sense. Playing more cricket would not solve the problem. It would only complicate the relationships of the players and the corrupting elements, which might pose a danger to the security of the players and their families. The administration would continue to be in a reactionary mode, in which it will react to one development after another, and any measure to reform the structure for the long run would be hindered as such. The ICC could use the 'break' to reassert its authority and legitimacy in the cricketing world. It can work with Pakistan to reform the administrative body, institute anti corruption steps and establish some system of accountability between authorities in cricketing nations and cricket's apex body.
Whether this will happen or not is anybody's guess. But one thing is certain that Pakistan cricket needs a break--from controversies and problems that have bedevilled the sport in the country for a long time now.

Younus Khan hits ton as Pakistan draw with South Africa

First Test, Dubai (day five):
South Africa 380 & 318-2d drew with Pakistan 248 & 343-3

Former Pakistan skipper Younus Khan recorded his 17th Test century as the first Test of a two-match series with South Africa in Dubai ended in a draw.

Pakistan resumed on 109-2 in search of a distant 451 for victory, with Younus on 11, and he was dropped on 16 and 70.
But Younus shared an unbroken 186 with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (76), a Pakistan record for any wicket against South Africa, as their team closed on 343-3.
The second and final Test begins in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Mickey Arthur says never alleged Pak. team of match fixing

LAHORE: South Africa’s ex-coach Mickey Arthur has said, in his reply to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) legal notice, that he did not allege Pakistan team of match fixing.

The legal counsel of PCB, Tafazul Hussain Rizvi, said while talking to SAMAA that the cricket board has received Mickey Arthur’s reply to the legal notice.

PCB’s counsel added that Mickey Arthur has written in his reply that he never leveled match fixing allegations on the Pakistani team and his book can be referred to confirm it.

“After reviewing Mickey Arthur’s book, PCB will form the next strategy on this issue,” Tafazul Hussain Rizvi added further

An indelible stain on Pakistan cricket

Players and fans are united when it comes to the 50-over game.

Both say there is too much of it.

There are myriad matches played all around the globe that hold little interest, even to the more ardent fans.

But one area where everyone is in harmony is the World Cup.
It is the showcase of the 50-over game - the one every team wants to win.
The next edition of the event is to be played on the sub-continent from February 19.
It was to be staged in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan however the latter was removed as a host by the ICC following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in March 2009.
In light of the latest allegations brought by Pakistani wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider perhaps it is time that the ICC does more than just remove Pakistan as an international host.
Since he fled the UAE earlier in the week, during the series between Pakistan and South Africa, Haider has gone public with a series of allegations that bode no good at all for a sport that has been mired in a sea of corruption in recent years.
Upon arriving in London from Dubai he said he had fled after receiving death threats following his match winning innings in the fourth one-dayer.
Those that issued the threats had told him to fall in line with their wishes prior to the final one-day match of the series or he and his family would risk profound retribution.
Whilst he said he did not know the identity of the man who approached him, he said his words were blunt and to the point, quoting him as saying, "If you work with us, we will give you a lot of money. If [not and] you back home, we will kill you and your family."
That approach led to the 24-year-old's clandestine trip to Britain where he is now seeking asylum.
Since leaving the Pakistan team he has also commented on threats he had received while playing at domestic level in Pakistan.
He has told Geo, a leading Pakistani news channel, that he had been lent on to select certain players in the domestic team he captained.
His comments are in reference to a match in 2008-09 between Haider's Lahore Bank and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the domestic one-day series.
NBP was captained at the time by former Pakistan captain Salman Butt who is currently under suspension for his alleged role in the spot-fixing row when Pakistan recently toured England.
Butt's team needed to win in comprehensive fashion so as to boost its net run rate in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
Haider says he was approached to select a young fast bowler for his debut but he refused to acquiesce.
He was removed from the captaincy and the bowler in question, Usman Sarwar, was selected nonetheless.
Lahore was dismissed in the 41st over for 122 with Haider dismissed for a second-ball duck.
In reply, NBP rattled off the winning runs in a staggering 6.1 overs without losing a wicket - a run rate of 20 per over!
Sarwar's three overs produced figures of 0-78, a run rate 4.3 per delivery.
The match remains his only one for the Lahore side.
Not surprisingly, given the bizarre nature of the match, questions were raised in media circles about the legitimacy of the outcome.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it could find nothing untoward.
One can only imagine what sort of reaction such a match would produce in the likes of Australia and England.
On face value, Haider appears to be a balanced individual and his claims should have alarm bells ringing at ICC headquarters.
The stain on Pakistan cricket at present seems indelible.
Perhaps it is time that not only its hosting rights but also its right to participation at an international level should be withdrawn by the ICC.
If the World Cup is indeed the jewel in the crown of one-day international cricket, one has to question whether Pakistan's participation in it is acceptable given the raft of allegations and suspicions that currently besmirch its reputation.
Incidents such as those highlighted by Haider and the recent farce at Lord's surely indicate that Pakistan's presence at the World Cup has the potential to distort the outcome of the tournament.
While the likes of PCB chairman Ijaz Butt continue to impersonate an ostrich Pakistan's place in international cricket is highly questionable