A shattered, demoralised and disillusioned Pakistan cricket team left on the tour of New Zealand with the varied feelings of hope and despair. It is well known that Pakistan cricket is passing through the worst phase of degradation caused by the allegations of corruption, match-fixing and irregularities of all sorts. The suspension cum sidelining of half the Pakistan cricket echelon has been the biggest disaster that our cricket is facing. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may be responsible for messing up the things to some extent but it is in fact the International Cricket Council (ICC) that has created mountains out of small moles. Being an ardent observer of cricket affairs I never noticed the world cricket body humiliating a full member country as much as they have done in case of Pakistan.
In view of the World Cup starting in early February it was natural for Pakistan to form the right combination for the big event. The tour of New Zealand during which our team is supposed to play six one-day internationals was an excellent opportunity to achieve the aim. The wave of tensions and psychological pressures the team has carried with it is not making the things easier. The team management could have chalked out ways and means of relieving the boys of the fateful tension had the ICC abandoned the posture of acting as ‘enemy of Pakistan cricket’. According to a news item, the ICC is planning to send a special team of its anti-corruption unit to New Zealand to monitor the activities of the Pakistan team especially the senior players and also to keep an eye on all visitors coming to see the players. It compelled the PCB to instruct the two captains – Misbahul Haq and Shahid Afridi – and the players not to meet any visitors without permission from the team officials as well as not to attend any parties and functions. Such a silly and unsporting move by the ICC indicates that the world cricket body considers our squad a gang of ‘criminals and not a bunch of cricketers’. What a shame?
The team officials’ optimism about the prowess of our team and the slogans of emerging victorious on the tour were off course customary. The dismal start of the tour in which the team lost a practice match followed by the two ODIs has engulfed cricket lovers in a state of anxiety likely to haunt the whole nation till the tour ends. Even under such perilous conditions some of our top players continue to express hopes of clinching the World Cup 2011. The expressions of optimism and hope may be good for keeping the morale of our team high but let us not forget that in the absence of a galaxy of stars it is an average outfit with a majority of raw youngsters. Keeping the World Cup in sight, the good performance of our team during the ODIs would be of paramount importance in building up the courage and raising the levels of determination and fighting spirit of the players.
The distrust and negative attitude of the ICC towards Pakistan cricket notwithstanding, the PCB’s newly found mad craze of enforcing strict discipline without ascertaining the facts is tantamount to degenerating the team’s strength. Though we have left no stone unturned while condemning the ICC for its vindictive attitude towards Pakistan, the buffooneries of PCB have no limits either.
The ICC suspended Muhammad Asif, Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamir from playing international cricket, for reasons only known to PCB chief Ijaz Butt. The PCB boosted up the list of ineligible players by including the names of Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Rana Navedul Hasan and Danish Kinaria by itself although they were ‘clear’ as far as the ICC is concerned. Over and above this, the PCB has directed Kamran and Malik to submit the details of their properties and bank accounts before they are considered for the World Cup selection. Making such a demand from only two players out of the whole lot is something queer. Rather than indirectly dubbing the players as dishonest a sensible move could be to make it obligatory on all players of international level and the officials accompanying the team on every tour abroad to submit the details of their assets and properties every year.
The selection of Pakistan team for the World Cup-2011 has become a fairly complex issue. While the ICC has extended the date for submission of a list of 30 players up to January 5, the hearing of case against the suspension of three top players is scheduled to commence in Doha on January 6 creating a highly baffling situation. Since a list of 30 players provides a wide choice for the final selection, I suggest the PCB should include the names of all the disputed players in the list with the remark ‘subject to clearance’.
