pcb: permanantly confused board...

not so while back... pcb banned younis khan and mohammad yousuf for life... and this is what they noted in justification for their decision...

"Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team should not be part of national team in any format," the board said in its statement issued on Wednesday.

younis went on to challenge the ban to the tribunal set by pcb itself along with shoaib malik while yousuf in his signature style announced retirement from all forms of cricket... for now... that is...

while i can still digest what pcb is saying now that tribunal was a 'constitutional process'... that what is the purpose of having an independent arbitrator if his job is to merely put a stamp on the earlier judgment...

but i am baffled by this news... door open for yousuf...

"Yousuf has not appealed, he has retired," Ijaz Butt, the board chairman told Cricinfo. "We have sent messages to him through others that if he takes back his retirement he can play for Pakistan again. But he declined that."

that after pcb clearly stating earlier that ban on yousuf is final and will not be revived as he has not appealed the ban...

"The last date to appeal against the penalties was April 16 and since Yousuf did not challenge the punishment, the ban has attained finality," PCB's legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told AFP.

so from being a person who has the habit of infighting that has 'trickledown' effect and is 'bad influence' on the team and more importantly youngsters... what has yousuf done, in this period, to earn this u-turn to the extent that now pcb is sending him 'messages' to play for pakistan...?

i guess ijaz-butt-of-all-jokes has sold pcb's off-field activities rights to media for the 'exclusive coverage' for a very good amount... and this is the only way they can keep this mockery show going...

click to translate »

« back to original...

pcb admits its futility...

by deciding to amputate the arm the tumor of which was infecting the pakistan cricket and their team... how better it would have been had they raised their hands and own some responsibility in failing to cure it...

the wound that could have been cured by timely intervention, medication and care... they waited for that wound (indiscipline) to develop into a tumor (player power) and in doing so they have send a clear message that they and their system is totally incapable of curing the 'player power' tumor and only way out, they know, is... amputate the arm... to save their skins...

hence they have decided to bar mohammad yousuf and younis khan from playing international games... handed over one year ban to shoaib malik and rana naved and chose to fine shahid afridi, kamran akmal and his younger brother umar akmal... apparantly on disciplinary grounds...

if for a moment we believe what pcb trying hard to feed on to us... even then their case looks very weak... coz if indiscipline was the factor... they should have banned...

kamran akmal... for a year... who openly flaunted team's stance by continuously giving contradictory interviews to oz media about him playing the next game and forcing himself on and above team cause...

umar akmal... for a year... who suddenly developed the back pain after he learned that his elder brother is going to be dropped from the team for the next game... and once he was told in no uncertain terms that he will have to accompany kamran to the flight back home... miraculously his back pain evaporated in thin air...

shahid afridi... for life time... for audaciously biting the ball... thereby disgracing reputation of a captain and the whole pakistan team... and compulsively engaging in team infighting in the past...

and should have fined yousuf, younis, malik and rana... but we all know that's not the case...

that is why they call pcb... the permanently confused board for nothing...

click to translate »

« back to original...

stop embarrassing pakistan cricket...

last time when younis khan faced match fixing charges and he and intikhab alam were made to face parliamentary board to lose a game... i wondered whether pakistan really need a captain...

....and if they really need would it be better if they organise a draw before every match and whoever name comes out should be send to do the toss to make it less fussy...

but seriously... this time some selfish souls with no remorse to what their action will lead to... again managed to dig lowest of depth to embarrass pakistan cricket... as if they own it...

they didn't even bother to finish the series first and then do the talking... the easiest way they have come up with is to surrender a match they should have won knowing very well that after that they won't have to do anything... the waiting ex-cricketers who have nothing but the 'best of intentions' for pak cricket will lap up the opportunity like a starving dog catches a bone... making media sound as step cousin in making noises... not that media is complaining... they thrive on these situations which keeps their eye balls from falling away...

but where does this leaves pak cricket... why every time it needed to be embarrassed to make a point...?

in a team there will always be difference of opinions... and not every time players will like the decisions team management or captain takes... then why these players can not accept the differences and just play to the best of their abilities... the very thing which made them stars and have the courage to do the coup as and when they want... but more importantly and surprisingly too... why pcb is silent spectator to all the drama that is happening to boost the egos of these selfish souls...?

so the player who was asked to step down due to another revolt and who openly declared that he won't neither open nor come at no. 3 again is made to play in the team... the player who pick and chose the format that interest him... always shuns the responsibility... is made to believe that he is the messiah of pak cricket... the captain who has just won you a t20 world cup... is made to look like a criminal on parole... and the player who made the mockery of pakistan cricket by his flip-flops is rewarded the leadership of the team...

can even the daily soap opera get better than this...?

» wasim on cricketfiles:
one caesar and nine brutus

if i were pcb i would have made more money by giving media rights to these off field dramas than the actual play on the field... talking about seeing opportunities in adversities...

but seriously... with the riches of talent pakistan cricket has... its beyond me why they keep falling to the whims and fancies of these players who have nothing but their own agendas to settle... have no interest where the team is heading... or how the pakistan cricket is getting projected in front of world... in fact actively participate to make it a 'butt' of joke...

does the match fixing only happens when the money is being offered and taken...? does this act not tantamount to match fixing... and if yes will someone take step in this direction...?

its never too late to make a fresh start...

why can't pakistan shun these players from its system... its far better to lose a game on cricketing skills than losing a game just coz some players with vested interest wanted it that way...

click to translate »

« back to original...

well done pakistan...but south africa didn't choke...

yes...i don't think saffers choked yesterday...

they were thoroughly outplayed...outclassed...by a team who was more desperate for a win...

saying they choked will be like insulting the team pak's magnificent effort...don't get confused by their defeat margin of 7 runs...for to get choked they should have been in a winning position...but the reality is that they never looked like winning it...at any stage of their innings...

so...then how come south africa have choked...?

as for pak...i can only do this thing...

take a bow!!

virtually out of cricket map...anything worse that could have happen...happened to them...but they took everything in stride and kept it going...

like the current pepsi campaign..."i can't hear you..."

sometimes art of not listening... ignorance to what's happening around you...is the bliss...and pak has shown just that...under the able leadership of younis khan...who i have been saying for quite a while...is the best bet pak has right now...

he takes the game it is...just a game...thereby he don't let his team feel the pressure...sometimes younis demeanor...his endeavors on and off field are misinterpreted as if he is taking things lightly...but he surely knows the job...and how to extract best performances from his players...they are just enjoying themselves out there...afridi's contribution in last game is the case in point...

team pak...you are already a winner for me...

but yeh dil maange more...give me just one more game...am i asking too much...? ;-)

click to translate »

« back to original...

come on younis...

» related link:
who made this son of a pitch? @ BCC!

make 400 tomorrow!

the only thrill left in the game for me...

that is after the brief thrill of seeing you scoring tripple hundred with reverse sweep...


*...and your bowlers won't complain either...*

click to translate »

« back to original...

dead legacy...?

time to take fresh stance after labored century...

i read this news that pcb now has decided to include shoaib akhtar in domestic t20 tournament backtracking after issuing warning that he can not play without paying fine...

we have been hearing it since pcb slept fine on him...that he will have to pay...failing which he wont be selected...then somehow he gets selected...then again comes the news that he will have to...then something happens...he gets selected again...on...off...on...like a loop...

bored already? not if you are pcb...its their favorite time pass...

like first they issued threats that they will go for legal opinion against ca only to back track day later and then issued like...aussies are 'lily-livered cowards'...

go it?

then i read this

"I think it [India v Australia] has become bigger [than India v Pakistan] largely because of the competitiveness. All the series, from 2001 onwards, have been keenly fought and have been very close ones."

- Tendulkar

but what is the relation between these two news...you may ask...?

give me some time...

we all have been discussing this for some time now that india-pak series which had the potential of being the mother or father of all series (depending upon which way you look at it) is reduced to like any other series...

some say because of frequency of it happening some argue about lack of quality in competition and intensity...

but if frequency is the reason...then we have been playing with oz almost non stop lately...still its getting intense series by series...the hype can not be without substance...

coming to pak...countries don't think twice before rejecting series with them...

coz they don't fear backlash....
coz cricketing stature of pak is reduced to minnow status now...well almost...
coz pcb is not strong enough...
coz 'right kind of moolah' is not associated with it...

otherwise how can one explain oz playing in england while bomb exploded not too far from stadium...oz coming to india despite recent delhi bombing...(though i must say that am happy)...india can go to pak and play cricket effortlessly...without any fear...despite some of our cricketers been declared openly by terrorists in their hit list...

did i said 'right kind of moolah'...?

but ultimately the crux of the problem lies at pcb door...specially recent regime...

nobody takes them seriously now...infact they have successfully reduced pak cricket to laughing stock around world...they have damaged pak cricket totally and i am afraid...permanently...

i have followed pak cricket quite closely...and i feel that since inzamam took over as captain...pak cricket has gone downhill...and current regime only fueled the regression...

pak needed a strong captain but instead they chose inzamam...they mistook his cricketing powers as his leadership qualities...and result were there for all to see...

without invoking religion sentiments here...i would say he brought the dangerous mix of religion and cricket into scheme of things...those who were flexible to the routines were preferred more and those who were not almost left to fend for themselves...

when the circumstances demanded strong decisions...easy ways were found to sweep discontent under the carpet...failing to realize they were setting the time into a time bomb...

the handling of shoaib akhtar...yunis khan...are case in point...infact pcb still don't know how to deal with them...

this lead to insecurities in the team and when you are not confident...not secure about you future...the sport you play suffers...and suffered it did...which led to panic and in one of that weak moment yusuf decided to join hands with icl...

when the term of inzamam was coming near after disastrous world cup...pcb had the chance to reshape pak cricket...

but then another mistake was made and they chose malik as captain...

the discontent started to become more visible and loud...and malik inefficiencies...as batsmen...as bowler...and more importantly as captain..his refusal to assert himself...reluctance to lead from front....started to reflect on team...and its performances...

rest was taken care of by pcb...

now pak has not played test cricket since ages...will be lucky to see some odi action...and sincerely its not funny at all to see one major test playing nation getting reduced to this...

call me out dated...old fashioned...out of sink...but my cricketing life is being brought up on staple diet of india pak matches...the wait for series to start...the tension around it...the passion of encounters...the boiling of blood inside...the choking of throat...the skipping of heart beat...the mourning...the joy...the ecstasy...the same roller coaster ride of emotions...

i miss all of it...

but i am still not ready to handover that legacy to aussies...

i want to feel tension the same way...i want to see that sight again when lights of street were on but cricket in the stadium was played...without light...when javed miandad hit that last ball six...when shivlal yadav returned the favor by doing the same...and so many never fading memories...

i want all that and more...

but it will take lot of doing to put life back in ailing pak cricket...the mindset...the approach...the goals...the leadership...just about everything needs to change...

is still time left to salvage pride...can it happen...will we again see same old strong pak team the world feared? the same pak cricket who gave ball the art of swinging in reverse?

will i or rather we...be lucky again...?

or you have already moved on...without waiting...like many...

tell me...

update:
after going trough initial comments one thing which is coming out commonly is that i have pronounced pak as minnows of cricket world...

i never meant to say pak is reduced to minnow coz of their performances on field...

if you read the post again you will notice that i used word minnow attributed to the current stature of pcb...not performance of pak team...

anybody can have his say and get away with it...without caring a hoot...kinda sentiment that i used to depict pak cricket is reduced to almost minnow status...

i love pak cricket...they have given us wonderful talent and moments and i didn't meant it that way...and i believe that my current post reflects that...

i am sorry on my part for the lack of clarity in comment...

click to translate »

« back to original...