Cricket Roundup: a detailed view of current Pakistani cricket situation
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s cricket has come up with a better side this time around for the third ongoing test at the Ovals. The young side which has previously suffered two very embarrassing defeats at the hands of the confident English side is comparatively doing very well with the advent of young left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz and veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf. The visitors have gotten the English batsmen by surprise as they were 94 for 7. However, the young Pakistani team has failed to make the most out of the situation.
On the other hand, the nine wicket defeat at Edgbaston has given voice to many die-hard fans of Pakistani cricket. However, a responsible batting performance from debutant Zulqarnain Haider and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal steers Pakistan away from an innings defeat. Haider played brilliantly for his 88 runs, and cemented a place in the test side. He was struck off by English pace men Stuart Broad, as he was getting frustrated at the lower order which was still trying to put up a fight. Broad was fined 50 per cent of match fee by the match referee.
The second humiliation at Edgbaston against the Englishmen was gaining attention at the National Assembly. The Chairperson of Sports in the assembly Iqbal Mohammad Ali who is also a patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has written a formal complaint to the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari requesting him the removal of current chairman PCB http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128. Mr Ali has referred to the incompetence of Butt as the chairperson of PCB and how is he ruining the image of PCB and future of Pakistan’s cricket. And this current situation of the national team is very painful for the cricket lovers in Pakistan.
Ali writes in his complaint, “Sir, the chairman and his close aides have shoddily let down your confidence in them by making a mockery of management ethics at the Board.”
Mr Ali has also requested the appointment of a more dynamic and energetic administrator as chairperson PCB. He believes that the current Chairperson Butt has been give ample time to fix the loopholes of Pakistani cricket but he has failed to bring any positive change in the team or the management itself. To make matters worse the team’s position has worsened ever since Butt has taken over the post of the chairperson PCB.
Moreover, the PCB is undergoing a payment dispute with Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). An amount of 10 million was given by the PCB to the Pakistan Hockey Federation eight years ago. And the PCB has asked the federation to refund the amount. PHF requested the loan for the participation and preparations for the 2004 Olympics Games in Sydney, as they were running short on finance and badly needed funds to finance the national team’s desired requirements in the tour. Former Chairman Lt. General Tauqir Zia had approved of the 10 million rupees loan for the PHF. Whereas, officials from the PHF has denied the allegations regarding the amount to be taken as a loan, since they believe that the amount was taken as a grant for the national team, running down the boards demand of repayment.
The Pakistani cricket team is looking forward to International Cricket Board (ICC) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to allow the PCB to hold an exhibition match for the natural disasters that have occurred recently. A fund raiser for the flood victims, the charity match was first to be played between Pakistani team and world XI in the ongoing tour of the national side in England. But after the good news that PCB will be allowed to cater international matches in Pakistan, which it banned off after the attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009. Both PCB and current one-day international (ODI) captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 have welcomed this opportunity full heartedly.
It is yet to be seen how this nation will come out of its internal politics and how these controversies will be resolved and affect the cricket team and the PCB in the long run. However, the announcement by ICC and ECB regarding Pakistani territory hosting matches will play a major role in the future of Pakistani cricket.
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