http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 and the daunting task that lies ahead
In the face of the spot-fixing allegations which have resulted in the suspension of three http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed for the ODI series, which has sunk its claws into Pakistan cricket, greatly harming it.
The blame most certainly goes to those sitting in the dark corridors of power, who have mismanaged the Pakistani cricket team to the brink of disaster, that now instead of the National Disaster Management Cell focusing only for those affected by the floods, should also scrutinize the PCB so that it takes significant steps to avert such disasters in the future. To have a player of Mohammad Amir’s calibre, who without an iota of doubt was destined for greatness to indulge in questionable activities that has resulted in his suspension from the ICC and could result in a possible ban is truly deplorable not to mention condemnable. It further implicates not the 18-year-old, but rather the board and speaks volumes of the amount of corruption and mismanagement that has gnawed and scratched the backbone of Pakistan Cricket Board.
Sadly enough, if we take a glance at the PCB chief executive list, we will find a general, a diplomat, a physician and a test cricketer turned tycoon in the last 10 years. Not only that, it further goes on to point out the personal affiliations of most of them with the “holier than thou’s” sitting in the echelons of power, without caring for the country which has given them everything. The enigmatic persona of the handsome chairman with windswept Arabian features and a smile to die for is the brother-in-law of the Defence Minister of the country and hence somehow always manages to wriggle his way out of tight corners.
The team manager Yawar Saeed on the other hand is old enough to live a retired life in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bahamas-c2846 on a yacht, by leaving the management of the Pakistan team to someone who is younger and has the requisite amount of energy to handle the young side. He is the son of Mian Mohammad Saeed, the first captain of the Pakistan cricket team after independence, and naturally Yawar is now just a tad bit old for his job of managing the frivolous young minds of a bunch of delusional wanderers.
Presently though, the weight lies solely on Shahid Afridi’s shoulder to lead the unstable Pakistan side en-route stability through inculcating discipline amongst the ranks and curtailing infighting that has been a massive worry for the national cricket team over the years. Afridi now has to lead by example. Every action of his will have certain repercussions, a fact sadly Salman Butt did not truly comprehend when he had the opportunity to do so.
Even now, Pakistan cricket has not reached a dead end with enough talent to sustain the cricket team for years to come. However, proper management is required for the board, and the senior players need to set a precedent for younger players to follow in terms of discipline and outright honesty on and off the field. Being a part of the national team of any country implies certain responsibilities upon the constituents of those teams.
A rash act, a stupid decision or mindless indulgences might result in tarnishing the image of the entire nation, something that takes decades to build. If damaged, one never knows whether it would be possible to completely regain lost pride. Pakistan cricket has much to be proud of, given its cricketing history. In order to completely revamp the structure of cricket in the country, the management of the board needs to be completely changed. Hopefully, it would not be much to ask, to let the chairman be appointed on merit. The board needs to be cleansed of nepotism, while the captain needs to fully understand the weight of the responsibility that lies on his shoulders and how one wrong decision could have serious repercussions in the days to come.
"I never let politics interfere with merit. I never played favourites. I kept my eye on the ball. And I practiced what I preached," Air Marshal (r) Nur http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319 said, who was hands down, one of the best Chairman in the PCB's history, who served from 1980 to 1984. According to him, "Everything can be fixed if you take politics out of the equation and concentrate on good governance."
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