Something about Nothing

Controversy creates crash, and that is what happened, the ad-hoc approach of Pakistan Government toward PCB continues, and now we have a new Board Chairman. Thank you Shaharyar Khan, for your best efforts for Cricket in Pakistan.

A new exciting Cricket season is about to begin. Starting with the ICC Champions Trophy, which is held every 2 years. Then, we have The Ashes Series in which the Last year’s losers are preparing to get the revenge from the injured Englishmen’s. Then, the biggest tournament of them all Cricket World Cup 2007. What a way to kick off.

If you look at the previous winners of Champions Trophy, we wont find any particular favorite team, which you can be declared as the winners. Before leveling the series with England in the Pakistan in England Tour, I had a strong hope that Pakistan would might end up playing finals in Champions Trophy, but as the Captain is facing a ban of XX Matches, due to the Controversy in the Lords, Faisal Iqbal will be replaced by Inzamam, and this puts the Pakistan team in a little bit weak position.

It is not that I am not confident in Faisal Iqbal, he is a promising player, but he doesn’t have that International exposure, and this might end up as being a good chance to show up or polish his skills.

Back to the Champions Trophy, personally I am not such an expert like Sarfaraz Nawaz or Zaheer Abbas, but one thing that I want to say is that, get ready for the West Indies. Lara is back, and this time he has a plan with him (Don’t put your bet on my opinion ;)).

If the Australians come out as a winner, which I think are in a strong position with West Indies, to get the Cup. Then, it would be pretty interesting how this ends up for the Ashes, as the Australians had the most recent victory, and England who won the last Ashes.

Tri Series in Australia, Jan-Feb 2007 [Australia, England, New Zealand] will also be an important one to decide about who is going to be in good form to lead to the World Cup.

So, as expected, Inzamam has been cleared of charges as CricInfo reports :

Inzamam-ul-Haq has been cleared of charges of ball tampering after an ICC Code of Conduct hearing at The Oval, but has been found guilty of the charge of bringing the game into disrepute and banned for four ODIs. He said that he would not appeal against the ban.

Now, lets bring Zaheer Abbas back !

In Pakistan, we all have same habit, and one of the most common habit amongst us Pakistanis is that we realize the fact very very very late. This is the same with the Government, Government Offices and similar things in our country. There is a very proverb winch is read as :

???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????

which means “to realize the things after the events have occurred”.

This proverb really fits in our whole Pakistani culture, and every of the “Official Statement” that comes whenever the Pakistani Cricket, Hockey or any other Sports team has lost a tournament, or per forms very poor in a series.

I don’t really understand the thinking of our sports officials, once a team gets victory, then the president calls them, gives them a dinner, address them, seems very much happy on their success, the official say like they have won a battle and defeated their worst enemy, the all get some good lands in Islamabad blah blah blah.

And when they loose a series or similar, the kick the Manager, they kick out the Coach, sometimes the board chairman has to leave the office, sometime they launch an investigation, which usually comes to a no conclusion or decision or they don’t release this conclusion to the public. The reason that they do not release this to public, you tell me, and then they let it the conclusions die.

The same that had happened once again, after several times. Dawn has this report :

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will face an inquiry from the Sports Ministry which has asked it to explain the reasons for the national team’s poor performances in England besides the facilities being given to the foreign coach and trainers.

Full Article.

Although the inquiry would be done by  the EVER SO ANGRY, I AM THE BEST THINKING, ex-Fast Bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz (did you ever good words from his mouth ?), I really don’t know what are the intentions behind his letter. Mr Sarfaraz Nawaz, had you not the same attitude, you would be amongst the team management or coaching as you used to have some good reverse-swing skills, that the new ones would definitely want to learn. Besides that I personally feel Mr Woolmer is doing acceptable job.

Now, readers reply. What the heck was sports board doing when Pakistan team had wont he match only by the individual’s performances, I really do not understand this attitude of Pakistani Team(s) whenever we win the match or a game the heading reads like:

XXXX XXXXXX steals victory.

XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX made 1XX runs to ease the win

XXXX XXXXXX XXXXX took early wickets to limit the YYYYYYYYYY Team.

All-Round performance by XXXXXXXXX leads Pakistan to ease.

XXXXXXXX scores Y goals on penalty strokes

XXXXXXXXX made great saves to ease the Penalty Shootout for Pakistan.

So, did you find any thing common in the above headlines ?, I know you really did. ONLY ONE PLAYER MAKES THEM WIN, NOT THE TEAM.

In the past the team has performed really well, remember how we made to the World Cup 99 finals as a team. Everyone was performing well, and this is feature which makes South Africa win when batting second and beating the highest ODI Score.

You know what, I really really sick of these types of Individual based victories, but still hoping that a Pakistani Team would win, by team.