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World Cup 2015 – Few proposals for Pak cricket team..!

Pakistan cricket team always had the potential and talent to win, any and all of the past cricket ODI & T20 world cup tournaments.

As such, there should be no doubt, about its chances of winning the next cricket ODI World Cup, scheduled to commence from 14 February 2015, to be played in Australia and New Zealand, where our (Pool B) 1st match, will be against the Indian team, on 15 February, 2015 at Adelaide.

The details of Pool A and B teams are given below:

Pool A.

England.
Australia.
SriLanka.
Bangladesh.
NewZealand.
Afghanistan.
Scotland.

Pool B.

South Africa.
India.
Pakistan.
West Indies.
Zimbabwe.
Ireland.
United Arab Emirates.

Since 4 teams from each pool (total 8 teams from both the pools) will move forward, to play quarter final matches, we can safely assume (barring any upset) that the following teams MAY qualify for the quarter finals.

Pool A.

England.
Australia.
Sri Lanka.
NewZealand.

Pool B.

South Africa
India.
Pakistan.
West Indies.

Obviously, for all the teams playing quarter finals, semi finals and the final match, will be a do or die affair. Hence, for all purpose and intent, they will be considering all these matches, as a knock out or a final match.

Now, for Pakistan to prepare for this ODI World Cup tournament, it has less than 5 months. Luckily, we also have the opportunity to play 8 ODI matches during coming Oct-Dec 2014, against Australia (3) and NewZealand (5).

PCB must ensure that firstly, it must also pick few newcomers with fresh legs, for the World Cup team, who performs outstandingly in the ongoing T20 national tournament being played in Karachi. This is high time that daring, fearless and hard hitting batsman like Awaiz Zia, is given an opportunity to play in all the 8 ODI matches vs Australia and NewZealand in UAE, to bolster his confidence for the World Cup tournament.

This is all the more necessary, because our low scores in the 1st power play part of the game, during the starting 10 overs, has been the achilles heel (a portion, spot, area, or the like, that is especially or solely vulnerable).
With World Cup almost at hand, we created a sort of a world record in just concluded ODI series vs Sri Lanka, by scoring only 19 runs in the first 10 overs of an ODI, when only 2 repeat 2 fielders, are stationed outside the 30 yards circle.

We also possess the world record for playing the maximum number of DOT balls in the ODI’s and the T20 matches.

Our basic weaknesses in the ODI’s, as well as, in the T20 matches, have been the failure in scoring during the power play period (as if we have burdened the mind with the fear of losing the wickets during the power play, which in any case on many occasions, we do lose, even with NOT scoring freely in the power play) and secondly, committing the CARDINAL mistake of not taking singles regularly, or playing huge number of DOT balls.

Both the above problems are obviously due to a negative mind set, which if our coaches particularly Mr. Waqar Younis, fails to address, we will continue to perform as we did in recent series in Sri Lanka.

Our team management, must realise that it is not an issue of the abilities of our players. Rather, it is related to the negative mind set, imbibed or embedded in the brains of our players; and the only way to come out of this rut is to do specific practise (particularly during the coming 8 ODI and 3 T20 matches vs Australia and NewZealand) of these two short comings, explained above.

In the coming 8 ODI and 3 T20 games, our tour management committee must give a minimum target of 80 runs, during the 1st 10 overs of the ODI’s; and 60 runs during the 1st 6 overs of the T20 games. Because, if at all we have to be the #1 team of the world, we will have to be better than the best.

However, our all batsmen must be told that they are required to play FAST but NOT at all required to play RASH.

They should also be told that the basic difference between cricket and the baseball game is that in baseball, you are supposed to hit every ball; and in cricket every ball has to be played on its merit. However, that doesn’t mean that batsmen should fail to score singles and doubles, if boundaries are not coming.

Moreover, to overcome the chronic problem of our batsmen, in effectively scoring runs of the short balls, coming fast over their shoulders, particularly on the bouncy wickets of Australia and NewZealand, they should be given rigorous practice, with special bouncing rubber balls, bowled over the cemented pitch.

Regarding fielding, the players should be taught that all 11 fielders must focus 100% during the game, just like a wicket keeper; and the best way to NOT to drop a catch and stop a hit is to EXPECT that EACH and EVERY ball will be coming to the me. This mind set will VASTLY improve the catching and fielding.

Further, while throwing the ball for a direct run out, first the fielder must LOCK his eyes on the wickets and then throw the ball towards the stumps with one bump to the ground rather than direct aerial throw to the wickets. Research has proved that one bump throw to the wickets, increases the chances of the hitting the stumps, compared with the aerial throw.

In the bowling field, the old adage of bowling wicket to wicket, still pays the maximum dividends. However, in the modern day cricket, disguised slower balls, the balls bowled away from the off stump (just short of wide ball) and surprise bouncers have proved extremely useful and productive, during the crunch times and in case of FREE hits.

In this regard, PCB must prepare a plan named ”Vision 2015″. This plan should be a fool proof strategy with specific focus on winning the 2015 ODI World Cup tournament, considering all risk factors, like sudden unavailability of any player due to various reasons (as happened with Saeed Ajmal), at least five umpiring decisions going against us (two in batting & three in bowling innings), dropped catches/missed run outs and failure of main bowlers and batsmen etc.

We should remember that plans never fail, we fail to plan. Moreover, the PCB “Vision 2015″ must state that “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

Best of luck to the Pakistan cricket team….you can do it…you can win the World Cup…just believe in the fact that InshaAllah, you will be the world champions..!

Congratulations to Mr. Imran khan that our cricket team has also joined your call for the CDO movement and firstly, MISBAH chose to bat under favourable bowling conditions and later on, team got all out for 102 in 32.1 overs.

Some other interesting statistics of the Pakistani innings played under Civil Disobedience Movement called by the PTI.

Total balls of the innings 193
Scoring shot balls 58
Dot balls played. 135
Total boundaries x4. 7
Boundaries behind the
Wicket. 6
Boundaries in front 1
Innings sixes 1
Scored 19 runs for 3 wickets in 10 overs, which may well be a sort of a record for the power play overs, when only 2 fielders are allowed outside the circle.

Now, Pakistan is truly reaping the fruits of the over one year’s PCB chairmanship of cricketing and administrative wizard and darling of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mr.Najam Sethi ( who is still the most powerful man in the board relegating the chairman Shahyar Khan as just a figure head) wherein, against the Sri Lankan team, we lost Test series 2-0 & ODI series 2-1, in a most ignominious manner.

In this regard, Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, must remember that the history will never forgive him for the fact that he was informed and forewarned many times in writing that cricket was NOT the cup of tea for the nincompoop Najam Sethi, but he supported him to the hilt, by compromising the national interest, for the reasons best know to Mian Nawaz Sharif and the world at large, as well; easily forgetting that the constitution of Pakistan, strictly prohibits nepotism and favouritism.

In fact, in this case the constitution of Pakistan, was flagrantly violated and then people had the guts to criticise the past dictators, for saying that constitution was just a piece of paper.

Congratulations to Mr. Imran khan that our cricket team has also joined your call for the CDO movement and firstly, MISBAH chose to bat under favourable bowling conditions and later on, team got all out for 102 in 32.1 overs.

Some other interesting statistics of the Pakistani innings played under Civil Disobedience Movement called by the PTI.

Total balls of the innings 193
Scoring shot balls 58
Dot balls played. 135
Total boundaries x4. 7
Boundaries behind the
Wicket. 6
Boundaries in front 1
Innings sixes 1
Scored 19 runs for 3 wickets in 10 overs, which may well be a sort of a record for the power play overs, when only 2 fielders are allowed outside the circle.

Now, Pakistan is truly reaping the fruits of the over one year’s PCB chairmanship of cricketing and administrative wizard and darling of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mr.Najam Sethi ( who is still the most powerful man in the board relegating the chairman Shahyar Khan as just a figure head) wherein, against the Sri Lankan team, we lost Test series 2-0 & ODI series 2-1, in a most ignominious manner.

In this regard, Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, must remember that the history will never forgive him for the fact that he was informed and forewarned many times in writing that cricket was NOT the cup of tea for the nincompoop Najam Sethi, but he supported him to the hilt, by compromising the national interest, for the reasons best know to Mian Nawaz Sharif and the world at large, as well; easily forgetting that the constitution of Pakistan, strictly prohibits nepotism and favouritism.

In fact, in this case the constitution of Pakistan, was flagrantly violated and then people had the guts to criticise the past dictators, for saying that constitution was just a piece of paper.

Look Mr. Najam Sethi, what the BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel has said about your so called “MOU turned into binding agreement straightaway”.

Wisden India quoted Secretary Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sanjay Patel, as saying on Wednesday “the deals with Pakistan were not set in stone”.

Perhaps the genius PCB boss may be knowing that:

“You can fool some of the people for some of the time. You can also fool some of the people all the time, but you can’t fool all the people, all the time”.

Come on FICA bring up a new ICC..!

When two of the big3 of the ICC are against opening Cricket for the Olympics what is the use of the ICC???

Srinivasan as ICC Chairman is embarrassing: FICA boss

27 Jun 2014, 1324 hrs IST, AP

READ MORE: Narayanswami Srinivasan|International cricket council|Federation of International

Cricketers
© Getty Images

Paul Marsh has termed Srinivasan’s appointment as ICC Chairman “embarrassing”.
Melbourne: Paul Marsh, the executive chairman of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association, has described Narayanswami Srinivasan’s appointment as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council as “embarrassing”. Marsh, who is shortly to step down as executive chairman of FICA, said the election Thursday of Srinivasan to the most powerful role in world cricket was “very concerning.”

Srinivasan is currently barred by the Indian Supreme Court from performing his duties as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and has been listed as one of 13 persons of interest in an investigation of corruption in the Indian Premier League.

In a FICA statement on Friday, Marsh said “our strong preference was for the controversy involving Mr. Srinivasan in India to be resolved before the ICC made a decision on the chairmanship.”

Srinivas an’s appointment followed changes to the structure of the ICC which awards virtual control of world cricket to India, England and Australia. India lobbied strongly for Srinivasan’s appointment and his nomination was carried with strong support from both Australia and England.

India provides almost 70 percent of cricket’s international revenues and the election of Srinivasan and the revamped ICC structure, affording power to the sport’s ‘big three’, are seen as measures to prevent India quitting the world body.

Marsh bemoaned the concentration of political power into fewer hands.

“It’s difficult to see how cricket has got to this point,” he said in an interview with Australia’s SEN Radio. “It’s one of the saddest things I’ve seen in cricket. It’s embarrassing for the game that we’re in this position. The process that they’ve gone through to get to this point is very concerning. Effectively what’s happened here is the ‘big three’ boards of Engla nd, Australia and India have taken over the world game.”

Marsh said it was likely the big three would share a larger share of revenue at the expense of smaller nations.

“I don’t know how that helps build the world game,” he said. “I don’t see that cricket has a huge future if the game becomes about three or four countries. What we’ve seen over the last few years is that the game has been run very much along selfish lines.”

Marsh will be succeeded as FICA chairman by Tony Irish of South Africa.

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Another black day in the sporting history of Pakistan..!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

AoA.

I will not at all be surprised, if your very important national and international commitments, must have kept you unaware, from the extremely sad and tragic news that today for the first time ever, in the country’s 60-year history of the game of Hockey, Pakistani team is not playing the World Cup; because our team failed to qualify for the tournament, which has commenced today on Saturday, 31 May 2014 at Hague and from Asia, India, South Korea and Malaysia are participating.

Hope you remember, the Hockey World Cup was introduced by Pakistan, which also won this title 4 times in the past.

MashaAllah, next week you will be completing first year of the government.However, if we just talk about sports, it looks that the people at the helm of affairs for sports in the government, absolutely failed to stem the rot and provide any vision or guidance in the improvement of the pathetic state of affairs of the sports, particularly in games of Hockey, Cricket, Squash and Snooker, which were once dominated by Pakistan, around the world.

The improvement in the sports sector is neither difficult, nor has a requirement of rocket science. What is needed is commitment and dedication with honesty, integrity and meritocracy, without any politics, favouritism and nepotism.

Hope you are also aware about the state of the ugly affairs in the other major game of the country namely cricket, where our team came last among all the participants of the Champions trophy played in the UK, but were rewarded with an Eid bonus by Mr. Najam Sethi, as if PCB was his father’s company. Then our team went to Zimbabwe and got defeats from them (Zim a lowest status team) in a Test as well as, the ODI match. And recently Pakistani team created another record of shame, when in the T20 World Cup tournament held in Bangladesh, for the first time in the history, we failed to qualify for even the semi finals spot.

If I were the PM, all the sports administrators including the minister in charge, would have been sacked with the orders to refund entire pay and perks waisted on them for abysmally failing, during the last one year of the government, to deliver even 1% positive results.

Again, if I were the PM, for the sake of the name and image of Pakistan, for which our soldiers are almost daily embracing martyrdom, I would have gone across the party lines, to select an advisor for sports, who could turn around all the major sports played in the country, in not more than a years time.

In this regard, the following three names come to my mind, for selecting amongst them, a national sports advisor to the P.M.

1. AVM Farooq Umar Ex. CEO & M.D. PIA. He was also elected “President Pakistan Hockey Federation.” (PHF) It was during his tenure that he Resurrected Pakistan Hockey and made it Win the “World Champions Trophy” and the “World Cup Sydney 94” after a long lapse of 14 years . His success depended on upfront leadership and the ability to motivate the players right in the play field.

2. Lt. Gen (R) Tauqir Zia. As the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years, he not only introduced the “Vision 2005″, paragon for the promotion and development of Cricket in Pakistan but also managed to implement almost 75% of that Project in every part of the country particularly in the far flung areas of Balochistan, Sind and Frontier.

3. Khalid Mahmood. His keen interest in sports particularly cricket, provided Mr. Khalid Mahmood opportunities to serve Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in various capacities: Honorary Secretary (1975-1976), Member PCB Council (1988-94), Manager of Pakistan Cricket Team touring England, South Africa and the West Indies (1992-1993) and as Chairman PCB (1998-1999).

Before concluding, I would like to bring to your kind notice that please don’t consider sports as something which should be left as your last priority, on the national agenda. And if any proof was required to substantiate my request, here is the statement for your kind perusal, about the power of the sports, by one of the greatest statesman of the world, late Mr. Nelson Mandela.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

Now, taking a cue from the above mentioned statement of late Mr. Nelson Mandela, it is suggested that Pakistani government should slightly re-phrase it and declare the following as its mission statement: “Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite Pakistani people in a way that little else does. It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, poverty, drugs, suicide bombings and alarming increase of suicides, due to the economic hardships. It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of terrorism which has blown Pakistan to the smithereens.”

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Another black day in the sporting history of Pakistan..!

Dear Mr. Prime Minister

AoA.

I will not at all be surprised, if your very important national and international commitments, must have kept you unaware, from the extremely sad and tragic news that today for the first time ever, in the country’s 60-year history of the game of Hockey, Pakistani team is not playing the World Cup; because our team failed to qualify for the tournament, which has commenced today on Saturday, 31 May 2014 at Hague and from Asia, India, South Korea and Malaysia are participating.

Hope you remember the Hockey World Cup was introduced by Pakistan, which also won this title 4 times in the past.

MashaAllah, next week you will be completing first year of the government.However, if we just talk about sports, it looks that the people at the helm of affairs for sports in the government, absolutely failed to stem the rot and provide any vision or guidance in the improvement of the pathetic state of affairs of the sports, particularly in games of Hockey, Cricket, Squash and Snooker, which were once dominated by Pakistan, around the world.

The improvement in the sports sector is neither difficult, nor has a requirement of rocket science. What is needed is commitment and dedication with honesty, integrity and meritocracy, without any politics, favouritism and nepotism.

Hope you are also aware about the state of the ugly affairs in the other major game of the country namely cricket, where our team came last among all the participants of the Champions trophy played in the UK, but were rewarded with an Eid bonus by Mr. Najam Sethi, as if PCB was his father’s company. Then our team went to Zimbabwe and got defeats from them (Zim a lowest status team) in a Test as well as, the ODI match. And recently Pakistani team created another record of shame, when in the T20 World Cup tournament held in Bangladesh, for the first time in the history, we failed to qualify for even the semi finals spot.

If I were the PM, all the sports administrators including the minister in charge, would have been sacked with the orders to refund entire pay and perks waisted on them for abysmally failing, during the last one year of the government, to deliver even 1% positive results.

Again, if I were the PM, for the sake of the name and image of Pakistan, for which our soldiers are almost daily embracing martyrdom, I would have gone across the party lines, to select an advisor for sports, who could turn around all the major sports played in the country, in not more than a years time.

In this regard, the following three names come to my mind, for selecting amongst them, a national sports advisor to the P.M.

1. AVM Farooq Umar Ex. CEO & M.D. PIA. He was also elected “President Pakistan Hockey Federation.” (PHF) It was during his tenure that he Resurrected Pakistan Hockey and made it Win the “World Champions Trophy” and the “World Cup Sydney 94” after a long lapse of 14 years . His success depended on upfront leadership and the ability to motivate the players right in the play field.

2. Lt. Gen (R) Tauqir Zia. As the chairman Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years, he not only introduced the “Vision 2005”, paragon for the promotion and development of Cricket in Pakistan but also managed to implement almost 75% of that Project in every part of the country particularly in the far flung areas of Balochistan, Sind and Frontier.

3. Khalid Mahmood. His keen interest in sports particularly cricket, provided Mr. Khalid Mahmood opportunities to serve Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in various capacities: Honorary Secretary (1975-1976), Member PCB Council (1988-94), Manager of Pakistan Cricket Team touring England, South Africa and the West Indies (1992-1993) and as Chairman PCB (1998-1999).

Before concluding, I would like to bring to your kind notice that please don’t consider sports as something which should be left as your last priority, on the national agenda. And if any proof was required to substantiate my request, here is the statement for your kind perusal, about the power of the sports, by one of the greatest statesman of the world, late Mr. Nelson Mandela.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

Now, taking a cue from the above mentioned statement of late Mr. Nelson Mandela, it is suggested that Pakistani government should slightly re-phrase it and declare the following as its mission statement: “Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite Pakistani people in a way that little else does. It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, poverty, drugs, suicide bombings and alarming increase of suicides, due to the economic hardships. It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of terrorism which has blown Pakistan to the smithereens.”

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Once again there is a debate going on in the Pakistani cricketing circles, that should Misbah ul Haq be retained as captain of the Test and ODI teams or not? In this regard, PCB seems to be a divided house.

Firstly, it should be made clear to every player that if anyone is removed from the captaincy, it does not mean the end of his playing career. In the past, we have seen that when legendary Sir. Ian Botham was removed from the captaincy of the England’s team, not only there was a big spur in the performance of Ian Botham, but in the entire English team, was transformed for the good.

Generally, people appreciate the batting prowess of Misbah ul Haq. However, he is also being criticised for startlingly wrong team selections, unimaginative batting order decisions, defensive field placings, wrong bowling schemes and his own very slow start of the innings, even in the ODI matches. On an over all basis, now he is being labeled as a defensive captain.

However, the biggest draw back of Misbah ul Haq has been the element of favouritism which he displays for his colleagues playing with him in his domestic team. This aspect of favouritism in his personality, makes him absolutely unfit to be a leader of the national out fit.

In particular, MUH’s moves in South African tour dented his reputation very badly, when he unnecessarily called players from Pakistan, even before the start of the first Test match.

Moreover, his media statements even before the start of the series, also confirmed that he had surrendered the series before the first ball was was bowled. One should never be over awed by the paper strength of the opposition.

Going by the analogy of MUH, the Zimbabwe should have also surrendered before the start of the series against Pakistan. And now MUH has the guts to say that he was not a defensive captain. Yes, he is in fact, not worth even a defensive captain, which was a label affixed previously on the great legendary Mr. Zaheer Abbas, as well.

Captains are sheer brain and cricket is played in the mind, just like a chess game. But in MUH’s case, we are at a loss to know that he is totally devoid of the common sense, which he amply exhibited in South African series, when everybody knew that Hafeez was bothering their batsmen with new ball, MUH made sure, he was not given the new ball, at many such moments.

The whole of Pakistan knew how much Irfan bothered the SA batsmen on their pitches, but he was not selected to play the first Test match. We can easily write the details consuming reams of papers, about the common sense decisions not taken by MUH, in selection of players and during the currency of the games, specially during the South African series, champions trophy in England, West Indian and Zimbabwe tours.

How can Misbah ul Haq be retained as captain till the ODI World Cup 2015, when he led the team in the champions trophy, where Pakistan was LASTranked team among all the participants?

Handing over the task of leading the team again to Misbah ul Haq for the World Cup 2015, will be an act of hara-kiri (suicide or any suicidal action; a self-destructive act). What else could be the act of madness or insanity which was aptly defined by Albert Einstein that “doing an act, without change, over and over again and expecting a different result?”

Now, the question is what is expected from a captain? Firstly, it should be remembered that in all the team games, the role of a captain in the game of cricket, is of the prime importance. A cricket captain is invested as is an American president, with a fanciful suite of powers and responsibilities, more than any one man can bear.

A good captain can make a poor team good and a good team great. Here, we remember late AH Kardar, who had to lead a pack of Pakistani players, out of which 8-9 players were the worst fielders. But then, he always used his players in such a manner, that their weaknesses were least exposed to the opponents.

Captains in cricket have to have a brain to create victories, because victories are never offered by the opponents in a plate, rather it is carved out, on the chess board of the cricket field. Further, the captain must be a PRO ACTIVE AND MUST NOT BE A REACTIVE PERSONALITY.

It is the foremost job of the captain to always keep his team players so charged up, focused and motivated that victories are snatched from the jaws of the defeat; and not that defeats are snatched from the jaws of the victory; as happened with our team, twice during the last tour of Zimbabwe, where we lost an ODI as well as, a Test match.

In view of the foregoing and keeping under consideration of the long term interests of the Pakistani cricket, which has to plan for up to June-July 2017 Test matches, championships and 2015 ODI World Cup, there is no doubt that at the best, we have a 50:50 chance that Misbah ul Haq will be able to continue till the above named two important events.

Therefore, under the circumstances, we have two options. Firstly, to play safe, we may appoint Younis khan as captain for the ODI and the Test teams (with certain factors of fitness, age, experience, class and abilities in his favour more than any other cricketer in Pakistan), with Ahmad Shahzad as his deputy, who may take over as the captain for all the three formats of the game, after the ODI World Cup 2015. Simultaneously, to imbibe confidence and to gain the experience, Ahmad Shahzad may be appointed as captain for the T20 team, as well.

Secondly, in the midst of the experienced set of team management personnel, we can straight away, close the chapter of team players politics, for a minimum of about 5-7 years, by right away appointing Ahmad Shahzad as captain, for all the three formats of the game, of a new look futuristic Pakistan team. Yes, experienced players like Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq and Shahid Afridi must be retained to play as seasoned members in the team, as long as, they are able to deliver.

Cricket Crisis – Final nail is about to be hammered into the coffin

A Passionate Appeal to the PM Pakistan.

Dear Mr. Prime minister & The Patron in Chief PCB

AoA.

Sir,

At the outset, let me state that we are absolutely confident that you as the Prime Minister and the CEO of the country, will never allow any relations or friendship with you, come in way of the national interest, which is even enshrined in the oath, as well.

There is no shame in losing a match, but abject surrender is absolutely unacceptable.

Someone, somewhere, has to be held accountable for the disgraceful manner, in which Pakistan’s cricket team was thrashed by the West Indies team, in the super ten round’s last match of the T20 World Cup 2014. However, the entire nation is shocked with the decisions of the PCB chairman, which he has taken in the aftermath of the Dhaka debacle as below.

1. The entire team management and the T20 team’s captain, who were responsible for the shameful performance, in the first instance were relieved of their duties, immediately upon their arrival in Pakistan, not in good faith, but as a PR exercise, to cool down the public anger.

2. Just after the tempers cooled, the chairman PCB struck with a vengeance and recalled and rehired the entire incompetent team management personnel, with better positions and even the top nincompoop of them all Mr. Moin Khan, was rewarded for his failures, with a two years contract for double positions of the chief selector and the team manager.
Mr. Prime Minister, who else knows better than you that nowhere in the cricketing world, the post of manager has been held by the chief selector; for the very simple reason that the chief selector, is required to spend all his time in the country, to hunt the talent. How can this job be done in a proper manner, when the chief selector will be touring for weeks and months, with the team as a manager?
Sir, just for your information, recently the Indian cricket board has imposed a complete ban on the selectors, from going on foreign tours, with the team.

3. On top of all the wrong decisions, it has been reported that now the chairman PCB has decided to give a final death blow to the Pakistan cricket, by planning to close the departmental teams and ending the departmental competitions. This act will go down in the history, as the last nail hammered in the coffin of the Pakistan’s cricket.
As such, you are requested to personally intervene in the matter and direct the PCB to refrain from killing the departmental cricket in the country, which was the brain child of the legendary late Abdul Hafeez Kardar; and has always been the factory for producing super stars of Pakistan: to name a few of them Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Wasim Bari and Javed Miandad, etc etc. Almost all and 100% renowned Pakistani cricketers have been the product of this system.
Mr. Prime Minister, just to pre-inform you that PCB will never admit that they are planning to disband the departmental cricket. In fact, PCB has apparently planned to obtain your approval in a disguised sugar coated scheme, wherein, it may be put up to you that departments will be merged with regions, to support the regional teams. Which in other words, will clearly mean that there will be no separate departmental teams.
Further, it is understood that the above sinister scheme has not even been approved by the Interim Management Committee of the PCB. In any case, this PCB management, is for an interim period and such basic and structural changes can only be made by a properly elected board. As such, even if this sinister plan is bulldozed, it may easily face litigation hurdles. Moreover, this scheme is a sure shot recipe for the joblessness on a mass level, of all the cricketers employed by the departments.

4. Coming back to the Dhaka debacle, we should also not forget that in the past, our team never performed so badly; and that for the first time in the history of the T20 World Cup, we could not even enter the semi finals, of the T20 World Cup tournament.

Now, after the miserable failure of the team, accountability is the need of the hour and the buck is sitting on your favourite Mr. Najam Sethi, who must be sacked IMMEDIATELY, for not just the defeat, but also for turning the Pakistani cricket team to a club level team, so that the whole nation knows, without any doubt that our Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, is a man of pure merit, and SIFARISH, friendship or relations will not come in his way, as far as the national interest is concerned.

We also know that you always believe in putting right man at the right job.

5. Sir, now your own image is at stake and Mr. Najam Sethi, who failed abysmally, as chairman PCB and knows nothing about cricket, must not be allowed to hide behind you.

Best regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore.

Sent from my iPad3 4G LTE

War, cricket and the ICC..!

A refreshed write up of 3 March, 2012. May be it is still relevant now to a large extent…!

Promotion of the Cause of Peace Through Cricket : Why to punish Pakistan for fighting the world’s war on terror? Why to play into the hand of the terrorists?

It has been reported tonight (3 March, 2012) on TV that Bangladesh cricket team’s coach Stuart Law, who is of Australia origin, has declined to tour Pakistan with the Bangladesh cricket team, for it’s impending tour being scheduled next month in April. This news if correct, raises many questions with serious ramifications for the cricketing world.

However, before dwelling with the consequences of the above mentioned news, the following facts should also be kept in mind, to have a better prospect of the whole issue.

1. Newly appointed coach of Pakistan cricket team Dev Whatmore, is also a former Australian Test and international cricket player, who had no qualms ever for staying in Pakistan. In fact, he was one of the coaching candidates for the Pakistani cricket team, when another very famous former Australian international cricketer Lawson, was selected as coach for Pakistan. We understand that when he was removed to appoint Waqar Younis, Lawson never himself wanted to quit the job. And Lawson stayed in Pakistan (and also wanted to stay further), during much worse war conditions in Afghanistan and it’s spill over impact of very serious law and order conditions, then prevailing in Pakistan.

2. To say that Stuart Law is taking refuge under travel advisory of Australian government, is also a very weak argument, which does not hold water, as many Australian professionals are continuing to visit Pakistan and they even stay here for longer durations, without any fear of violence. As compared to this situation, we hear very regular news of violence against Asian migrants in Australia, but then again no body stays away from traveling there.

3a. One isolated incidence against the SriLankan cricket team, can’t be made an excuse to stop international cricket in Pakistan, forever. No foreign team ever stopped visiting SriLanka during it’s 25 years civil war, where matches continued even during bombings and explosions.

3b. Why no sportsmen or sports teams ever decided not to visit Germany after the Munich massacre attack during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany on 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team, who were taken hostage and eventually killed, along with a German police officer.

3c. Why no sports teams ever boycotted sports events in America after the Centennial Olympic Park bombing of a terrorist bomb attack on the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia on July 27 during the 1996 Summer Olympics. The blast claimed 1 life and injured 111 people, while another person died of a heart attack.

3d. Also no one stopped visiting New York or USA after 9/11. Similarly, Pakistani players were once mugged in South Africa. One off incidents or accidents do happened in the past and will continue to happen in the future everywhere. So why to single out only Pakistan. People don’t stop air travels, just because airplanes do meet accidents every now and then.

4. Now, if today Bangladesh cricket board succumbs to the blackmail tactics of their coach or support staff, this matter will not stop here. Indiscipline and black mail if not nibbed in the bud, spreads like cancer. Tomorrow, other boards should be ready to face much worse pressures for even more ridiculous demands. This situation may even force the boards to consider putting new clauses of conditions in the agreements, to safe guard their national interests with iron clad wordings.

5. Above all, the planned tour of the Bangladesh cricket team shall be arranged after clearance of double security checks by the BD government and the the ICC, with security cover equal to the head of the state. Believe me, this security may not even be available to Stuart Law, neither in BD nor any where else in the world. And the planned tour is going to be over in just few days with only three matches, it will not last even few weeks.

6. Last but not the least, this tour will tremendously help the cause of cricket in this part of the world. It will also prove the resolve of the world that terrorism threat can’t hold for ransom, the game of international cricket in Pakistan. In fact, this epoch making tour will highly contribute to the cause of peace in the world. These people must not forget that Pakistan stood like a rock before the terrorists, for more than a decade, so that this menace does not spread to any other parts of the world. And many Australian troops also gave their lives in Afghanistan, for the same cause. So today if with the decision of an ill informed Australian, the terrorists gains strength, it will be a great betrayal with the cause, for which the Australian troops shed their blood.

7. So come on Bangladesh, let us give peace a chance through cricket and let the posterity record that Bangladesh was the first great nation which revived international cricket in Pakistan.

8. It is now a time of reckoning for the ICC to ponder very seriously, whether, it wants to continue playing into the hands of the terrorists or to prove that peace and cricket are synonymous with each other. ICC must advise all its members to immediately start visiting Pakistan to send a firm message that Cricket can not and shall not be ever defeated by the terrorism.

9. ICC must beware of the verdict of the posterity lest it may be recorded in the pages of the history that this sports organisation was responsible for knowingly playing into the hands of the terrorists.