Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category

Need of the hour – Immediate revamping of the PCB..!

Respected Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

اسلام و علیکم

Sir,

I want to urgently inform you about the public anger, utter disappointment and frustration, about the government of the day and the PCB, after our cricket teams continuous pathetic performances in the ongoing Asia Cup, particularly, in the last nights’s disgusting & humiliating defeat, handed over to our team, by the Bangladeshi cricket players, in the Mirpur stadium, Dhaka.

All these continuous series of cricket debacles are happening due to the total and collective failure of the PCB’s top management in developing the game on merit, forward thinking, checks and balances, accountability and transparency; which ironically consists of not one, but three chairmans namely M/S Shahryar Khan, Najam Sethi and Shakeel Sheikh; who are designated as chairman PCB, chairman executive committee and chairman cricket committee respectively.

The inherent problems of the PCB are that it’s top brass is totally out of sync with the modern day demands of the game; and the organisation has three power centres, run by the three chairmans detailed above.

Sir, the nation not wrongly, also thinks that Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab, being the Patron in chief of the PCB, has not made the right choices of all the personnel appointed in the PCB and its board of governors.

Sir, enough is enough and action is better than inaction. As such, it is never too late to correct the course, for the sake of the image and prestige of our beloved motherland, called The Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Kindly immediately bring these long series of cricketing disasters to an immediate end, heaped upon the nation by the PCB, continuing from the debacle in the ODI World Cup 2015, then the most insulting white wash during the last BD tour, then continuous defeats from the teams of Sri Lanka, England and NZ, as there is no need to wait for further set backs, during the coming T20 World Cup: by forthwith dissolving the entire PCB set up; and giving the reigns of the PCB to some dead honest, clean, educated and world renowned corporate experienced cricketer/person who must possess forward vision, to rebuild the PCB from its ashes; and make the PCB a world class professional set up, soonest possible.

Else, please don’t expect a defective, obsolete and redundant factory (PCB) to produce a product (players) to compete in the world arena.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

اسلام وعلیکم

Sir,

Today, our team just did not miserably got defeated against India; but it was an abject surrender against the Indians, again witnessed by us, after the surrender of 1971 at Dhaka.

Sir, this disaster was not a one off happening.

Since, you appointed Mr. Najam Sethi and later on, Mr. Shahryar Khan at helm of affairs of the PCB, our team is on an unending downward slide.

Sir, ever since day one, I have been informing you the abysmal conditions at the PCB, without any action from your honour.

Sir, now enough is enough. The buck obviously stops at the top. Kindly rethink your policy of giving free reign to your appointed men at PCB, which also includes all the members of the governing board.

Sir, Now the water has crossed over the heads.

Sir, it is not the high time but the highest time for you to immediately dissolve the entire PCB; and appoint non-political world class professionals, to run the PCB on corporate level.

Sir, a faulty factory can never produce a perfect product, which you have seen personally in the PCB’s case.

Hoping that in the national interest, you will not spare personalities, for the sake of image and prestige of Pakistan.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

I gave my team as below, on 9th February, 2016 and the PCB selectors announced national team on 10th February, 2016.

The following players may be considered for the Pakistani Squad.
1. Muhammad Hafeez (Captain and opening batsman).
2. Awais Zia (Most hard hitting left handed swashbuckling opening batsman in the country, who can take the attack to the opposition and turn the tables in the first 6 power play overs).
3. Baber Azam (He is an all rounder and excellent fielder who can also confidently open the innings, if required).
4. Sharjeal Khan (He has the advantage of being a hard hitting left handed batsman, who can also open the innings).
5. Umar Akmal (Vice Captain. He must not be sent below one down. Also the standby wicket keeper).
6. Sarfraz Ahmad (Wicket keeper. He must not bat below two down).
7. Imad Wasim (One of the best all rounder in the country, who is an excellent fielder, as well).
8. Anwar Ali (All rounder and an excellent world class fielder. He can also be used as an opening batsman as per requirement of the situation).
9. Zulfiquar Baber (Best turner of the ball. Left arm spinner).
10. Muhammad Nawaz (An extremely promising 22 years All rounder, basically a left handed orthodox spinner and LH batsman).
11. Zafar Gohar (21 years young very agile in the field, slow left arm orthodox and reasonably reliable left handed batsman).
12. Shahid Afridi (He deserves inclusion in the team on the basis of his spin bowling and his excellent track record against the Indian team).
13. Muhammad Amir (Highly talented LH pacer. An asset for any team in the world).
14. Junaid Khan (Left arm pacer, who has recently rediscovered his magic. Extremely talented player).
15. Bilawal Bhatti (Right arm pacer who can bat reasonably; well fit for the T20 format. Moreover T20 game is not Wahab Riaz’s cup of tea and BB is more fitter than Umar Gul, as well. Further, BB is preferred over Muhammad Irfan, due to Irfan’s poor fielding abilities and below Muhallah level teams batting abilities).
We should not be afraid to repose trust in the young generation players named above; and also not be shy of changing the captain at this late hour, because even Australia has today, changed its T20 leadership for the T20 World Cup, by replacing Smith with Finch.
Best of luck for the Pakistani cricketers.

Official Pakistani Squad:

Shahid Afridi
Mohammad Hafeez
Shoaib Malik
Mohammad Irfan
Rumman Raees
Wahab Riaz
Mohammad Nawaz
Babar Azam
Iftikhar Ahmed
Mohammad Amir
Umar Akmal
Sarfraz Ahmed
Imad Wasim
Anwar Ali
Khurram Manzoor

In my team there were no places for:

Shoaib Malik
Muhammad Irfan
Rumman Raees
Iftikhar Ahmad
Khurram Manzoor

An objective analysis of the recent decisions of the PCB..!

The following squad was selected by the PCB for the coming T20 Asia and World Cup tournaments.

Pakistan: Khurram Manzoor, Iftikhar Ahmed, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Shoaib Malik, Rumman Raees, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Babar Azam, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal

Unfortunately, there is only one player namely Umar Akmal in the above squad, who is a genuine world class T20 material.

However, with the inclusion of following players, we have made a complete mess and mockery of the selection of the Pakistani T20 team.

1. Khurram Manzoor:- (Classical case of rampant SIFARISHI culture prevailing in the PCB, where they are playing with Pakistan, not playing for Pakistan. Played his last ODI 7 years ago in 2009 and last Test 2 years ago in 2014. He has never represented Pakistan in T20 format. Surprisingly, he was not even selected among the 100 players of the 5 PSL teams. Since, cricketing logic and merit belies his selection, only the PCB and its selection committee knows the non-cricketing reasons, justifying his inclusion, which must be made public before some else, opens the lid of this so called secret matter).

2. Iftikhar Ahmed:- (Another out of merit selection, where he has never represented Pakistan in T20 format. His performance during the 2 ODI matches for Pakistan, is so pathetic that no other even non-Test playing team will select him as a 12th man.
His batting average is 4 runs with a strike rate of 25.80.
His bowling average is 49 runs per wicket with strike rate of 60 runs per wicket. With this ODI performance our PCB wizards have selected him for the T20 Asia & World Cup matches).

3. Rumman Raees:- Any person with minimum cricketing knowledge can observe that he is a below average player, absolutely not having the ability to make an impact at world level. It is a Classical case of selecting a below average, low calibre player. His selection exposes the abilities of the PCB and its selectors, in picking up the potential players for the world arena. Selection of such low potential players, have made the PCB and its selectors a laughing stock).

3. Wahab Riaz:- He is somehow himself proving that T20 game is not his cup of tea. Junaid Khan and Muhammad Sami are much better choices to replace him in the T20 format.

4. Shoaib Malik:- He is also past his prime and absolutely not a world level T20 stuff. And, after what Ravi Bopara has spoken about him, if I were in the authority, he won’t be allowed to come near the Gaddafi stadium. If the people at the helm of affairs in the PCB have not yet read his damning statement about Shoaib Malik, they must go through it, sooner than later; because Ravi Bopara has also said that he was compelled to tell the truth about Shoaib Malik, who advised him to bowl at off stump side, while fielders were placed at the leg side.

5. Muhammad Irfan:- He can’t be and must not be selected for the world level T20 games, due to his below club level fielding and batting abilities.

6. Shahid Afridi:- He can only be included in the team on his bowling and fielding abilities. As far as, his batting and captainship abilities are concerned, he is well past his prime and the less said the better it is. Moreover, as they say the proof of pudding is in its eating, the ranking of our T20 team is rapidly going down, under his leadership.

Muhammad Hafeez is in his prime form these days. Moreover, when he holds the world record for the most successful T20 captain, it was high time he was given the chance to once again lead the Pakistani T20 team.

The PCB has hit another six by appointing Azhar Mahmood as bowling coach.
The current PCB chairman was manager of Pakistan’s ODI World Cup team in 2003, which was played in South Africa. Hope he will be remembering how much problem was created for our World Cup team, which took an unfit player for the trip.
Although, that player got selected for the 2003 World Cup team, by getting the fitness clearance from the concerned authority, yet, he was declared unfit, after arrival in South Africa, without playing any match.
This situation forced our team to play the World Cup with only 14 players, because rules didn’t permit any replacement, for old injuries which didn’t occur during the World Cup.
Now, if the chairman PCB has decided to make such a person part of the team management, we can only pray for his success.

Best of luck for the Pakistani team in its endeavours to win the T20 Asia Cup and the World Cup.

 

Players selected for a national team are beyond the ordinary, or should be beyond the ordinary.

If there is no change in the attitude of the players, however; if there is no change in the selection process; if there is no change in the personality and quality of coaches to get the players to listen to them and to try and follow their instructions; and if there is no change in the quality of players coming out of the domestic competitions, the result will be the same – probably even worse.

In the modern day game of cricket the captain, coach and the chief selector are the three main pillars, absolutely responsible for the performance of the team.

Now, we are also seeing the evolution of the fourth pillar i.e., the mentor of the team, generally called as the Team Director.

These four pillars must not select the team before they have chalked out the strategy of the matches to be played with their players.

All planning must have a clear objective and should be obviously based on the playing conditions to be faced by the team.

After the strategy the selection process should be based on the following principles:

– Select horses for courses.

– Be ruthless in team selection with emotions getting no place in the realm of the national prestige.

– Remove any iota of likes/dislikes and strictly adhere to the merit policy, not entertaining any undeserving recommendations, from any level.

– No physically unfit player should be selected at any cost.

– No player should be selected if he is not fitting in the mould of the earlier formulated strategy.

The following players may be considered for the Pakistani Squad.

1. Muhammad Hafeez (Captain and opening batsman).

2. Awais Zia (Most hard hitting left handed swashbuckling opening batsman in the country, who can take the attack to the opposition and turn the tables in the first 6 power play overs).

3. Baber Azam (He is an all rounder and excellent fielder who can also confidently open the innings, if required).

4. Sharjeal Khan (He has the advantage of being a hard hitting left handed batsman, who can also open the innings).

5. Umar Akmal (Vice Captain. He must not be sent below one down. Also the standby wicket keeper).

6. Sarfraz Ahmad (Wicket keeper. He must not bat below two down).

7. Imad Wasim (One of the best all rounder in the country, who is an excellent fielder, as well).

8. Anwar Ali (All rounder and an excellent world class fielder. He can also be used as an opening batsman as per requirement of the situation).

9. Zulfiquar Baber (Best turner of the ball. Left arm spinner).

10. Muhammad Nawaz (An extremely promising 22 years All rounder, basically a left handed orthodox spinner and LH batsman).

11. Zafar Gohar (21 years young very agile in the field, slow left arm orthodox and reasonably reliable left handed batsman).

12. Shahid Afridi (He deserves inclusion in the team on the basis of his spin bowling and his excellent track record against the Indian team).

13. Muhammad Amir (Highly talented LH pacer. An asset for any team in the world).

14. Junaid Khan (Left arm pacer, who has recently rediscovered his magic. Extremely talented player).

15. Bilawal Bhatti (Right arm pacer who can bat reasonably; well fit for the T20 format. Moreover T20 game is not Wahab Riaz’s cup of tea and BB is more fitter than Umar Gul, as well. Further, BB is preferred over Muhammad Irfan, due to Irfan’s poor fielding abilities and below Muhallah level teams batting abilities).

We should not be afraid to repose trust in the young generation players named above; and also not be shy of changing the captain at this late hour, because even Australia has today, changed its T20 leadership for the T20 World Cup, by replacing Smith with Finch.

Best of luck for the Pakistani cricketers.

How champions take their game to the next level.

What makes the great ones great..!

How did Michael Jordan help lead his team to win six NBA championships? Many of us know Michael as a tremendous three-point shooter, but what was surprising that when Michael joined the NBA, he was celebrated only as a high–flying dunker, making a mere 17 percent of his three–point shots! And early on in his career, the Chicago Bulls were consistently knocked off in the playoffs because of their apparent lack of teamwork.

So what did Michael have to do, as a leader, to convert winning games into winning championships?

The answer is: he had to consistently adjust his game in order to adapt to the changing seasons, strategies, and opponents.

Turns out, constant adaptation was the only way to remain successful and dominant.

So are you directing your time and energy to the right areas of your life? Are you focusing on changes that will propel you beyond good…to Greatness?

If not, Don Yaeger has written a marvellous book titled “What Makes the Great Ones Great: 16 Characteristics of a Champion”, to help anyone take his game to the next level.

In his book, What Makes the Great Ones Great: 16 Characteristics of a Champion, Don Yaeger gives us some basic principles on how great winners set themselves apart by thinking, preparing, working, and living differently.

Don is an exceptional writer and has had 5 books on the New York Timesbestseller list.

He is also a great speaker who shares his message with audiences all over the world. I’m honoured to compile brief excerpts of 16 characteristics of a champion as below:

Habits found among the greatest champions, and most successful people of all time.

1. It’s Personal
The Great ones hate to lose more than they love to win.

2. Inner Fire

They use adversity as fuel.

3. Rubbing Elbows

They understand the value of association.

4. Do Unto Others

They know character is defined by how they treat those who cannot help them in return.

5. Visualise Victory

They see victory before the game begins.

6. When No One is Watching

They are comfortable in the mirror. They live their life with integrity.

7. What Off-Season?

They are always working towards the next game. The goal is what’s ahead, and there’s always something ahead.

8. Hope for the Best, But…

They prepare for all possibilities before they step on the field.

9. Contagious Enthusiasm

They are positive thinkers. They are enthusiastic… and that enthusiasm rubs off.

10. Ice in Their Veins

They are thoughtful risk-takers and don’t fear making a mistake.

11. Not Just About the Benjamins

They don’t play just for the money.

12. Records are Made to be Broken

They know their legacy isn’t what they did on the field. They are well-rounded.

13. Believe

They use adversity as fuel.

14. The Ultimate Teammate

They will assume whatever role is necessary for the team to win.

15. When Everyone is Watching

They embrace the idea of being a role model.

16. When All Else Fails

They know how–and when–to adjust their game plan.

(This is not my write up, just compilation from Simple Truths and excerpts from What Makes the Great Ones Great by Don Yaeger)

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

اسلام و علیکم

Sir,

Please issue necessary orders that PCB is not turned into a Plunderers Cricket Board, in the guise of holding PSL.

PCB is just not an organisation. Rather, it is a trust of the nation and it should not be allowed to become another Dr. Asim type scandal.

Sir, the following needs immediate clarification by the PCB:
1. Is the PCB being literally taken for a ride in the cover of PSL, because it is reported that about Rs.4 crores repeat about Rs. 4 crores were spent on the dinner function, held on 20th September, 2015 at the Expo center Lahore?

2. Is this news correct that the PCB has invited 36 journalists (long list of other invitees is a separate matter) with gifts of two way tickets, free stay and $1000 cash to each, for witnessing the PSL?

3. Is this news also correct that out of the 36 persons, there are 6 journalists ONLY from one media group? Any chance of conflict of interest by any PCB’s top functionary?

Kind Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Why we lost the 2nd T20 match vs the NZ team?

Just because the NZ team played smart cricket.

May be our team is better team than the New Zealand’s team.

Basically, we are not playing and not using our resources more intelligently.

We should select players on the basis of horses for courses.

Ahmad Shahzad, Sohaib Maqsood and Shoaib Malik are not the horses for the T20 course.

Moreover, according to a definition of a leader, he is supposed to ensure that the ladder is leaning at the correct place, for his team members to reach the targeted area.

If the ladder is wrongly placed, no matter how capable are your team members, they can never reach the right place, for achievement of your desired goal or task.

Here, as pointed out after the first match, we must correctly select our players, who are fit for T20 format and wisely plan our batting order, to give ample space to our explosive batsmen to tear apart the bowling of the opponent team, for a relatively longer period of time.

Cricket is like a chess game, where you use your moves more wisely and intelligently, than your opponent.

We are wrongly playing Ahmad Shahzad, Shoaib Malik and Sohaib Maqsood and not giving chance to the likes of Anwar Ali and Babar Azam etc.

Moreover, players like Umar Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmad must bat up in the order, to have a reasonable opportunity to perform, as per their huge potential.

Once Viv Richards said that cricket is played all in your head.

Let us hope our of tour management committee does not panic after the resounding defeat in the second T20 match, because panic is a sure recipe of defeat.

In order to win the last match of the series, our team management must consider all the suggestions submitted above and devise a plan to out smart the opponent team, by using shorter sides of the ground for hitting maximum number of boundaries in that particular area and must set a target of minimum 60 runs in first six overs of the power play.

Moreover, we should ensure playing minimum number of dot balls, particularly in the power play overs.

Our fast bowlers should be advised to must utilise one bouncer ball, which is allowed during an over and also bowl maximum possible yorkers, aiming the toe of the batsmen.

 

The SHIV SENA attack on BCCI HQ at Mumbai, was a pre-planned scheme of the RAW controlled BJP government, which is proved by the pictures of BCCI chief, who was casually sitting, smiling and talking with the so-called attackers, as if, they were his guests.

The body language of the BCCI president Mr. Shashank Manohar, said it all.

The whole drama was enacted to put PCB chairman under pressure, to accept whatever offer they (RAW, BJP & BCCI) were giving to the PCB; should be accepted by the chairman PCB Mr. Shahryar Khan, as if, they (BCCI) were favouring the PCB out of the way, despite so called severe pressures from the Hindu fanatics.

From the inside, the BCCI is afraid of the following two consequences, If India refuses to play with Pakistan, in the UAE:

1. There is a chance that BCB may agree to visit Pakistan, after their Australian tour set back and the treatment meted out to the BCB by the big three, where India didn’t support them at all, and Pakistan fully supported their cause.

2. If Pakistan, as a retaliation, refuses to play the T20 match vs India in the coming World Cup, it will result in huge financial loss along with big loss of face.

As such, the Indians want to give the chairman PCB Mr. Shahryar Khan a lollipop of a meaningless short series with India, or a tri series including the BD team, to keep PCB subservient of its grand scheme, of not letting it get off the hook.

Factually, Indians are and were never interested in playing cricket with Pakistan, purely due to political reasons.

Hence, PCB officials will be better off, if they don’t waste their time and resources to meet their Indian counterpart for asking them to fulfil the agreement/MOU signed with the PCB, in lieu of its vote in the ICC to agree for the big three status to the BCCI, ACB and ECB.

Last but not the least, all those officials in the government and the PCB (particularly Mr. Ramiz Raja who on that occasion advised on live TV to Pakistan to become BESHARAM, forget PAKISTANIAT and support India for the ICC big three cause) must resign, for bringing shame and humiliation to the country, on account of their wrong decisions in the big three episode of the ICC.

link:- Video of Ramiz Raja’s statement…https://tune.pk/video/3094544/ramiz-raja-asking-pcb-to-become-besharam-and-say-yes-sir-to-india…-beygarat-insan…

How strange it is that Pakistani cricket team is ranked among the world’s top three in the Test matches version of the game, but it is ranked in the bottom three of the ODI version of the game.

The world # 1 Test team of South Africa is # 4 ranked ODI team and the world # 2 Test team of Australia is # 1 ranked ODI team.

However, the world # 3 Test team of Pakistan is # 9 ranked ODI team of the world.

In fact, among the Test playing nations in the ODI rankings, we are the second last team of the world. Only Zimbabwe’s ODI team is ranked below Pakistan.

Since, more or less same players play the same way, the both versions of the game, the only reason which comes to mind about the problem with the Pakistani team, in its poor performance in the ODI version is that they just can’t play the ODI games, in its modern style, with aim in the mind of scoring above 300, 350 or 400+ runs in 50 overs.

Our world records of lowest score & average in first ten overs and world record of playing highest dot balls clearly/visibly points towards the faults, which if improved, can easily transform our same team into the top 5 ODI teams of the world.

However, this milestone cannot be achieved with openers like recently turned timid Ahmad Shahzad or afraid of playing moving ball outside the off stump, Muhammad Hafeez.

Moreover, players like Shoaib Malik and Asad Shafiq will always be an impediment in the top notch performance of our ODI team.

Actually, our team needs two or three more fearless batsmen like Sarfraz Ahmad and Awais Zia.

Currently with ONLY one Sarfraz Ahmad, it is not for nothing that we are 9th ranked team in the world.

In fact, the PCB chairman who approves the team and selectors who originally selects the team, must not do this ZULM or cruelty with Pakistani team by selecting utterly undeserving players like Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Muhammad Hafeez and Ahmad Shahzad; and keeping out true ODI material players like Umer Akmal and Awais Zia.

The Chairman PCB must note this fact that cricket is a tremendous team game. And just one misfit player can disturb the balance of the team.

Furthermore, our selectors have proved that they don’t select players with an eye on future, by not giving a chance during the recently concluded Zimbabwe series, to the newly selected dashing batsman Mukhtar, to allow him to gain ODI experience and confidence under the home conditions.

In our ODI team we have four misfit players, which clearly reflects the fault lines and dismal results of being white washed by the teams like Bangladesh and defeat Vs the West Indies team in the World Cup, by a HUGE margin of 150 runs.

If we have to qualify for the champions trophy (don’t forget we came last in the 2013 champions trophy), our team should be selected on the principle of horses for courses; with no place for spent cartridges.