Pakistan cricket is synonymous with controversies, a majority of them being self-generated, of course. Unfortunately, the frequency of these nasty controversies involving some of the top names has increased at an alarming rate of late. And there is no end in sight.
Our standing in world cricket has taken a huge beating due to these unwanted scenarios and have affected the game as well as the country’s reputation.
The string of blunders, coupled with shallow measures and fake stubbornness of the present management of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clearly would make the past regimes blush. The latest in this series of ignominious episodes is the Shahid Afridi-PCB row which has rocked Pakistan cricket. The simmering issue featuring the former Pakistan captain, under whose leadership we won 16 out of a total of 28 ODIs since the England ODI series last year, has left the ardent followers of the game across the country furious and disappointed.
No one can claim through his words or actions to be ‘Mr Perfect’ and indeed both Afridi and Ijaz Butt are no exceptions either.
Big decisions require big heart and maturity and no doubt the PCB officialdom were found lacking when they dismissed Afridi as limited-overs captain following his contentious comment on the domain of the team officials in the media after the recent West Indies series.
There’s no denying the fact that Afridi — if he had any grievances — could have spoken his heart out to the PCB officials behind closed doors instead of abruptly quitting international cricket and making all sorts of statements in the media.
However, a more matured stance is naturally expected from the administrators who are supposed to handle such issues with discretion and wisdom.
Afridi, apart from his many impetuous moves one of which saw him surrendering the Test captaincy in England last year, has several positive attributes to his personality too which must be acknowledged and respected. The manner in which he transformed a bunch of demoralised, dispirited cricketers — stung by the nerve-shattering spot-fixing scandal — into a fighting unit against England, New Zealand, South Africa, in the World Cup and the West Indies is no mean feat and certainly deserve big praise.
Generally, a person’s professional competence is measured in totality, not in isolation, and a sensible management would always be mindful of something like that. The PCB, however, has its own set of rules for running the game.
Needless to say, the Board refuses to look at the bigger picture here: does dumping of Afridi and installing 37-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq as ODI skipper holds any merit? Are we aiming for the future or going in reverse to wipe out all signs of improvement? Was it wise to make Afridi’s matter a serious ‘code-of-conduct’ issue? Will his sacking not result in more confusion and subsequent groupings in the team which is already struggling to find its feet?
But then this is Pakistan cricket, and just anything can happen here.
Without taking anything away from Misbah, one feels that the 31-year-old Afridi still has a lot to offer to Pakistan cricket.
Coach Waqar Younis, while playing down his differences with Afridi, has expressed dismay over the all-rounder’s retirement.
One strongly hopes both Afridi and the PCB top brass put their egos aside to resolve their differences amicably, a move which will go a long way in boosting the game in the region
news covered by dawn sports
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