More Miandad Analysis

A reflective essay on Miandad's resignation and what it could mean to Pakistani cricket.

Miandad: In or Out?

While it is always hard to trust Indian News sources when it comes to Pakistani cricket, nothing can surprise me when it comes to the PCB! It appears that now Javed Miandad may be coming back into the fold, despite the announcement and the press conference. Somehow, Ijaz Butt likes Javed, but no one else does, so Javed said plague on all your houses and ran away, but may be willing to be cajoled back in.

"Miandad is expected to get a call from the PCB headquarters within the next couple of days and a possible meeting is on the cards between the chairman and the batsman."

Is it really too much to ask for a modicum of stability, whether its in resignations or hirings? This cannot be good for cricket.

Indifferent Cricketing

Its been an exciting ten days in the world of Pakistani cricket. Sometimes I just hope for a quiet ten days, where all that happens is a few matches, where the performance is at par, we make a few comments about individual players' roles in the team, and then we move on!

First, Pakistan teased us with winning the first ODI against Sri Lanka. The bowlers, and the batsmen, and even Shoaib Malik at that, teased us with what they were capable of. Exciting strokeplay, tight, incisive bowling and swift and deliberate captaincy. Yet, all that only lasted for the first match. Everything quickly devolved into the disaster which was the third ODI in Lahore, where we were suddenly all out in the 70s, one of Pakistan's lowest scores of all time. How fitting that the Prime Minister had to be there to share in the sorrow of the team and its fans.

For most cricketing boards, a tough and difficult loss to another strong team would have been enough to make headlines for the next week. Not for us. We canned Shoaib Malik, three weeks after renewing his captaincy indefinitely. We brought on Younus Khan who can't seem to make up his mind about whether he actually wants to be captain, or just likes playing one in matches (refer to the prolonged stretches where he seems to be directing on-field strategy with Inzamam before, and Shoaib Malik now). I agree with Osman Samiuddin (CricInfo), that while it is by default, Younus Khan is the captain Pakistan needs at the moment. Seasoned in cricket, a dogged competitor and one who's credentials no one can question.

Shoaib Akhtar continues to play his peek-a-boo with international cricket. After dismal and indifferent performances over the first two matches, he pulled out the injury card for the third ODI, and then we were all promptly informed that he will miss the Sri Lanka tests, and hence will be out for another few months. This injury merry-go-round would be fine if everyone could somehow agree that Shoaib Akhtar is committed to cricket, and committed to playing it without the continuous drama that surrounds his every move on and off the cricketing field. No one can agree on that, or even say that its possible in the near term, and given Shoaib's medical problems, there really is no long-term to his cricketing future. Let him go.

What else? The Champion's Trophy has been taken away, Javed Miandad has quit over money or prestige, either which way because of his own vanity, and Asif has been banned yet again. What had begun a few months ago, with a hope that there would be a new direction to cricket in Pakistan, is now a vision which is uncertain again. With no hope of meaningful cricket at home in the near future, and a leadership which does not appear to have a clear strategy for the game or for the team itself, it appears that for the next few months we will just seem to jolt from crisis to crisis, from uncertainty to uncertainty. It appears that we are all in danger to becoming indifferent to the future of cricket in Pakistan.

Asif: Comeback on the cards?

In Pakistani cricket fortunes rise and fall with the sun. While only a few days ago I wrote about the myriad challenges being faced by Mohammad Asif, it now appears that Ijaz Butt, PCB Chairman, has all but mandated that Asif will be making a comeback and soon.

Suddenly, a drug arrest in Dubai, is a "minor" incident. Only in Pakistan can the Chairman of the PCB wash away a problem like this, with a casual comment. Asif has many problems, and as a young man he needs to sort them out. Give the man some time. Plus, does he just walk back into the squad? Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar seem to be doing pretty well. Sohail Khan and Azhar Ali are knocking on the door. Does an unfit Asif who hasn't played competitive cricket for a year have a place in the squad?

After he leaves, Lawson has ideas

In an older post, I had talked about the importance of taking a professional approach to the training of the squad. It appears that now that Geoff Lawson has some ideas, after being let go as coach.

He speaks the importance of having a team psychologist to help the players. It can't hurt. The shenanigans of Shoaib Akhtar (I'm injured, I'll hit team mates with a bat), the travails of Mohammad Asif (steroids or opium, name your poison), and even the hare brained things Mohammad Yousuf (ICL or IPL? Should I see or should I pee) and Younis Khan (Don't make me captain, PLEASE CAN I BE CAPTAIN!) have been upto all scream for some kind of psychological intervention. Whether its egos run rampant, or just confusion after coming face to face with the trappings of success in sports, the happenings of the last two years speak to the importance of some kind of help for the players. Even after the sudden and shocking death of Bob Woolmer, there was no help for the players. I can see for Geoff Lawson is coming from. Trainers, physios, position specific coaches and team counselors are a must in the modern game.

Islamabad stadium screwup

While no one can say that the new setup for the PCB hasn't had a lot to do, ie. new selectors, assess the captaincy, deal with cancellation of an Indian tour, setup tours with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, try to convince the international world that yes cricketers can be safe in Pakistan. That is a lot to do in a few months, and they have managed some reasonably, and some stupidly.

However, this is just silly! Someone seems to have dropped the ball when it comes to setting up a stadium in Islamabad, the nation's capital! One would have thought that this would have been of reasonable enough urgency that regardless of the administration, someone would have been in charge. Its not easy to reform the game in the entire country, without world-class facilities in the major centres. Hopefully they get this sorted out. Also when money seems to be tight, to forego Rs. 50 million isnt exactly smart!

New Central Contracts

While I criticized the great Dr. Nasim Ashraf many times, and often incessantly, I am not so sure about the new setup either. While all the usual shenanigans of Pakistani administration are playing out in the PCB, what is really confusing is the way that the whole central contracts debacle is playing out (what else can you call it!) First, the highest level central contract is offered to Shoaib Akhtar, who hasnt played any real cricket the entire year, has just recently come of having assaulted a team mate, and in no way has been a "model citizen" of the Pakistani cricket community.

So while one can seriously wonder what Shoaib Akhtar has done to receive the highest category in the central contracts, what is even more amazing is what happened with Abdur Rauf! After he complained about not getting a contract, it appears that the next day Abdul Qadir and Ijaz Butt decided to say there there little one, and handed him a central contract!

There are many a quibble that can be made with how players have been categorized within the central contract scheme, but it is this adhocism which was and continues to be a problem. I guess it was too much to ask for the current setup to display some degree of professionalism.

The Pakistan A selection drama

As I had mentioned before, the Pakistan A selection process for the Australia A tour has been full of usual Pakistani cricket ridiculousness. I usually don't talk about A tours etc, but this time the situation has been so hilarious that I just couldn't resist.

After having only 12 players actually show up for the camp in Lahore, the PCB went ahead and announced a 16 member squad for the one day matches against the Australians. Very surprisingly, but perhaps in a weird sort of way, predictably for the PCB, they left out centrally contracted players Hasan Raza and Mohammad Sami, and also Asim Kamal who has been flirting with international selection for the past four years. Interestingly, Asim Kamal was one of the players who actually was at the camp, so this makes one wonder what kind of example the PCB is setting, specially as it relates to the importance of training camps. What I would love to know, is how many of the 12 players who showed up to camp were actually selected for the Australia A squad!

PCB Constitution Approved!

Woohoo!! The PCB finally has an approved constitution! While I don't know enough about it to offer comment, but a constitution can only be a good thing. What will be more interesting to see in the upcoming months as it goes through the approval process, is if it will be declared null and void due to some emergency like the 1971 Pakistani constitution, on which Zulfiqar Bhutto went medieval within moments of its ratification.

Powered by ScribeFire.

More Nasim Ashraf shenanigans

Have things come to this? It appears that none of the players were paid even a stipend for attending a training camp in Lahore. This after a series was played in Abu Dhabi for nothing but money, and another 20-20 series is planned in camp, and its not like the PCB isn't going to make any money off of that! The least Nasim Ashraf and his cronies can do, is make sure that the players are well looked after and provided for, because if not for the players, he would still be doing urine microscopy in Virginia.

Poor planning by the Pakistan Cricket Board... Anyone surprised?

How can anyone be surprised at all that the training camp planned by the PCB with Wasim Akram, Aaqib Javed and Mudassar Nazar was poorly organized? If you were surprised, I've got some prime beach front property available in New Orleans.

Vice-Captain Mohammad Asif: Huh?

Huh? Kamran Abbasi summarizes my feelings well. While in the long run Mohammad Asif may have been a good option for an appointment as a Vice Captain, this very well may not have been the time. As Kamran Abbasi says, "Mohammad Asif might well be a judicious choice as vice captain but it is injudicious to appoint him before the WADA business is done."

Further, at a time of major turmoil in Pakistani cricket, perhaps Mohammad Yousuf and/or Shahid Afridi may have been more astute choices to help temper a young and inexperienced Shoaib Malik for the upcoming year. I'm just not sure about this.

Imran Farhat: poking outside off stump again?

Imran Farhat, what a guy. Perpetually known as the one player on the Pakistani side who could be counted on swinging outside off-stump, even when the ball is outside leg (I jest), he decided to go seriously off-side after he was left out of the squad going to South Africa. Along with his father-in-law, Mohammad Ilyas, he decided to get all uppity with Chief Selector Sallahuddin. It appears that Imran and Ilyas, not very politely, decided to ask why they were left out of the squad.

Now, Imran has to realize that no one is born with an automatic right to selection, and beyond that, its not like he has performed in anyway consistently enough to have an absolute right to be selected. Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez are all in the same boat with about equal rights to the opening spot, with the versatile Kamran Akmal and Fawad Alam also pushing for selection and potentially being able to fill the opening slot. Further, its not like Shoaib Malik has a set spot in the lineup, and for all we know he may very well be playing at the #1/2 position.

Its not like Imran Farhat has helped his cause any at this stage, with the personality politics that play a significant role in all Pakistani cricket matters. The young man just let a few things get to his head, and now hopefully he will get a second chance at some stage.

Compulsively incapable of keeping promises

In Urdu they say "Shehmurgh kai pair bhaday kai bhaday" (The peacock's feet will always be ugly), and how well does our wonderful Nasim Ashraf typify this. Put him in a suit, let him fly first class to have pictures taken with the players, he's game. Have him preen in front of the National Assembly or Senate, he's game. Give press conferences, where all he accepts is applause? Sure he'll do it. But actually carry through with a promise or a statement? God forbid somehow that happens! Sach hai, Khuda woh din na dikhaye jub Nasim Ashraf kuch kar dikhaye.

Pensions for ex-players? He'll take the applause for making the announcement. But actually implement it? Too much work and responsibility. Take the plaudits for handing out cheques to 5 players? Sure he'll take them. But too actually do the work to make sure those cheques can be honoured? No way. Isn't giving someone cheques which cannot be cashed, actually cheque fraud? Isn't that a crime? I think I will have to ask my brother the banker that.

Dost thou protest too much?

I guess we had to expect this, but a week into his reign Shoaib Malik is still saying "She loves me, she really loves me, honest she's mine because I'm so good". In his second press conference, the bulk of the questions and his comments continued to revolve around who supports him in the team and who doesn't. While from his end, perhaps I can continue to understand that if he is asked about this he will have to continue to respond. What is perhaps more inexplicable is why the PCB continues to allow such questions to be asked, and why the media press conferences for a young captain like Shoaib Malik are not being managed more appropriately. It can't possibly be good for his psyche or for his overall stature as the leader of Pakistani cricket if he has to continue saying in every breath, They love me, They really do love me.

Is this how we treat a legend?

After a glorious career, is this the depths to which we have let Inzamam sink? Inzamam now has to prove his place in the squad? For shame PCB. For shame Pakistani cricket.

My sentiments exactly

I wish I could criticize the PCB here, but Teeth Maestro: I agree completely.

Bring Inzamam back!

The politics of cricket continue. Just like India is leaving Tendulkar and Ganguly, so they can have a "break", Pakistan has decided that Inzamam will not be playing against South Africa. While there are many reasons for letting him go: his poor form in the field, the questionable status of his batting prowess, a fresh start for the team and Shoaib Malik; there is one very good reason to give him one last swansong: he is our Inzy and he deserves a proper send off.

Bring him back for one last series you clowns at the PCB!

They're coming to Toronto, Canada!!

What more can I ask for!! For those who don't know, I'll be moving to Toronto, Ontario, Canada from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in the latter part of June/early July. Now, the move comes along with my Royal College fellowship exams and a new baby so it all feels pretty stressful. But it FELT stressful, now it doesn't! If this is true, Pakistan will be playing a Twenty20 tournament in Toronto in August, and yours truly has every intention of being there for as many matches as possible!! OOHHH WHAT A RUSH!

Shoaib Malik emulates Wasim Akram

What a difference it is, to see a young, cheerful, smiling face at the helm of Pakistani cricket. In an interview, Shoaib Malik spoke of his desire to emulate Wasim Akram as a cricket captain, and follow his aggressive approach to cricket.

Shoaib could do far worse than follow Wasim, who had a 60% winning percentage in ODIs, and won more test matches than he lost or drew. It probably speaks to Shoaib's appreciation of Wasim's cricketing skills that Mr. Grand Poobah himself, Nasim Ashraf if you didn't know, has asked Wasim Akram to help out the Pakistani fast bowling ranks with a few coaching sessions. Here is to hoping that Wasim gets treated better than Waqar. And for all of those upset with Wasim for helping out the Indian bowlers before he helped out the Pakistani bowlers, well all you had to do was ask.