Sports

PCB waits for ‘messiah’ to rebuild wall

Board depending on insurance company for reconstruction.

Fawad Hussain January 23, 2011

KARACHI: Despite being marred by criticism for the broken National Stadium wall, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has seemed least concerned to start reconstruction work and is awaiting a reply from the insurance company. A portion of the stadium’s wall collapsed more than six months ago and caught the media’s attention during the day-night Quaid-i-Azam Trophy final held earlier this month.

The final coincided with the visit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) General Manager on Cricket David Richardson who assessed the experiment of playing the match with an orange ball under lights. Richardson had hinted that he was not fully satisfied with security measures, though not specifically pointing out the broken wall.

The ICC official is to submit a report assessing the security situation in Pakistan, after teams abroad refused to travel to the country. It is feared that the report may be against Pakistan’s favour due to the PCB’s indifference.

In the meantime, 10 days after the Quaid-i-Azam final, the stadium hosts the National One-Day tournament (Division Two) that features top first-class cricketers – but the reconstruction is yet to begin.

Awaiting insurance company to rebuild wall

A PCB official said the board is waiting for an insurance company to respond to their complaint for rebuilding the wall. “It is not a big issue as we are only required to ensure security at the main pavilion building which we are doing,” an official told The Express Tribune.

Players unhappy

Though the PCB official played down the seriousness of the issue, various first-class and international players who are busy in the ongoing National One-Day tournament lashed out at the PCB for not taking action.

“We feel insecure because the law and order situation in the city is not very good,” said a player. “The barb-wires on the broken wall are not enough to keep trespassers away.”

Another senior player said that the PCB is waiting for a miracle to rebuild the wall. “It is ridiculous for the board, which pays millions to its employees, to wait for an insurance company to rebuild a wall that costs a few thousand rupees. Maybe they are waiting for a messiah to rebuild the wall.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2011.