Waiting for the miracle

As we approach the start of the World Cup, we are hopeful of winning the coveted trophy. The chances of this happening, however, are slim given the state of affairs of our cricket team and its performance in the past few months. But we are a nation that believes in miracles more than hard work and planning. So we are hopeful.

Our marketing companies have started creating the hype that goes with this event. After all, they and their clients have to make money from it. The World Cup logo has already started to appear on a number of things. For the next month or so, we will forget everything else. The only thing that matters will be the World Cup.

I sincerely hope we are spared idiotic songs like Hum hain Pakistani, hum tau jeetengay, hum jeetengay. We need to keep our expectations realistic. But then again, as a nation we have never done so.

In some ways, how our cricket team functions best describes how Pakistan works. For example, the belief that we are the best and that talent is in-born in almost everyone but the only issue is that the person has yet to be discovered or given a chance.

While one can concede that individually many Pakistanis have shown brilliance in a number of fields – in many instances outside the country, but collectively do very little of worth or value.

Our cricket team is an example of this talent philosophy. One astute observer pointed out that our cricketers are selected in a haphazard manner – merit being only one of the considerations. But there are no formal schools or academies in place where they can be trained and polished.

This idea of this comparison was put into my head by PTI supporters who argued during the dharna days that if Imran Khan can fix the team and win us the World Cup, he can do the same for Pakistan. But there are many holes in this theory.

Like Pakistan, our cricket team doesn’t function on merit. Over the years, several military dictators have ruled over the cricketing area with an iron hand. And when there is a civilian chief, his tenure is marked (like that of our PMs) by uncertainty.

BCCP chief General Safdar Butt once flew to Sri Lanka and “advised” the team to continue playing when the players had all but mutinied over umpiring. Such advice can only be given by people of similar credentials – whether in cricket or national affairs.

Who can forget the famous dressing room incident where a retired colonel, then secretary of the BCCP, walked in and started berating the players on their performance. Imran Khan, who was captain, had the gentleman thrown out. That incident showed how people with no knowledge of the game were calling the shots. It took a person of the stature of Imran Khan to take up the fight. And in that instance, Imran came close to losing his job.

The comparisons don’t end there. The corruption we see in the game is similar to what we see in our government. Players make money, are sometimes caught and then forgiven.  There are scandals upon scandals – from match fixing to spot fixing to how the PCB takes financial decisions and whose interests they serve. The same is true of some of our ministers.

Like Pakistan as a whole, merit continues to be an issue in cricket. Some cricket experts also point to the fact that Imran Khan himself was not selected only on merit when he started his professional career. His family connections played a role. Also once on board it took him some time to actually start proving his worth. But he did. Many others didn’t. On a national scale, our leaders also come into the field based on patronage. And in most instances they simply don’t deliver.

Then there is the rise in religious fervor. A lot of emphasis is now placed on how good a Muslim the player is. More attention is paid on getting players to convert than actually on their game. Privately players talk of how they are indoctrinated. The same is true with the rise in fundamentalism in the country. Our government looks the other way, just like the cricket board does.

The final comparison is how we believe in Divine intervention. Whether cricket or Pakistan, our faith will save the day. Given this, let us hope for the best for both the team and for Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th,  2015.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.