Pakistan

8 reasons why we shouldn't care if Moin Khan went to a casino

Rumours surfaced across the media and questions were raised about his presence at the casino

Omar R Quraishi February 25, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

A controversy was raised after chief selector Moin Khan was seen in a casino in Brisbane, ahead of the Pakistan-West Indies game in Christchurch, New Zealand. Rumours surfaced across the media and questions were raised about his presence at the casino.

Read: PCB seeks clarification from Moin Khan over casino visit

Despite Moin's apology for his visit to the casino, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan announced on Tuesday that Khan had been called back from Australia.

Read: West Indies bounce back with 150-run rout of Pakistan

As he prepares for his return to Pakistan, here is a list of reasons why we really shouldn't care if he went to a casino:

1. He is not a member of the team- He is not one of the players, nor the trainer or the coach. Curfews should not have to apply to him.

PHOTO: NEWS ONE

2. It is far better that a selector bets, and bets legally, than one of the team's players taking part in a match-fixing or spot-fixing ring. We'd rather not have another episode of Mohammad Amir.

PHOTO: AFP

Read: ICC eases ban: Returning Amir promises to be 'better human'

3. He said he went for dinner and not to gamble- so technically no crime if the man just wanted to eat.

PHOTO: BUSINESS INSIDER

4. At least he didn't go to a strip club.

PHOTO: REUTERS

5. The decision to send him back to Pakistan probably has more to do with some players being unhappy with his presence rather than his actually going to a casino.

6. The Pakistan Cricket Board's focus should be on the team, the players and their performance.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Read: Fixed? Pakistan to crash out of World Cup 2015 in the quarter-finals

7. With his name dragged in the media, he has suffered enough humiliation. Let's not add to that for no reason.

https://twitter.com/majorlyp/status/570282451945132032

https://twitter.com/majorlyp/status/570282763414212608

https://twitter.com/imranmaniiii/status/570490714011738112

Now that #MoinKhan has been recalled I'm sure Pakistan will win EVERY match #CWC15 #Stupidity
— Wasim Zaidi (@wasimz) February 25, 2015

8. Quite frankly, the general public only cares about the team and whether we make it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

PHOTO: REUTERS

COMMENTS (28)

Ali Raza Zaidi | 9 years ago | Reply He was not an official member of crew. He was just in Australia. That alone is a reason enough for not being bothered by what he was doing there.

Hasan Jawaid (USA) | 9 years ago | Reply Let's be very honest, had we cared if team had won both the games, and better yet, is this episode going to get any traction if we win the WC2015?

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Zeeshan Mehtab | 9 years ago | Reply Here are 8 reasons why he should not have gone: 1. He should not be on the tour. He should be in Pakistan and making notes of players who should be selected for future. 2. He is not on his family trip. He is their on the money of poor public. 3. The public who pay for this Jerks was crying and was in pain of loose when Mr. Moin was enjoying the party in the casino. 4. Pakistani team have seen a lot of fixing scandals and keeping that in mind no sensible official would have visited a Casino in middle of a night. 5. Casino is a place where people got for legal betting but most of them also go for illegal betting. Casino is the place where people make deals for illegal betting. 6. Visiting Casino or a brothel or what ever is not a good act considering our religious aspects and when somebody does that and is found then he gets a big ? mark on his character. 7. There may be 1000 places to have dinner. It never crossed my mind to have dinner at 12am in a casino. 8. When 6 players were fined for reaching hotel late by 45 minutes how can a team official who happened to be in Australia with the team is allowed to be out till 2 am.? And finally for the writer of this article.... its good to write something different to get noticed. You got noticed but its really cheap to defend a cheap act.

Hasan | 9 years ago | Reply If you really don't care about Moin Khan's visit to Aus/NZ perhaps you should be the one sponsoring his tour rather than the ordinary tax payer of the country.

Muhammad Fayyaz Mian | 9 years ago | Reply Anyway, what ever reasons he gave are incorrect and aimed at saving his face from public humiliation.He was only called to justify his presence in a casino when he was spotted by some Pakistanis who snapped him. When you are accused to have done wrong to the national ideology and sports which is being protected by the New Zealand and Australian Police to make it a bet free mega event. Any reader who justify his wrong doing for the sake of personnel contracts or ethnic affiliation is committing the same crime any beter will do. So, let this country's sports be purged from such elements and bad administrators once for all.

SHAHID | 9 years ago | Reply @umiff: Absolutely, all are on the take..$50mill is paid to Pakistanis who are for sale anyway.. high value or just pittance, buy purchasable commodity.. So, why make such a fuss on Moin Khan visit to casino?? He is Pakistani and up for sale like all Pakistanis.

gary | 9 years ago | Reply This is the funniest piece I have read in ages. Some of the points are seriously defending him, One is humorous and the rest make no sense. No angle, no cohesive direction, no take away

umiff | 9 years ago | Reply Do never forget USA is spending 50. million dollars on pakistani media. Everyone is destryoing Pakistan everything is being using against the country. Just to conduct an war with our people army agencies. We all knoe who www.geoews.com, tribune, ary, samah, jang, roztv, and so on is working for.

GS@Y | 9 years ago | Reply I don't think the outrage necessarily had to do with him going to a casino. It was just bad optics on his part: with the team performing so poorly, people are not willing to be indulgent about rest and recreation for PCB officials.

Alamdar | 9 years ago | Reply Basit Ali former Test Cricketer in a TV interview said that "I know the family of Moin Khan, its not him rather he was there because of his wife...!"

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply Team was in New Zealand......he was in Australia........WHY ? Shows how important he really is to the team at such a time. Saying he went to a casino for dinner ....... Is like saying I went to MacDonalds to gamble.

Malik Tariq | 9 years ago | Reply The Chief Selector has no business or any role to perform by accompanying team on a foreign tour. As part of official team whose hotel and allowances are paid by PCB he was subject to PCB team discipline and curfew. Time for PCB to clean its stables of men like Moeen.

@H__3 | 9 years ago | Reply Agreed.. #JeSuisMoinKhan !

khan | 9 years ago | Reply the fiasco has been created to divert attention of the people from the worst defeats and poor performance of team pakistan. but we consider the whole management responsible for the bad performance. we believe that Pakistan team is not being able to compare with top teams of the world but the shameful defeats tell another story

ilyas | 9 years ago | Reply Although Americans don't care what they do in their private hours, the whole nation was irked at Bill Clinton after his scandal with Monica. They very rightly said that he was no ordinary American citizen, he was the President and was supposed to follow code of conduct. Same goes for Moin Khan. You lead by example and he only managed to provide a very poor case. May be the word discipline has changed its meaning. The loss of focus is already eveident in the performance.

Rehan | 9 years ago | Reply don't care where he went, he is a distraction and terrible at his job. He should be fired and have to pay his own airfare back.

Amb | 9 years ago | Reply He is not a member of the team- He is not one of the players, nor the trainer or the coach. Curfews should not have to apply to him.>>>>>?>>Then why was he sent there on taxpayers money

Adil Mansoor | 9 years ago | Reply No valid reason to recall Moin khan . It's an attempt to divert attention of the failure of PCB and team

Adil Mansoor | 9 years ago | Reply Moin khan s visit to casino is all drama . PCB wants to make him Escape goat and divert attention of the nation towards him rather than on players . All players should be penalised along with selectors and chairman and coach should be removed .

Adnan | 9 years ago | Reply If there is more money to be made by betting against a team winning and a person is in a position to influence the selection of team to make sure they lose so obviously there is a conflict of interest. Obviously the blogger is completely unaware of the legal issue this matter raises.

IY | 9 years ago | Reply What was he doing there in the first place? Furthermore, I am sorry to say but your 'reasons' don't have any real substance to them.

Saad D | 9 years ago | Reply 4. At least he didn’t go to a strip club. Hey what's wrong with going to a strip club? I dont see how even that would have impacted the team's performance ?

Viking Star | 9 years ago | Reply @US Rathore: Its not a sin, agreed! But he should never be with the squad in the first place as he is not a manager but chief selector. He can go visit casino, play poker, lose or win as much money and we wouldn't mind - ONLY if he is on holidays at his own expenses, not at the cost of PCB.

Faizan | 9 years ago | Reply This is a very nonsensical article. Moin Khan has to show responsibility and be a role model. Above all else, he owes a duty to this Country, to act in manner a reasonable person would in his capacity as CHIEF SELECTOR. He has miserably failed in every aspect. First with selection and now by creating a questionable image for himself. He has only himself to blame. I also refer you to the press conference he had when announcing the team selection. Upon being asked why fawad was not included, he had the audacity of saying that " this is not the last world cup there will be others as well" . Is this what a CHIEF SELECTOR should say. Millions of Pakistanis invest their mind, body and soul to this game. He should be .on every aspect. In my opinion.This not a big deal but a VERY BIG deal.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply The only reason this is news because of our pathetic performances in the two matches. As Chief Selector and in light of the recent performances, he should have been careful and more discreet in his approach.

US Rathore | 9 years ago | Reply Moin hasn't committed a sin. In fact PCB wants to call entire team back, but they can't do it until team loses all matches and Pakistanis all hopes. Casino is not a brothel. He must gone there to induce his stars to shine.

Lost | 9 years ago | Reply Without caring where he went, whether it was a casino or a restaurant or whatever ... if officials can not obey 'curfew' rules, players will obviously feel they can do the same. With our team always under betting, match fixing, spot fixing cloud, it's always advisable to be safe rather than sorry.

Viking Star | 9 years ago | Reply The first and the only reason we should care about is: Moeen being chief selector was NOT supposed to be visiting Aus/NZ in the first place. There is no country sending their chief selector on tours. But the group of Sethi/Waqar/Moeen damn care about team, they are rather making money. So in my opinion, the first question is...why Moeen was allowed paid family holiday? If he wants, he should rather spend his own money and play poker and I would not mind. But its the tax payers money that he is spending.

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