Taking politics out of cricket

Very soon after he was appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by President Asif Ali Zardari, cricket fans have been eagerly awaiting the departure of the disastrous Ijaz Butt. Thanks to a new rule by the International Cricket Council (ICC), their wish may finally be granted. The council has approved a measure barring governments from appointing board officials. In Pakistan, the president is the patron of the board and has the sole authority to appoint the chairman. This has naturally led to charges of political appointments, as hand-picked favourites, who may not necessarily have the necessary skills for the job, have brought Pakistan cricket to its knees.

Pakistan has till the end of next year to transition to the new system. Cricket in Pakistan is dominated by Karachi and Lahore, and giving all other cricket associations in the country an equal vote could help break this duopoly. Parliament, too, needs to get out of the cricket business. There is nothing parliamentarians seeking cheap publicity enjoy more than hauling in our cricketers every time they lose a match.

But we should also not expect one ICC ruling to suddenly heal all the sicknesses that inflict Pakistan cricket. Parochialism and vested interests will still dominate. And as long as other countries refuse to tour Pakistan, our cricket board will remain on the brink of insolvency. Here is where we need a sea change in our way of thinking. Rather than choosing another former cricketer as PCB chairman, we should now look to those with business experience. Securing new funding and sponsorships and running the board in a cost-effective manner is an important part of any chairman’s duties. The chairman need not involve himself in choosing players for the teams. Rather, we need an administrator who values efficiency. The current chairman has not been up to the task. Thanks to the ICC, we may finally get one who is.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2011.