Rebuilding Pakistan cricket

They say Pakistan’s cricketers are born on the streets. The raw talent that exists in this country, according to many greats, sits unparalleled.

The rawness, however, needs to be carefully nurtured and groomed into a product able to bring laurels to the country on the international stage. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, built by former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Tauqir Zia for that very reason, has experienced a frustrating start-stop journey over the eight years it has existed for, and is yet to run to its full potential.

However, a new lease of life has been injected into the centre of excellence since the change at helm in the PCB and a top board official confirmed renovation has begun once again under Zaka Ashraf.

“Hardly anything had been spent on the infrastructure upgrade over the last eight years and that’s a shame considering the fact that even the national team stays there thus saving the PCB a huge amount,” said the official. “Yet the academy’s demands were overlooked.”

With the green signal from the chairman, the NCA officials are planning to buy a ‘ProBatter Video Bowling Simulator’ which is one step up from a normal bowling machine. It displays videos of bowlers and the deliveries are ‘closer to reality’, according to the officials who keenly await the equipment’s arrival. The official also revealed that the indoor nets are being upgraded as well and 10 more rooms will be added to allow more players to stay at the NCA — the demand has increased over the years.

A new gym will also be added and construction of the biomechanics building, which was stopped in 2008, will resume shortly, helping official spot illegal actions as well as providing technical assistance to batsmen.

“People always think that the biomechanics equipment is used to catch chuckers but it can help batsmen as well. It judges the incorrect movement of the body while playing a stroke and thus rectifies the technical flaws with ease, taking them closer to perfection.

“However, in addition to the equipment, we need a specialist who can generate the required reports for the qualified coaches that we have.”

Mudassar blasts NCA critics

Meanwhile, former Test player and NCA director Mudassar Nazar has lashed out at the academy’s critics saying that they do not understand modern-day cricket.

“It’s a centre of excellence and nearly 80% of national team players have gone through the NCA at some stage of their career,” he said. “People with traditional mindsets don’t understand the modern-day requirements and there are a lot of former players criticising it just because they haven’t been given jobs there.”

Mudassar added that when he was heading the NCA, he had to fight for the implementation of new projects and even the finance department used to question the plans, often labelling them a waste of money.

“Due to this, the PCB, and Pakistan cricket, suffered immensely. The NCA has not been able to achieve its goals which it would’ve if allowed to work independently.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2012.