Pakistan cricket and its history of farewells

When Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar bid farewell to the game, the whole of India, its neighbours and the cricketing audience all over the world saw the ‘Little Master’ bow out in a fashion befitting a legend.

His 24 years of romance with cricket and its reciprocal love was at display on full-volume with chants heard across the globe. Not only did he give more than enough, Tendulkar remained a model of modesty, humility and above all, a stranger to controversy.

The sad part is that such a gesture that was accorded to Tendulkar or anything close to it has never happened on this side of the border. Cynics would say that Pakistan players have been controversial and/or are not comparable with Tendulkar if the magnitude of a farewell is a yardstick of the quality of a player. Some would even call former players stubborn as they often refused to hang up their boots and had to be shown the door eventually. Money and the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s power would also be cited as reasons.

The question remains: has no Pakistan player in the contemporary age of cricket deserved a proper farewell? Dav Whatmore, the outgoing Pakistan head coach, got a farewell from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after completing his two-year tenure. His farewell party was partly motivated by the team’s astonishing win in the final Test against Sri Lanka, ‘earning’ him the right to bow out on a high. However, a trend that has now become a norm in Pakistan cricket is that legends or greats would never be given the respect even if they have earned it.

Imran Khan was one lucky cricketer who bowed out on a high. Others were never given that chance.

Turning back the clock — and during the last 20 years — no Pakistan player has been able to finish his cricket the way he has wanted to. Inzamamul Haq announced his retirement after the unfortunate death of coach Bob Woolmer and was given an ovation in his final One-Day International match — also Pakistan’s last game at the 2007 World Cup.

But greats like Waqar Younis, Ijaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar — and many others — were either dropped and were never picked again or asked to leave and not return. Wasim was able to get a farewell game in his honour at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore against a World XI side but his exit, along with others, was in circumstances that highlights the country’s curse: if you are great, then good for you. Since the country and its people do not really care if you are.

Despite winning countless matches for the country and earning it recognition — through innovations, talent and records — none of the players were ever able to get something close to a decent farewell.

Employees who quit their jobs get a farewell on their final day in office.

But, maybe, this is the problem that Pakistan faces in general. Heroes are cherished and remain etched in our memories. In this country, you can become the highlight — for a day — but that is it for you. Respect and recognition often turn out to be short-lived and service is forgotten sooner than a blink of an eye. Maybe if the country started paying homage to its real heroes, then there wouldn’t be so many grudges.

Here is to hope, which drives the human race forward, that Pakistan would also start respecting its heroes — in all fields.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2014.

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