The writer is sports in charge at The Express Tribune
Bangladesh also withdrew its initial defiant stance on the Big Three issue, while CSA, to quote Ashraf, “cheated” on Pakistan and Sri Lanka a day before the decisive ICC meeting in Singapore.
While one cannot condone the behaviour of CSA and the BCB, the fact is that sentiments and emotions have to take a backseat, especially when pivotal, game-changing decisions are at stake. Both the BCB and CSA seemingly adopted a pragmatic approach to ensure that their concerns are addressed and interests safeguarded.
The PCB, on the other hand, was worried about the guarantees of a bilateral series with India throughout the week after the Dubai meeting. Ashraf maintained that Pakistan’s interest would be paramount; yet, one felt that the former chairman was busy drumming up political support rather than chalking out a plan through which a better financial deal could have materialised.
Ashraf also seemed handicapped by the lack of interest of the PCB’s patron-in-chief, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and his repeated pleas of meeting him failed to invoke interest. One also wonders at the role played by other officials. The Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed and Director International Cricket Zakir Khan, who have been part of the board for donkey’s years needed to strategise and reach an agreement with the influential powers at the ICC.
So what is the way forward now? Pakistan and Sri Lanka, for now, seem cornered but there must be a way to salvage something from a situation that has gone from bad to worse. For starters, the PCB needs to take stock of the situation and before the next ICC meeting, needs to draft a position paper of its own. There needs to be an immediate reassessment of the commercial value of Pakistan cricket, the revenue generated by the PCB and the reliance on ICC grants. The board must make domestic cricket productive and the presently suspended project of the Pakistan Super League needs to restart.
Moreover, the PCB needs to be strengthened as an institution. The need of the hour is to make cricket truly stand on its own feet as unnecessary government intervention, or sometimes, the lack of intervention has jeopardised the sport for a long time. The shenanigans of various cricket regimes have sullied Pakistan’s reputation greatly. This great game of ours is the only unifying force for the nation. We must all collectively stop its fall into the abyss.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (10)
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Tough luck; Srilanka accepted the proposal today. Now what will pak do?
we shouldn’t expect PCB working to be any different from the overall governance of other institutions of the country which has reached to its lowest levels.
we shouldn't expect PCB working to any different from the overall governance of other institutions of the country which has reached to its lowest levels.
Nawaz Sharif continues with his erratic performance. The removal of elected PCB Chief and Board reminds one of Musharraf in 1999.Similarity ends there as this act of NS is business motivated. Najam Sethi was needed to keep PCB large Deposits in two banks owned by Nawaz Sharifs' close associate and advisers on Privarisation.
It's impossible to be treated as a equal when your country is considered so dangerous that your opponents refuse matches - one of those Elephant in the Room things. Unless you fix that it's possible that you may be dropped all together - ponder that.
The only reason of PCB's current pathetic condition is that we don't play at home. Pakistan team playing at home should generate revenue close to what English and Aussies generate these days so until then, stay deprived.
I can understand New Zealand cricket surviving on grants - a country of just 4.5 million where cricket popularity comes a poor fifth or sixth after Rugby, Soccer, Athletics, Water Sports, Cycling, etc...
But Pakistan with 180 million cricket crazy people - with board at loss?
Given that some 80% of ICC’s revenue is generated by India where is the much ballyhooed “Ghairat” of Pakistan when it comes to accepting Indian charity through the via media of ICC grants?
The PCB's weak position is because of the security situation where no international team can play cricket in Pakistan . The situation is not likely to improve till there is relative peace in Pakistan .
Well, you win some and lose some. Based on the comments here on ET, PCB's leaders won big - politically. Pakistani cricket, in the process, however lost.
Instead of showing off egos, PCB should know that you can't negotiate when you are very weak. A country that can't even host a home game has to be supported by someone else, which, in this case, happens to be India. What an irony!