Sports

Public, media pressure to blame for team's poor performance: Sethi

Former PCB chairman insists no team can play under the kind of tension our team plays in

Web Desk February 22, 2015

Najam Sethi. PHOTO: AFP

A day after Pakistan crumbled to their second straight defeat in the World Cup, former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi came to the team's defense, placing the blame on media and public pressure.

“No international team plays under the kind of tension our team plays in owing to media and public pressure,” Sethi said on Sunday.

Admitting the team’s performance has been poor till now, with the 1992 champions at the bottom of Pool B after losing both matches against West Indies and India, the former PCB chairman said, “We admit the team’s performance has been disappointing, but just ponder over your reactions and how they affect the team’s motivation.”

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

“Under this pressure, no team can play,” the former PCB chairman said in an apparent reference to mock funerals and protests held across the country to demonstrate frustration with the national side.

Read: #PakvWI: Flopped, dropped and mocked

Residents of Multan organised a symbolic funeral procession on Saturday, replete with a coffin with several cricket bats placed over it, directing their anger at the national team after a poor start to the tournament that has also seen it defeated by arch-rivals India.

Read: Disappointed fans stage mock funeral for cricket team after defeat

Elsewhere in the country, disappointed fans staged their own protests, some burning effigies of captain Misbahul Haq and Shahid Afridi.

However, shifting blame for the team's back-to-back defeat on the PCB chairman himself, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan alleged Sethi was made the chairman of the cricket board as a 'gift,' according to Express News.

Meanwhile, former paceman Shoaib Akhtar said, “I have not seen a more coward and selfish captain than Misbah."

Read: I've never seen a coward captain like Misbah, says Shoaib Akhtar

“He is not willing to bat up the order to protect the other players at a time when he needs to show inspiration.”

However, the captain himself said their faltering World Cup campaign needed improvement across the board.

“It’s a do or die situation for us and there are no ifs and buts,” Misbah said as he tried to look ahead to Pakistan’s next game against Zimbabwe, while sifting through the wreckage of Saturday’s crushing loss.

Read: Do or die time for Pakistan, says Misbah

“We just lost in all three departments,” Misbah admitted. “We couldn’t bowl well, a lot of dropped catches, and the batting totally flopped.”

On Saturday, Chasing the West Indies’s first innings total of 310 runs, Pakistan gave up its first four wickets for just one run — the worst start in one-day international history — before eventually losing by 150 runs.

Correction: An earlier version of the story erroneously mentioned Najam Sethi as the current PCB chairman.

COMMENTS (64)

Daddy | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi They are paid to bear such pressure and if they cannot get the job done they should better leave and spare us.

prabhjyot singh madan | 9 years ago | Reply Mr najam sethi is a highly successful intellectual from your country, give him respect because he is a man of his word and not our agent. He is a true Pakistani patriot. Pakistan lost because of less international expose. There should be more games from Lahore rather than sharjaj

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Milind | 9 years ago | Reply What a lame excuse... As if the 1992 Pakistani team that brought home their first world cup, was without public & media pressure

Najam Sattooo | 9 years ago | Reply This is not a Pakistani Team. This is PPCB "Punjabi Pakhtoon Cricket Board Team" which is governed and directed from Lahore, "The Headquarter"

Malik | 9 years ago | Reply @imran: Are Moeen Khan, Shahryar, Miandad etc from Lahore?. Time to eliminate PCB from rot within, irrespective of their ethnicity.

Urban Legend | 9 years ago | Reply He is a Zardari of cricket and media.

KS | 9 years ago | Reply Najam Sethi should be fired. Enough with nepotism. We should people who actually know something about cricket on the PCB. People are no longer stupid Mr. Sethi!!!

wb | 9 years ago | Reply @Salman: "Directionless, visionless, imcompetent, pathetic and shameless individuals in PCB." Seriously, show me one office in Pakistan which are not like this. Your army is exactly this: directionless, incompetent etc etc. And it has also looted you for 70 years. Yet, you love your failed army. And you burn down PCB. As if the rest of 180 million Pakistanis have vision and direction. As if the rest of Pakistan is not pathetic and shameless.

SAM | 9 years ago | Reply We need a chairman who understand cricket and not the one who is there becz he is sitting in lap of PM.

Kam | 9 years ago | Reply With all the terrorism and all the tragedies of last 10 years it was only our cricket team who was occasionaly keeping the morale and patriotism alive. When Sethi went to PCB we were all amazed what a media guy with no cricketing or management experience apart from being caretaker minister that too for political reasons is taking this position? Now we know ..... so long for his affiliations with na maloom afraad to take even this game joy away from us too.

Sam | 9 years ago | Reply Professionals are supposed to be ready for anything. Don't put this on public Mr. puncture man!! Entire system is filled with corrup approach and it has made its way to game we love most coz we let corrupt run the show for far too long. Love to see the professional and fighting approach of Indian and seilankan or even Adghani players.

Sarkari Lemon | 9 years ago | Reply I loathe the idea of Mr. Sethi enjoying all this attention albiet for the wrong reasons, but just one simple question if the moderators would care to publish it: "Mr. Sethi, when will stop telling Pakistanis what to think and how to feel and thus insulting our intelligence? And when will you disappear in the dark of the night and leave us alone?"

Chaudhry Hameed | 9 years ago | Reply **Assalam-o-Alaikum, *Pakistani living any where in the world, they all are very sad. Its very natural in this condition. I just want to blame "Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to not choose, do proper selection and appointment the right person for the right job as a Chairman Pakistan Cricket Control Board to take care upcoming Cricket World Cup 2015" before giving charge to Najam Sethi Sahib. Sooner or later, all kind of mismanagement, team selection process, financial irregularities, misuse of power will be questioned and challenged in coming days related to World Cup 2015. I blame Mian Nawaz Sharif, who should be held responsible for his poor selection for this important job .... which is very painful for all Pakistan's. Allah Hafiz,

jagmohan | 9 years ago | Reply There seems to be excessive criticism for defeat of Pak team, turned on Mr.Sethi and the PCB.Mr. Sethi is highly respected and experienced person, not in the cricket, but in umpteen areas of public life and a person of journalistic background is no less competent than one from any other field. Is it necessary that retired experienced cricketers must only be members or chairman of PCB? Is such a condition followed in the making Cricket Boards in other countries? It is the experienced cricketers who are playing and doing the maximum to win, but there are times even highly rated team loses, take it easy in an sportsman spirit. Still there is time PAK TEAM CAN BOUNCE BACK, CHEER THEM UP and Pray for them.

F Khan | 9 years ago | Reply fm

Shoaib Bhatti | 9 years ago | Reply Najam Sethi is exactly the reason for all the wrongs in the PCB and the country. Have some decency and spare us all Pakistani's from your pathetic presence in the country .

hiro bachani | 9 years ago | Reply dear sethi sahib- you are right - the Pakistani team has become demoralised by the current poor form of the team - but in sports- nothing is permanent - even Dhoni has complimented the Pakistani team and said that the Pakistani team is one of the toughest teams to compete against . I am sure that Pakistan will bounce back and win the next match against india in the world cup- that is my prediction- please take it down in writing- so please keep on cheering your team-- the pak team will make you proud soon- from your brotherly indian friend....

Shah | 9 years ago | Reply Mr. Sethi, you did 135 punctures @PCB... no wonder what is the state of cricket team

ih | 9 years ago | Reply Strange utterances , this is not the only team expected to perform well.Bangladeshi and indian teams are under similar pressure . Lets admit we are not a very good team .we need to rebuild. our top players are not fit,some not eligible and some quite old resting on laurels. It will be time for soul searching after this event is over.that should first include structure of Pcb. start reform from Pcb then coaching staff then facilities and finally players. It is not a military unit that military man can run. this a Cricket team with individuals with big egos. I

Mohammad Ali Siddiqui | 9 years ago | Reply These days almost all the TV Channels are mourning the demise of Pakistani cricket. All the cricket "experts" are giving their expert findings on this demise. Leaving other remarks, I am delighted to listen one proposal of theirs. They have appealed to the Prime Minister to dissolve the cricket Board on the arrival of the team from their profitable pleasure tour. The man who has destroyed all the national institutions of Pakistan and demolished the whole country, he has been asked to save cricket. What an innocent demand it is! That reminds me of a joke. A man fell down from a high building, broke one of his limbs and died. An "expert" from the mob gathered there asked the doctor to make the surgery of the broken limb first before issuing a death certificate.

MOHAMMAD DHAMEE | 9 years ago | Reply Shame on you Mr. Sethi. I respected you a lot, but you're in the news for all the bad reasons lately and your comments on our losing is like a nail in the coffin. Shame!

Shabeeb Murtaza | 9 years ago | Reply Lets also not give pressure to govt. they are also not able to perform due to same issue.

Chirya | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi Sahib . I know you love to talk . Now the Chirya has told you that the Pakistan will not qualify for the quarterfinals .(rocket science ) Please have some respect for the nation and the media . The cricket team is not losing because of the media . Their selection and performance is a reflection of our country . We are on display in front of the world . We do not respect merit and talent . This is reflected in all walks of life in Pakistan . Are you suggesting that we hand over the PCB leadership to an Army General ? .

Naeem Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Oh really?

Pervaiz Lodhie | 9 years ago | Reply Again pointing fingers at others than oneself. It is same BAD governance problem as with the country or the cricket team.

Salman | 9 years ago | Reply Directionless, visionless, imcompetent, pathetic and shameless individuals in PCB. What can u expect from a dum, stupid and shameless prime minister. Go Nawaz GO.

Salman Hasan | 9 years ago | Reply Najam Sethi has no right to criticize public reactions. This guy who has not even held a cricket bat in his life except his jizzo, giving lectures and explanation. What a shameful. And disrespectful character. His entire life has been based on anti Pakistan activities, how can we expect anything patriotic from him. This guy should be banned from taking any public office for working against the state.

cricfan | 9 years ago | Reply Mr.Sethi, are you defending Pakistani team or are you defending yourself. Shame on you.

zulfiqar Baig | 9 years ago | Reply Shame on you Sathi. Do you think Pakistani people are fool?

javed Amin | 9 years ago | Reply Why bother about winning or losing. Get busy in your puncture business?

Hasnain | 9 years ago | Reply weldone Sethi Sahib .First 35 puncture and now cricket.How long Shurfa like will rob this country.

Khan | 9 years ago | Reply If no team can play under this tension, then why the heck are they there?! Call them back!

wb | 9 years ago | Reply I don't understand the mentality of Pakistanis. Your cricket team has just lost a couple of matches. It's called a game/sport because that's what it is. It is supposed to entertain you and exhilarate you. So, why overreact and ask for the heads of your PCB staff and your players? Why perform a mock funeral of the players? Why this outrage? Don't you people have a perspective? Don't you know to be realistic? Did you ask for Bhutto's head after Shimla agreement which nullified UN resolution on Kashmir? Did you ask for Yahya Khan's blood after you lost 1971 war? Did you ask for Musharraf's head after Kargil disaster? Did you perform Musharraf's mock funeral after Kargil disaster? Did you criticize equally when Zia killed 3000 civilians in Ojhri explosion? Did you stage protests when Ayub Khan lost the war with India? Why such blind rage against your cricketers? Have some perspective. This is why you're such failures in pretty much every field except for terror.

yousafhaque | 9 years ago | Reply What?,Did Sethi Sahib think that the match will be played in a drawing room,sipping tea

Shehryar | 9 years ago | Reply The moment Sethi started tussles to become the chairman of this team, is when the downfall started. The team was doing so well under Mohsin Khan as coach. Of course, no one in Pak has the courage or shame to admit their faults... and this guy is another coward to shift the blame to poor people of the country.

Ahmad | 9 years ago | Reply Stunning Mr Sethi. Grow up and take responsibility. Aren't you a part of PCB which makes you as much responsible as anybody else for these humiliating defeats. Media and fans are not selecting the team, it's the selection committee. In most of the countries, when team performs poorly, management take responsibility and resigns but we are talking about Pakistan where people like Sethi are left with selecting the sports team and the fate is as clear as the political system. Both doomed.

Kamal | 9 years ago | Reply What a pathetic excuse. Even school cricket has pressure.

Ameer Abbas | 9 years ago | Reply First thing sethi should do is resign, he claimed he will make it the best team in the world. Then there should be a massive clear out of their management team including the useless coaches who cant teach younger players anything. There are incidents like when three players misbehaved with Grant Ludon (the fielding coach), Waqar Younus misbehaved with a few younger players, Moin Khan was caught gambling and so on. This team and its managers are asking for serious punishment.

Leo | 9 years ago | Reply We know najam it's all our fault. We expected them to show bit of fight but naaah. No chance!

Anarchist | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: The darbari has spoken again. Political interference by your master NS has destroyed almost all state institutions, PCB included because he wanted to reward Sethi for his services. But for you the team lost because of IK? You really need to be restricted to a mental facility.

Sodomite | 9 years ago | Reply Its the media and the public pressure that have demoralized SETHI. That's what he meant in this Selfie. He only cares about himself period.

Dilip | 9 years ago | Reply @zara Eat your words and read my comments above..

Dilip | 9 years ago | Reply Cricket is but a game of sports. You win some, you loose some. The Pakistani public treats it as a game in politics. With all the rhetoric that flies around, demoralises the team. They are not into politics. They respect their adversaries. The best team wins on the day. They aknowledge the winning team. The Pakistani side is a good side. They will prove their mettle in the next few games. Give them a chance.....

Syed A. Mateen | 9 years ago | Reply It is better that Najam Sethi should stop talking nonsense to defend the Pakistani Cricket Team. Public pressure on any team playing international matches are always there. What would he say about the crowd on the stadium which shouts on every single delivery of ball? Pakistani Cricket Team is not playing the very first criket match that players will be distracted due to public pressure from home and of the media. It is the same Pakistani Cricket Team which won the cricket match against India and on Indian home ground.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi no other than Imran khan can enforce merit in Pakistan, butt brethren s’ deleterious effects are no more secrets

Simple Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply @p for pak-up: yes, tvs are not broken but the players houses are stoned (reference to India when the team lost a match series under Mohammed Azhar uddin). check histroy brother....

Rumormonger | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi is doing a good job for his masters. Demoralizing the Pakistani youth.

nabidad | 9 years ago | Reply Bravo Seethi. No matter Pakistan team play or not. But you are playing your card well.

kickass | 9 years ago | Reply So according to this id..t only his team was afflicted. No wonder the team is in this shape. He is doing his best like what Akhter Rasul did to Hockey. PML N is after all those things that build national moral and respect. PIA and Steel Mill, Police, Bureaucracy, NAB and Judiciary have been taken care of.

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply On a side note... why are the bowlers being criticised.... the poor guys have to take 20 wickets every match because of our pathetic wicketkeeping and fielding. Obviously it affects their overall performance!

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply HAHAHAHA... is that Najam Sethi cricising the media? The media that needs to be free for the good of the country? The media that is "only telling the truth!" And no team plays under this pressure? Has he seen the pressure in India? Has he seen the pressure all previous Pak-India matches have been played in? For once Sethi is having to do a job that requires more than just commenting on other peoples performance, and for which he is accountable for his failure... and he's started crying about it!

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply While we have very competent people with good background of cricket in Pakistan. Why is people like Najam Sethi assigned to look after cricket matters. Shameful remarks by Najam Sethi.

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply First...Mr Sethi is not the Chairman of PCB but Mr Shaharyar Khan. Mr Sethi is one of the board member...ET do some home work please. Mr Sethi...as a member you too are responsible for the mess PCB is in. The re-action is post play Mr Sethi not pre-play, so please as is our culture, we try to give a twist to every thing to ward of pressure...every kind of conceivable excuses. As a culture our officials do not own any responsibility nor has the guts to resign but yes! they will continue to receive big fat salaries, perks etc;

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Can anyone make out the difference between Niazi and Shoaib Akhtar? Both are idiots of the highest order and under the influence of certain "banned" substances most of the time.

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply Completely agree........its the public, the media and Pakistan's obsession with Bulbulay.

imran | 9 years ago | Reply Lahori gang known as PCB.

Noman Ansari | 9 years ago | Reply We have hit rock bottom but we can only rise from here. Keep the faith. Hosla rakho.

Sami | 9 years ago | Reply Instead of taking responsibility he has blamed 19 million people. What a shameless person! First they give wounds and then rub salt. He should be immediately fired.

Fayez | 9 years ago | Reply Next headlines from Sethi Sahab "Public, media pressure to blame for PML (N) poor performance"

p for pak-up | 9 years ago | Reply True...nowhere in the world TV sets are being broken after the loss...one team has to win or loose...it's not end of world.

Woz Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Is the tension, pressure , weight of expectations any different to that on India. What a poor excuse.

Asad | 9 years ago | Reply Thanks for accepting Mr. Sethi that there is problem in grooming of Pakistan Cricket Team. Please arrange an indoor match for them against Sauth Africa with no media and spectators.

Syed | 9 years ago | Reply yes...there is no pressure from Media and Public in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, Australia.... give me a break!

Midas | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi sb, you amaze me. Teams at this forum are expected to play under extreme pressure, they try to play responsibly, go check the videos how many players got out playing the same kind of irresponsible shots that they have played in the past, just like your foot in the mouth kind of statements. Good players learn from their mistakes. Don't blame the public or the media, you think we are stupid.

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