There was too much hype created about the World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan. On the day of match, the team that played better won while the team that dropped five catches and fielded poorly lost.
There is no room for cricketers who are poor in fielding or are not physically fit. It is now time for the PCB to resolve the issues involving ethics and let go of players like Kamran Akmal, who have proven their weakness on the field and circumstantial evidence implicates them in spot-fixing charges.
We have only to blame ourselves and the PCB for not enforcing strict discipline and succumbing to player power groups involved in spot-fixing, which has brought shame and disrepute to our status as an international cricket playing team. There should be zero tolerance for groups within the team who gang together and destroy whatever little is left of discipline in the team.
Politics should have no role in cricket where team selection should be based strictly on merit and fitness. Senior players like Younus, and Misbah-ul-Haq seem to have developed a mindset for Test cricket. If the coach cannot rectify problems of fielding, it is time for his replacement and infusion of more new players for selection and a coach. We could have won the match in Mohali if our players had fielded better and the seniors had performed better and stood up to the challenge they faced.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore