Soldiers of misfortune

A fast bowler with a wrong ’un

Well, no one is surprised but an expected blow doesn’t hurt any less than an unexpected one. Mohammad Amir’s mea culpa, too, will hit the Pakistani cricket fan (one of the most wretched persons to walk this earth given the pain with which they are afflicted) where it hurts. It’s a sombre reminder of the state of affairs of the beloved sport in the country. Indeed, management of cricket by the PCB is one of the worst hatchet jobs in a country that is the land of class-A hatchet jobs.

The prodigious bowler, whose beautiful bowling gave many Stendhal’s, was implicated along with his two seniors in a spot-fixing scandal back in August 2010. While they obdurately maintained their innocence, despite some damning evidence, cricketing fans all around the world knew that the entire affair reeked.

Sports and money are natural partners; it’s a public secret that spot-fixing is the scourge of international cricket and the mafias controlling it could put the Cosa Nostra to shame. Neither the ICC nor any of the country cricket boards have made a concerted effort to deal with this problem. Discussing how to deal with the problem is something that requires more print space but it can suffice to say here that it has been mismanaged all around the world. The small fish are caught and fried while the sharks are free to continue with their two-bit shenanigans.

Much like many of his previous balls, Amir’s bouncer could prove to be a game-changer here. Since the investigation against the trio in the criminal case is ongoing, nothing can be said about their eventual fate with certainty but many are speculating that Amir may get some leniency due to his youth and susceptibility; this confession may also be a part of some plea bargain so he might be let off easy. Relatively, that is. The other two soldiers of misfortune might be in for some trouble, maybe even time in the slammer. It all depends on how the saga unfolds.

Many a jeremiad on Pakistani cricket will ensue after this. We should’ve dealt with this problem with an iron hand back when it reared its ugly head in the late 90’s but it was not to be. Nothing short of our own Pakistani inquisition can purge cricket but nothing, nothing, is to be expected of the incumbent dispensation. We will continue to live in a world with empty stadia and overflowing pockets.