Apropos reports in your sport section about Pakistan cricket team’s defeat in one day international matches against England in UAE. Winning and losing is part of gentleman’s game called cricket, but there is no room in it for players, coaches or managers with tainted past, indiscipline, conflicts of interest and issues of integrity. Can anybody explain merits of decision by Coach Waqar Younis to drop Sarfraz in World Cup 2015 matches giving preference to Umar Akmal, who dropped numerous catches and failed to score runs? Umar Akmal has a history of indiscipline both on field and off field, apart from other controversies that stick to Akmal brothers. An octogenarian former diplomat has failed to handle PCB as chairman. The patron must ensure that political interference in PCB and rumours of Hamza and other MNAs’ involvement should be investigated.
The manner in which Waqar lacked grace while dealing with Younis Khan, a cricketer who scored highest runs for Pakistan is unacceptable. Younis Khan has been a cricketer par excellence who has given strength to middle order batsmen of our team over the years and should not have been dealt with in this manner by coach.
Discipline should be enforced and team selection and choice of players among selected 15 should be on merit, not on whims of coach, manager or even captain. The coach has failed miserably in preventing numerous run outs which has raised eyebrows. He seems to be incapable of remedial action to prevent this glaring flaw which is basically a lack of coordination and communication skills between batsmen. It is the job of a coach to study how particular batsmen are prone to fall victim to particular bowlers and help them overcome their weaknesses.
The PCB should recount that Younis Khan in his long career has never faced issues of integrity, unlike Waqar who was among those reprimanded by Justice Qayum. Even Waqar’s younger brother working in PIA has been accused of submitting fake intermediate degree to his employer.
G ZAMAN
Peshawar
Excellent portrayal of the bitter realities that haunt Pakistan cricket from within. Being tainted for corrupt practices is not a crime, but a credit, in a system ruled by the corrupt, where making money is sole objective and winning matches for country really does not matter. All those whom Justice Qayuum named are today at helm of affairs in PCB.
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