By Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
The national disgrace caused to the image of Pakistan, when two of our cricketers were caught in violation of Anti-Corruption Code, during the ongoing PSL-2 tournament being played in Dubai, is something unpardonable and all those responsible for ruining the grace, image and reputation of the sacred motherland, must not be allowed to go unpunished.
In this regard, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must not be allowed to brush under the carpet, this serious offence against Pakistan; by the tactics of media management, just to save its own skin and making the two young and budding players of Pakistan, as its scapegoat.
Already, there are signs that the PCB is taking a lenient view towards the whole matter by just provisionally suspending the two players, without taking any action against the concerned team’s management personnel; and also not taking any action against the PSL chairman (where the buck stops), who knowingly very well, all the pit falls of holding of such an event in the UAE, took full credit for arranging PSL matches out of Pakistan.
In this connection, some of the damaging affects of holding PSL matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are explained below, for your information and knowledge please.
1). Now foreign players, their associations, cricket boards and governments are even more adamant in their stance of not visiting Pakistan, on the clear evidence that if Pakistan is not safe for the full PSL tournament, how can it be safe for the players of foreign teams.
2). The self damaging decision of not holding PSL tournament in Pakistan, just to earn money for everyone else except the PCB (PCB got nearly Rs.3 crore after tax and franchises got way with over Rs.1 billion from pool money and guaranteed minimum payments, that too without Audit) has neither helped the revival of foreign teams visit to Pakistan, nor contributed positively for the domestic cricket, which badly needs revamping and big investments.
3). Wise Pakistani cricketers and administrators knew very well that since, the UAE was infamous for easy access of all types of unscrupulous people, if we staged our cricket league matches there, our enemies will leave no stone unturned, to entice our players, towards the violation of Anti-Corruption Codes, defaming Pakistan throughout the world. In fact, many patriotic Pakistanis openly opposed the idea of playing our league matches in the UAE, precisely for the aforementioned reasons.
The situation is more serious and the matter is much graver than it has been reported till now. There are serious chances that more players and administrators names may now be cropping up with the passage of time and after the forensic analysis of materials like cell phones etc., which are available with the investigators.
In view of the foregoing; and to save the prestige, reputation and name of Pakistan in the international circles; and in the name of transparency and accountability, it is high time that with immediate effect, the entire board of governors of the PCB may be replaced with a new interim set up; with the mandate to rebuild the whole cricketing structure in Pakistan, on modern and progressive lines.
The above proposal for the operation clean up in the PCB will greatly enhance your own image in the eyes of the general public and also no heavens will fall, as in the recent past in South Africa, when they found that the chairman and board members of their football board were all complicit in match fixings, entire set up was replaced immediately.
After the surface of the latest scandal of PSL, involving our two young cricketers, now it has also been proved beyond shadow of any doubt that the current management of the PCB has completely failed in absolute terms in handling both cricketing, as well as, the management affairs of the board.
Last but not the least, as they say a stitch in time saves nine, if your revamping orders of PCB are further delayed, there is every possibility that a bigger international humiliation, more serious than the one which led to the arrest of our three cricketers in the U.K. may have to be faced by us.
