By Asif Suhail
International cricket resumed in Pakistan with the successful tour of Zimbabwean cricket team in June 2015. After that the PCB successfully staged the final of the PSL in March this year. And now the tour of World XI comprising super stars has provided real entertainment to the passionate cricket fans who have been deprived of seeing Greenshirters live in action or young cricketers who never had the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd.
During the Zimbabwe cricket team’s tour the FICA had warned players not to travel to Pakistan and the ICC had also declined to release umpires to supervise the three ODIs.
However, the unprecedented security arrangements during the PSL final in Lahore strengthened the ICC’s resolve to organize the three World XI games in September. All three matches were given international status.
It is heartening indeed that the resumption of international cricket in Pakistan has been welcomed as it would encourage other foreign teams also and help present a soft image of Pakistan. The tour of Sri Lankan team is already in the pipeline.
A number of journalists and media representatives complained of lack of working space in the media box occupied by dozens of unknown people who were later identified as guests and friends of the board officials. Very sad state of affairs of the PCB media department under an inept Punjab government official!
However, the cost that the general public and business community have paid to host World XI matches in Lahore is something that cannot be overlooked. There are still reservations which puzzle many and these relate to the cost incurred on World XI tour and the loss of billions of rupees amid closed business in the radius of one and half kilometer of the Gaddafi Stadium.
Besides these the agony that the people of Lahore had to suffer because of diversion of traffic from the roads adjacent to the Gaddafi Stadium added unbearable misery into their daily lives. Public resentment has been noticed amid vacant seats in the Gaddafi Stadium during the matches.
The Punjab government forced businesses in the surrounding of the Gaddafi Stadium to close down for four days. Major business offices, markets, departmental stores and restaurants situated in and around Liberty Market, Hafeez Centre and the main Boulevard Gulberg suffered huge business loss at the cost of showing solidarity with Pakistan cricket.
The private sector paid tens of millions of dollars in losses for hosting these matches. The residents and shop owners in the area had been forced to sign a ridiculous surety bond stating that they would not let “miscreants” use their properties for subversive activities.
Apparently there seemed a spirit of reviving international cricket in Pakistan behind the World XI tour but it appeared more than a business deal between the PCB and the FICA. The ICC played the role of a facilitator.
According to media reports the PCB paid $100, 000 each to the player to become part of the visiting World XI. We don’t know that how much have been paid to the coach, manager and other supporting staff of the World XI. So it was not a cricket tour at all it was a business tour.
The business interests of the players overshadowed the real spirit of resumption of international cricket and it spread a message that every team can visit Pakistan if the PCB lured them with hundreds and thousands of US dollars. Security of the players is the secondary issue!
In 1970’s and 80’s the West Indies was the top team of the cricket world and their Board used to charge extra from some of the host Boards for the visit of their team. After the victory in the World Cup-1996 many noticed Sri Lankan cricketers charging money for giving autographs and snapping with fans. It was all disgusting!
Now we are being told that two more World XI tours are being organized in next couple of years which means the PCB would have to incur huge money once again to host them. How long the PCB would continue to spend on luring foreign teams to visit Pakistan?
The PCB needs to ponder on it seriously. The PCB officials will have to be very tactful during the forthcoming ICC meetings. Likes of Subhan Ahmed can’t handle such tricky issues in the ICC meetings and his ineptness has proved on many occasions. His only qualification is backbiting and to please the boss. He must be replaced and bring in a person from the corporate sector who must have a knack of cricket administration
The PCB needs to ponder on it seriously. The PCB officials will have to be very tactful during the forthcoming ICC meetings. Likes of Subhan Ahmed can’t handle such tricky issues in the ICC meetings and his ineptness has proved on many occasions. His only qualification is backbiting and to please the boss. He must be replaced and bring in a person from the corporate sector who must have a knack of cricket administration.
Last the PCB declined to issue accreditation cards to many genuine sports scribes in the backdrop of their healthy criticism of Board’s policies.
Managing Editor of Score Line, a renowned English Magazine, was not issued the required accreditation card. This scribe also texted a message to the media manager of the PCB who didn’t even bother to respond.
According to media reports local national media has been deprived of its right to cover the PCB annual awards for 2016-17 by selling out its broadcasting rights to a private TV channel. The new media box of the Gaddafi Stadium at the FC College End turned out to become a `guest lounge` for the friends and families of the PCB officials during the World XI matches.
A number of journalists and media representatives complained of lack of working space in the media box occupied by dozens of unknown people who were later identified as guests and friends of the board officials. Very sad state of affairs of the PCB media department under an inept Punjab government official!