Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Food for thought for fans of Pakistan Cricket

Day before yesterday the aim of this blog entry was to go through each player’s performance in the team and then try to determine if the player justified their selection. However after what has been happening for the past 2 days in regards to spot-fixing allegations against the Pakistani team, that blog article seemed a little pointless. Since there isn’t much to be said till the investigation completes, here is some food for thought.

I would like to put some stakes in the ground, the first one being that up till now these allegations are just that – allegation. Innocent until proven guilty, and by proven guilty I mean an official verdict is passed that these folks are guilty. Moreover what we have here is the word and evidence provided by a tabloid, also referred to as the gutter press. Journalistic integrity and responsibility is opportunistic at best where tabloids are involved. What we also have here is a cricket team which on numerous occasions has been accused of such activities and we the general public will never really know the whole story. Also in the picture are going to be folks who have their own agendas, who want to share the limelight or might have a vendetta to pursue against the people involved.

The reason I mention these things is because when the news about these allegations broke, I found it very difficult to separate the reality of the situation with the influence these factors had in how the situation presented itself. I of course talk about the media coverage that was given (in Pakistan and abroad) to these allegations. The media has all but declared Akmal, Butt, Aamer and Asif guilty without doubt, with everyone coming out of the woodwork and giving their own versions of the story ala Shahid Afridi and Veena Malik. Im not saying that these stories are true or false, but it is the case of one’s word versus another’s and that is not something that one can argue upon so let’s not dwell on these.

Personally I believe that until proven guilty without doubt the Pakistan team (the alleged and otherwise) needs the support of its fans. That does not mean that we don’t have an opinion about whether there was any wrong-doing involved or not, it just means that these are dire circumstances and without the support of its fans, Pakistan cricket will not come out of this hole they have dug for themselves.

I am an out and out fan of the game and of Pakistani cricket, as are most Pakistanis I know, and I will be devastated if these allegations are true; devastated and angry. But I don’t want to let my anger and disappointment do my thinking for me. I don’t want to let the media dictate my opinion, I don’t want to them to paint an 18 year old child guilty because it appears that way. However that is easier said than done. I am trying to write this blog with a level head and without any bias, and I am having to exercise a lot of restraint in doing so. I hope fans of Pakistan cricket can do the same.


Make your pitch on this post...



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11 Pitched:

  1. Anonymous said...
     

    Wow, you still amidst all the muck and dirt flowing out of Pakistani cricket closet believe the 4 nominated players for spot fixing are saints ?

    Havent they brought disregard to the country struggling with floods, corruption and of course home grown terrorism ?

    The history is rife in Pak cricket for all such misdoings and the world has been very supportive to accomodate the team for all this while.

    But this is it. Enough of fooling the world community which follows cricket sincerly. A country of fixers, cheaters and doping fanatics cant be allowed to hold the game to ransom.

    time the pakistanis are suspended from ICC membership and PCB disbanded to Arabian Sea.

    Pakistan must stop all kind of cricket participation until its cricket community comes clean.

    Hard to expect though when the country is ruled by a Mr 10 % and PCB is headed by a buffoon.

    You still think those 4 cheats are innocent is height of optimism. Cant help though cos thats the only hope for you guys who have to deal with Talibanis and other terror elements almost every day.

  2. Fayez said...
     

    So much hate in the post above :-)

  3. Hassan Kazmi said...
     

    Great articulation of facts ... really like the piece on emotions not doing the thinking. As for negative posts on it, we have to live with em because thats a kind of situation we're in but I remain as optimistic as you are or any Pakistani cricket fan should be. One must read Lawson's article on it as was Holdings views post this drama. If these players dont come out clean, not only them but the administration should be banned. We can't always be the laughing stock for the whole world!

  4. Mizzy Dee said...
      This comment has been removed by the author.
  5. Mizzy Dee said...
     

    First of a big kudos to you and my boy Umair for running wellpitched, wicked work! Now Im a die hard Pakistan Cricket fan (evidence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQKaMg5afM4) and like all you folks I did the sajda when we won the T20 and I also cried when we lost Sydney from a VERY strong position.

    I am all up for supporting the team but dude we need to WAKE THE HELL UP. I can put a blind eye on the Mazhar Majeed video; I can put a blind eye on an obvious mega no-ball; I can put a blind eye on Salman Butt watching the bowler in his stride as opposed to the batsman; I can put a blind eye on the drama that conjured with the saw dust/foot slipping after the no-ball. What I CAN'T come to terms with is “allegations-are-allegations-until-they-are-proven.” I can't come to terms with the guilt Salman Butt showed in the press conference. Call it a fan's instinct, sixth sense or just his hopeless faith in our team during the thick & thin.

    Unfortunately its the way our society works; not taking blame but simply deflecting it. I do give it out to Salman for not lying because that would be perjury. For some reason that holds a higher moral value than treason. I want to believe you guys but after a long time my head has taken over my heart. In my view these allegations will never be proven. Why not take the other way around this time; say 'guilty until innocence proven.' Lets see how they come out of that stickiness. In my humble opinion Salman Butt should be handed a life ban, the rest with some finite period (2yrs or so).

    For a good read, this article sums up my feelings - http://tribune.com.pk/story/45336/land-of-no-consequences/read

  6. Golandaaz said...
     

    Good one.

    Eventually people will believe what they want to believe. Opinions are formed based on perception and facts can be sliced and diced to further ulterior motives.

    Changing people's opinions through objectivity is a pipe dream. For that great leaders are born once in a blue moon. And Pakistan cricket needs a good leader who can show them a mirror

    I watched the Aameer no balls as they unfolded on TV and knew something was wrong. I have played and watched enough cricket in my life to know a legitimate no ball from a fishy one.

    I need no further proof. These guys are corupt and guilty as charged. It is extremely unlikely I am going to change my opinion. Even if the judicial system declares them innocent.

  7. Sallu said...
     

    Very well written and it rightfully depicts the conflict being waged between any Pakistani cricket fan's head and heart.

    As MD said it, the head has to win here and lay it down to the heart. After all, only if we lived our lives by the Bushism "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you!" would we let our hearts take the better of our heads!

    Perhaps the only optimism here is that, if our team really wants to play, they are capable of beating any team in the world! Bets anyone? Mazhar says odds are fairly good!!

  8. Fayez said...
     

    Lets talk about something good. Squad for tomorrow looks good:

    1) Mohammad Hafeez,
    2) Shahzaib Hasan,
    3) Azhar Ali,
    4) Fawad Alam,
    5) Umar Akmal,
    6) Shahid Afridi,
    7) Abdul Razzaq,
    8) Kamran Akmal,
    9) Saeed Ajmal,
    10) Shoaib Akhtar,
    11) Umar Gul,

    Mohd Asif was never a permanent member in limited overs. Aamir and Salman are big losses. Hopefully Shahzaib can continue his side game form into tomorrow's game. Really looking forward to Fawad, Umar A, Afridi, Umar G, Saeed Ajmal, Razzaq and Shoaib - we've got an exciting bunch.

  9. Anonymous said...
     

    I'm not a pak cricket fan. i'm just a cricket fan. So, I don't really care about the batsmen involved, nor about M Asif who seems to skip from one controversy to another as a habit. What's really bothering me is that the most exciting prospect to arrive on the cricket scene in a while is involved. My open letter to Amir is here: http://outsideedge.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/open-letter-to-mohammad-amir/ Would love to hear from pak fans

  10. Anonymous said...
     

    All these match fixing allegation are put on Pakistan to defraud them to take them out of international cricket, Ijaz Butt is absolutely right. The reason is World cup being played in India, india doesnt have enough power to secure team Pakistan in their country, ICC will do anything to help India with this problem, I will remind you people of recent IPL series, Pakistan wasnt included in that, because of political issues, recent IPL is played in India, which also mean that there was not good security for Pakistan team, so they were not included in IPL. Now it is clear to everyone, why these allegation were made on Pakistan, ICC used english media to publish all crap, there are more indian members in ICC than any other country, also it ease off presure on indian security if pakistan dont play, it is all set up guys, Pakistan is innocent. If you want to blame then blame ICC and India.

  11. zaheer said...
     

    If Pakistan cricket bane because of these four players, it would be the defeat of Cricket. Has ICC bane South Africa for Honsi, Gibbs and Boy. And has ICC bane Australia for Mark Waugh and Shane Warn. And Have ICC bane India for Azhar Ud Din and Jadeja. If not, why Pakistan should be bane for these four players.

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