There's every reason for hope

While I am as dismayed as the most diehard fan of Pakistan cricket being one myself, at the Pakistan team's most dismal display at the 2003 World Cup, what has surprised me is some of the criticism. Or, to be more precise, at how uninformed and how off the mark it is. And shockingly, quite a sizable amount has come from people who are otherwise considered to be the wise ones.

Tauqir Zia - Chairman PCB Photo © PCB

Victory, as the famous saying goes, has a thousand fathers and defeat is an orphan. All one's plans so sedulously put together, all the resources so painstakingly gathered come to naught if that crucial thrust fails, and instead of the glory one faces the gloomy prospect of standing in a dock.

At this moment of trial the Board, and its Chairman, stand alone, with everyone seemingly taking vicarious pleasure in casting a stone at it. But everyone who assumes public office knows full well that in the case of a setback his head would be on the chopping block. That mine has been does not surprise me in the least.

Let me say this at the very outset, I am not writing these lines to absolve myself of blame. Regardless of the causes of the setback, or the characters behind it, the buck stops at my desk.

The motive is not self-preservation either, for that is not my intention. I do not want to hang around the PCB headquarters any longer. But I do not want to be known as a quitter either, the one who took flight when it was in his power to have fixed the problem.

With this piece, what I want is to initiate dispassionate discussion and analysis, and to try to find answers as mature people. Above all, I just want to put the facts straight for all concerned, and I know that genuine followers of cricket know enough about the recent history of the game to acknowledge the unvarnished truth.

As for those critics who ignore cricketing reasons of defeat and are busy whipping-up a frenzy against the PCB and my person, especially those who are doing it for a purpose (rejected job applications are a great motive for a retired colonel and a former medium pace bowler to go after an un-obliging PCB chief when they think he is vulnerable, and also because the change may help their prospects), I can only pray that they see the light.

Coming to facts, with the possible exception of 1983, Pakistan has always sent a champion squad for each of the other seven editions of the World Cup. But only one out of the eight so far has actually returned triumphant. The Board invited the captain of that campaign in 1992, Imran Khan to speak to the team immediately before it embarked for the 2003 World Cup. In an inspiring session, Imran talked about the strategic points as well as giving a pep talk.

Afterwards, Imran publicly stated that this team was better than his 1992 squad. That was a sentiment shared by most critics of the game prior to the World Cup.

And, of course, Imran was right. Never before a Pakistan team going for a World Cup, had so many world record holders in its ranks as Waqar Younis'charges. And man-to-man, no other team in contemporary cricket could boast of so many players of such diverse talents, each of whom was capable of turning a match on its head on his own.

Now, when that same team which Imran had rated so highly, has failed to deliver, he blames the setback to the gutlessness of the PCB chief and domestic cricket etc etc., and still wants his protégé Wasim Akram to be rewarded with the captaincy!

When all is said and done, what else can a Board do other than selecting the best possible outfit, providing it world standard back-up in support staff and looking after its every need? Still, if the boys do not deliver, should the Board be getting the flak?

Of course, prior to the World Cup there were some rumblings against the captain. In Pakistan cricket, this is neither rare nor a one-off thing. Even the man in the street is now fully aware of this periodic phenomenon. Changing the captain at that point was not considered prudent by the PCB, because of various reasons. For one, you do not change horses midstream. Secondly, Waqar had previously been able to rally the team around him and won some good matches. Thirdly, this blackmail had gone on for far too long and had already hurt our cricket so much. If expediency was not the guiding light, it should have been nipped in the bud almost a dozen years ago. We felt that the Board should not give in, so as to curb this extremely damaging tendency once and for all.

Still, taking cognizance of the fact that there was some mistrust which could affect performances, all the senior players were brought together in an environment where they could reconcile their differences. Each of these seniors assured each other and the Board that they would be one under the green Pakistan banner. Talking to them and looking into their faces, one felt confident that they would put up a dogged fight as a unit.

Whether they did or didn't, I leave it for those to judge who saw the matches.

But howsoever poor the performance was that horror is behind us. And we had to think of ways and means to lift the pall of gloom and to make a comeback. To us at the Board, the answer lay in looking forward and not back. And also, one big consideration was inculcating good habits in this young squad named for the Sharjah Cup. It is important, as the 'cricketing culture' promoted by the old guard had done our cricket and our image no service. Hence, after weighing the pros and cons, and giving due consideration to some of the recommendations, we have gone for an untainted and committed lot, which is not short on talent either.

Another point everyone associated with the game has to note, is that the benchmark for success in international cricket has been raised. Australia's back-to back World Cup victories is ample evidence of that. Every team, and not just Pakistan, has now to play catch-up. And it can only be done by installing proper systems and back-ups and not by wishing away the problems in the proverbial 'head-in-the-sand' manner or pinching pennies. Especially because most of the expense involved is coming from sponsorships and not the regular income of the Board.

Fortunately, Pakistan cricket in the last three years has taken quite a few strides in the right direction. The status of our infrastructure has seen a sea-change, with as many as 60 stadiums and grounds across the country either built from scratch or spruced-up in a big way (with the emphasis on smaller provinces which were previously left out of the loop), and another 30 in the pipeline in the next two years. The technical back-up staff, coaches, umpires, referees and curators - have been trained in sizable numbers. The National Academy and the regional academies have been established and would in due course, be producing well-rounded cricketers.

With requisite infrastructure now provided to take up the burden, Pakistan's domestic cricket, painted as the villain of the piece, is as a result poised to take a quantum leap.

Above all, I firmly believe that Pakistan has enough talent to bounce back quickly, especially now when the influences which derailed it so often in the last 10 years or so have been weeded out.

There is no need for despondency, and every reason for hope.