News and Views.

PCB's Vision for the Future.

A high level press conference was held at Lahore in which Lt. Gen.Tauqir Zia Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled a program, "Vision for the Future" for cricket in Pakistan. The goal behind this program was to enable the Pakistan team to excel on the field whilst displaying the highest ethics and values of the game. The aim was to elevate the team to the highest level of international cricket, possibly the best in the world in the next five years. A team capable of wining all major tournaments up to and including the World Cup 2003, the Chairman emphasized.

The steps to be taken to implement the ambitious plan included the development of infrastructure in every district and broadening the base of cricket in the lesser-developed areas. A chain of cricket academies is being set up in the country to groom the promising youngsters and would be functional by the middle of next year. The plan also envisaged the hiring of some renowned former players from abroad to train the students. The Board will have on its rolls a panel of doctors who will monitor development of players physically and mentally. Scientific training techniques will be introduced to make the players technically accomplished. It was also planned to concentrate on enhancing the quality of umpiring.

Among other developments it was also decided to increase the capacity of National Stadium Karachi to around 70,000, to turn Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan into an international match venue and to re-lay the ground and pitch of Niaz Stadium Hyderabad. It may be noted that due to the nature of soil, the ground as well as certain parts of the spectator galleries suffer from the menace of salinity and water logging. The board spent a lot of money and effort in the past as well, to eradicate the menace but to no avail. Like Multan, a new stadium shall have to be built at Hyderabad if the city wishes to retain its position as an international cricket center.

Among the major achievements accomplished during his one year in office, the Chairman highlighted, re-organization of the Board, updating and maintenance of records with the help of army men, publication of Justice Qayyum's report, opening the vistas of cricket to some remote areas, settlement of disputes with certain sponsors, ensuring transparency in trials of junior teams and finally bringing in some semblance of discipline in the national team.

All said and done in the context of achievements and future plans was excellent and encouraging except the remark that the cricket in Pakistan is still there where it was 25 years ago. Other cricket playing nations had improved tremendously while we are behind them. I am of the view that considering the socio-political conditions that prevail in the country and the circumstances under which the game is played, the nation should be proud of our team's 3rd position in the world as per the latest or for that matter the usual international rating.

Pakistan clinched the World Cup 92 while it finished as runners-up in the World Cup 99. Besides winning many other important tournaments, there is no country that Pakistan has not defeated at one time or the other. So, let us not under-estimate our standards of the game. We must, however, appreciate the achievements of the PCB and wish the cricket body good luck in the successful implementation of its Vision for the Future program.

Shoaib back to full Fitness

Having achieved full physical fitness after a lay off from the game for nearly seven months, the fast bowling ace Shoaib Akhtar is looking forward to his inclusion in the Pakistan team for its forthcoming tours of New Zealand and England. Known as the 'Rawalpindi Express' for his thunderbolts and the obsession for breaking the speed record, Shoaib was out of international cricket for trouble in his knees and shoulders.

Shoaib is presently under the care and observation of Dr Tauseef Ahmed, a nutritionist and physical trainer who is of the opinion that having rectified all his problems, Shoaib is totally re-constructed and is fit to play anytime from now onwards. The speedster who has already clocked 99 miles per hour, broke two stumps with his deliveries in the nets which indicate that he is fit enough to bowl at his fastest. His inclusion in the team will certainly boost up Pakistan's pace attack for the forthcoming tours.

Slight Hope of India Tour.

They say, never lose hope. So the whole world lives on hopes, generally of a positive and progressive nature. A little hope has been kindled about the Indian team's suspenseful tour of Pakistan. According to intimation received from the President of The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) A. C. Mutiah, the Indian government is re-considering its decision of canceling its teams tour of Pakistan scheduled for January 2000. It seems some element of sanity is returning to the unsporting Indian politicians who opposed the trip.

It is quite likely that the Indian leaders have become conscious of the news according to which about 15,000 Indians are planning to visit Pakistan to celebrate the exciting Basant festival in February. Not only that the composition of a cricket team is peanuts as compared to the huge figure of basant fans, the cricketers are a disciplined lot than the hordes of kite flyers. With the Indian leaders being unpredictable, we will continue to keep our fingers crossed!