Pakistan: Majid KHan on Jubilee cricket and other topics (17 Sep 1997)

17 September 1997

Jubilee cricket to show game's best side: Majid

By Farhana Ayaz

RAWALPINDI, Sept 16: The Golden Jubilee programme of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spanning 40 match days covering about three months is an effort to show the better and happy face of Pakistan to the world. The programme will be beamed live through satellite to all cricket loving countries and the matches can be seen in America.

Disclosing details of the golden jubilee programme at a Press conference Majid Khan, Chief Executive, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in an unprecedented move appealed to the public to maintain discipline and decorum to create a better image of the country. "It is extremely important that as the matches are been shown live in most countries my appeal to people from all walks of life is to maintain good behaviour. If we don't bother about this then nobody else will be but the image of the country will be distorted."

Majid met chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Cooperation, Nasim Mirza. He was accompanied by Tahir Memon, PCB marketing manager, and prof Ashraf Qureshi, secretary Rawalpindi Division Cricket Association (RDCA). It was stressed that all the match centres should have modern facilities which will match the arrangements of the World Cup. The ticket sale will be made through the branches of Habib Bank. There will be more than one ticket booths at the venue. The cost of tickets will range from Rs 40 to Rs 600 for the minimum and maximum. "We want the whole country to celebrate the golden jubilee. We want people to come to the stadiums, buy tickets and watch cricket which is an entertainment industry," Tahir Memon said.

AWARDS TO CRICKETERS

Majid further stated that in order to honour the meritorious services of the cricketers with legendary performances, the cricket board has decided to present an award. In this regard fourteen cricket skippers and another 22 performers have been selected. This also includes late Hafeez Kardar whose family will receive the award. "We want to honour these cricketers who have kept Pakistan's flag flying high in the world."

Majid was all praise for the talent in Pakistan. "It is a remarkable achievement; the talent here is surviving despite an absence of a system, but I am more concerned about how long this will survive." The chief executive of PCB said it is quite amusing that looking at the number of playing facilities available to the general public the players have put Pakistan on top of the world map. "How do we expect our teams to perform well when the required equipment is out of reach of the players. There are about nine hockey fields apart from their deplorable conditions, the Pakistan hockey team has withstood the challenge from the rest of the world. Although today there is not a single hockey club inLahore." There are about 250 squash courts, more than half are in control of the services yet Pakistan is on top.

Reviewing the facilities available for cricket, Majid said Faisalabad is the third populated city of the country but there are only four cricket fields. Lahore has 20 grounds but all are in bad shape. "The government needs to create facilities and also maintain the facilities in proper shape but there is no remedy in sight to make the concerned departments work for the upkeep of the facilities."

In Rawalpindi there are no playgrounds left for the clubs while in Islamabad, which is a planned modern city, the state of play fields in pathetic.

The former skipper said all over the world governments create facilities and local bodies work for its upkeep. Majid said the club base in Pakistan was in pathetic state due to lack of proper facilities. He argued that no cricketer was being produced on the streets. "We have only 6,000 to 7,000 regular cricketers in the country and they practice on cemented pitches which are altogether different from the actual playing facility.

Majid said the cost of cricket has become astronomical as the rate of dollar has changed from Rs 10 to Rs 42 during the past two decades. For the first time the cricket council has received an advanced budget and a proper document has been put forward. "The proposed expenditure during the three month golden jubilee programme will be approximately Rs 60 million."

The golden jubilee programme is set to get under way from Oct 1 with the arrival of South Africa. It will reach the high point with the four-nation involving the West Indies, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka from November 1-8 and will end with the series against the West Indies on December 10th.

INZAMAM AFFAIR:

Majid Khan has said cricketers are entertainers and followers of the game should not harass or abuse them. The former Test star stated that PCB received a fax in which match referee has suspended Inzamamul Haq for two matches for conduct unbecoming of a cricketer. "But he personally feels that followers of the game should watch cricket instead of harassing or abusing the players who are entertainers."

If the spectator did not like the game he should have left the field instead of abusing the cricketer. When asked whether PCB would approach the event managers for lacking in performing their duties since megaphones were allowed at the venue, the elegant batsman of yesteryears said there was no such suggestion was being explored. Majid added the tour management will take due action on the incident. "But it is a woeful incident happening anywhere in the world."

Source:: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)