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| March 6, 2003 | Thursday | Muharram 2, 1424 |
Heads must roll from the top
JOHANNESBURG, March 5: Heads must roll after Pakistan’s worst-ever display in World Cup history and it must start from the top.
Setting up an inquiry committee to investigate the causes of the debacle by three men of little or no standing at all is another sick joke played on Pakistan’s cricket crazy millions.
To name Col Naushad Ali, Aaqib Javed and Sultan Rana on the three-member committee to investigate into the World Cup disaster is another shameful exercise by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
First to go voluntarily or forced upon him, should be the PCB chairman, Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, who it appears was assigned the special task of destroying the Pakistan team and he certainly did it with relish during his three-and-half year reign.
General Tauqir regarded himself above board and no one dared to question his ill-advised measures whether his own or coming from the bunch of mediocre cronies, who had the time of their lives earning millions of rupees and roaming around the globe as free-loaders.
The PCB chairman’s obsession with foreigners has been his biggest mistake. To appoint a Jew, Richard Pybus, of dubious credentials to coach highly strung individuals did not help the team’s cause.
The less said about dozen foreigners inducted into the Pakistan camp for various tasks the better. And then the army of Pakistani doctors, psychologist and an individual hanging around with the team with a laptop for more than a year made the Pakistan touring team anything but a travelling circus.
If the physiologists, coaches, physiotherapists, analysts and money were to win major sporting events then the United States and oil-rich Gulf countries would have walked away with every sports trophy on offer in the world.
Pybus never played first-class cricket. He is not known in England where he was born and in South Africa where he resides is a mystery. Out of a job for two years and one fine morning appointed Pakistan coach is beyond comprehension.
At best Pybus can be described an articulate con-man planted into the Pakistan camp by someone for ulterior motives.
Pybus’s best known qualification according to players and officials are he speaks well and is a very articulate person. It is no secret that all con-artists are born with the gift of the gab.
Then the PCB boss’s choice of retaining Waqar Younis as captain was the last nail in the coffin of Pakistan’s chances of performing well in the competition.
With the majority of senior players unhappy with Waqar being handed the difficult task of leading the side, it could be the reason certain players did not perform to their abilities.
As one expected Waqar’s poor handling of the team, especially on the field, made the task of the opponents much easier.
There are dozens other wrong doings by the present board including wasting precious foreign exchange on foreign coaches, on a spoilt brat, Shoaib Akhtar, and attempt to buy favours from journalists sent on free-trips costing millions of rupees.
Now that World Cup dream lies in tatters it will be far better for General Tauqir to resign as PCB boss and return to the barracks for which he was educated, as the job of PCB chief proved too hot for the general to handle.
It is time, someone well versed with the game of cricket was assigned the onerous task of restoring the image and pride of Pakistan so badly mauled for past three months.
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