Now that the dust has settled down and the musical chair involving PCB and its chairmen is over, it is time that we set aside the differences and put in our efforts collectively for the betterment of the game in a positive manner so that improvements are made for the benefit of everyone concerned.

Najam Sethi is once again at the helm and on this occasion with a stronger mandate to iron out things and a rather disjointed working of the board which in recent years have become no less than a laughing stock in the eyes of the cricketing world and an embarrassment to all involved including the players, their management and the media around them.

Sethi is obviously not a technocrat nor are majority of the officials of the various cricket boards who for years have been handling their business in a lot professional manner. It is true, though, that those who are handed over the responsibility to look after their organisations have some kind of relationship with the game in some of the major cricket playing countries which indeed helps.

It is a wrong perception, though, that only a cricketer can handle the affairs better than those who have never had any contact with it. Playing the game is one thing and knowing about the nuances of it is another. In my experience I have come across some of the brilliant players of this game who could hardly express or explain the game in its right perspective.

Sethi’s first stint with the PCB caretaker chairman may have been erratic in his critics’ eyes but he certainly was settling down to sort out the nitty-gritty of this complicated and much abused cricket board as compared to some of those who, when in charge, were more concerned about their own publicity and exposure than doing something useful to uplift the game.

In a country like ours there has been no shortage of players and people who could fit in any capacity to give back to the game what it has given them — pride, name and fame. Unfortunately, those who were responsible for managing this game somehow failed to choose the right men to do the right job. Bias, favouritism and personal whims were the characteristics of the recent cricket administrations, hence the degradation within the ranks which has left us isolated.

This is no more an ad hoc adjustment by the new Patron of the board as Sethi emphasised when taking over as PCB chairman. He has now been given authority to revamp and redress the pitfalls and he would need serious and sincere support to carry out the task so that the game is benefitted and funds are not wasted.

It was a positive step to see that he was well advised not to have a foreign coach and have trust in his own men. Moin Khan’s appointment is indeed a positive step in that direction. He is not only fit and fresh in his ideas, but is also keenly involved while looking after his own academy and is abreast with the game’s changing shape. He was an attacking cricketer, always inspiring while keeping wickets besides being a handy batsman. His contribution as manager with the team has not only improved its image but also its profile. I only wish that he was given this role for at least a couple of years so that he could cement out the frailties to build a team for future.

What I am more pleased about is the fact that Waqar Younis, a legendary fast bowler who himself was one of the aspirants for the job, took it sportingly after not being picked and supported Moin and wished him the best. This is the kind of support we need from everyone who holds the game dear to his heart.

I would have appreciated much if Waqar too was offered some kind of responsibility along with Wasim Akram, Sarfraz Nawaz, Abdul Qadir, Rashid Latif and Aamir Sohail. In their own right they are undisputed champions of the game. Their collective input would obviously mean much for improving the system.

I recently heard someone criticise the appointment of Zaheer Abbas as chief cricket consultant, saying that Zaheer has never played T20. This is a load of cobblers I think. Zaheer remains the only Asian batsman to have scored over a hundred first-class centuries, not even Gavsakar, Miandad or Tendulkar have this honour. Over the years he has plundered all kind of bowling and knows the game inside out to contribute well.

None of us in the media have played Tests, ODIs and the T20s and yet we write, speak and criticise on every format of the game. Shall we then stop writing, speaking and criticising about the game because we have not played. That is utter nonsense. Zaheer is quite capable of talking about the game no matter what format. His contribution could be of immense value at every level of the game and its running.

For the moment I think Sethi and company should concentrate on uplifting image of the game which has been so badly dented with poor representation overseas and organise domestic cricket on a sound footing, providing opportunity to up and coming youngsters.

And with it, they must try and cement relationship with other countries even with India, now plagued by match-fixing controversy, and also develop a system in the next four months so that there is some sort of transparency in the working of this game, instead of wasting time and dreaming about Super League as has been suggested recently.