The PCB’s approach, witnessed by its many statements, as one of the main partners in the next World Cup truly reflects the overall competence it has in the management of its affairs. It is making us a laughing stock of the cricket world and thus forces me to comment in such blunt terms.

Let us first and foremost accept that as a result of the negligence of the PCB the Sri Lanka team went through a horrific experience.

Following this horrendous experience the PCB has not entered into any discussions with the ICC as to how the security problems that obviously exist in Pakistan can be countered within the ambit of their authority.

It is quite obvious that the ICC cannot force any team to come and play in Pakistan. In turn the Boards of the participating countries cannot force their players to play in any cities that they consider unsafe.

We can argue that other countries may also be unsafe but this carries no value as players have their own perceptions.

It thus must stand to logic that if we are to bring any teams to Pakistan the PCB must convince the players around the world that they would be safe if they came and played here.

We see no such efforts being made. In light of this one is amazed at the remarks and approach of our Board that daily hit the press.

We have in with our normal brilliance turned this into a legal matter. Let us examine our actions from the beginning; we arrive at a meeting of the ICC totally unprepared to tackle a subject that should have been topmost in our minds.

How weak is the excuse that the topic was not on the agenda. The event is just two years away, the world is talking about the security in Pakistan after the Lahore attack but we, the PCB, have not thought this through and then hide behind the excuse that they are unprepared.

At the Meeting we walk out in a huff and do not present any alternatives about resiting our fixtures and then complain when the ICC cannot accept this afterthought.

Our own partners in the event do not support us and yet we complain about the ICC. Is their any other way we could ruin our relations with the world body?

To add further insult to injury we highlight and encourage an ex President of the ICC, who possibly has vested interest in moving the matches to the Dubai Stadium, to vehemently criticise the world body. Is it any surprise that we are becoming the object of much amusement?

We must realise that with the current speed of communication the whole world reads about the shenanigans of our cricket which do not help our case. The chairman has a running war of words going on with the ex-chief selector.

We are almost white washed in two Test matches in very strange circumstances. Our very knowledgeable seniors, ex-cricketers are screaming the obvious that our team has political divisions. Even the captain of the team hints as much in his interviews.
 
But the chairman publicly denies this. Shame on you Sir, the cricket lover of Pakistan is not ignorant.

Let us face facts and take corrective action. Give your officials on site, the veteran manager and the experienced coach, the authority to field these allegations it is their job, do not be forced into making obviously incorrect statements.

Finally let me state in clear terms that as things stand today, Pakistan cannot host any World Cup matches because no team is ready to play here. No amount of spin put on this situation can alter that. We should act with good grace and not go down any legal path.

It will achieve nothing. In any legal battle, as all our elders used to say, only the lawyers benefit. Let us not annoy the cricket world. Let us accept the settlement that is being offered in good grace and then set about putting our house in order so that we can bring back international cricket to our country.

Please, please let us stop making matters worse and not embarrass ourselves further by fighting a lost battle.

The writer is a renowned cricket organiser