Lahore Region Cricket Association’s (LRCA’s) two teams displayed a fine show in the last round of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy last week. Its Blues team qualified for the Super Eight stage after beating Karachi Whites in the last group match by 172 runs at the LCCA ground. However, its sister Whites team averted its ouster from the next year episode of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy after its last group match against Islamabad Region ended in draw.

Islamabad Region lost its place in the top teams of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy to play the Grade-II event of the trophy next year. However, the performance of the Lahore Region is shocking as far as the Quaid-i-Azam One-day event is concerned. Its both teams have failed to qualify for the top eight stage. The Blues stood at the sixth place in the eight-team group, while the Whites finished at the bottom.

In the four-day event, Lahore Blues’ top batsmen was Rizwan Hussain, who made 352 runs in six matches, followed by Saad Nasim who aggregated 302. Irfan Haider was the third best batsman with 278 runs.

International discarded medium pacer Aizaz Cheema bowled well, capturing 46 wickets.

The LRCA is planning to honour its Lahore Blues team at a function next week for qualifying for the top eight stage. There should be, however, an inquiry to determine both teams’ failure to excel in the One-day tournament.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed an advisory cricket committee, consisting of heavy weights Mohsin Khan, Wasim Akram, Misbahul Haq and former Pakistan women captain Urooj Mumtaz to recommend measures for the betterment of the cricket. The body will work under the PCB because there is no specific period for the committee to finish its job. The PCB chairman can dissolve the committee, so, big names might be used to protect PCB decisions. Three members from the PCB’s staff - Mudassar Nazar, Haroon Rasheed and Zakir Khan - will also work in the committee as ex-officio members. The decision is likely to start a tug of war as the committee can interfere in the coaching staff and the selection committee.

As Inzamamul Haq is selection committee head and Mickey Arthur head coach, the new body’s interference may create problems.

The PCB has also given a clean chit to tainted Wasim Akram, who was barred by the one-man judicial commission of Justice Abdul Qayyum in a match-fixing scandal. The PCB has declared the report of Abdul Qayyum, after 18 years inconclusive.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018