Australia tour of Pakistan - 2nd test in Karachi

From Rawalpindi to Karachi

Rawalpindi test ended in draw while Pakistan prepared a batting paradise in a stadium where we are supposed to be viewing a battle between bat and bowl but sorry to say, Pakistan didn't utilize the advantage it got while staging a home game against a top cricketing side, otherwise Pakistan did play against them in UAE, but staging game in Dubai and the same in Lahore, or any other city of Pakistan is something else, words cannot express. But sorry to say, what I am watching on TV, Karachi again disappointed, because houseful Karachi is something I can't imagine.

There have been political reasons which I am not going to use to plagiarize this cricketing post

Because the games political parties of Pakistan in Karachi, is nothing to hide of but it is a shame that people still support these political parties instead of demanding them to give them their birth right of earning rightfully in their own town or nearby town instead of allowing them to shift themselves to Karachi just because they want to earn rightfully but they have given advantage to the political parties to have their unnatural vote bank which is sans in Karachi, be a reality; otherwise they aren't taking ownership of the city just like I am; who is a Karachi-Boy; but alas! this is a cricket blog hence it is better discussing these things over here.

Coming back to Cricket - The Second Test being played in Karachi

After watching two days play, I want to utter a single liner; Pakistan lost the home-advantage in a home-series on home turf (because Pakistan usually played their home series in UAE), just because of the way pitch played, because like Michael Haysman showed in Spiderworm graph that it showed day two was inconsistent and bounce was low, which means from day 3 on-wards (as right now when I am typing these lines, day two at Karachi ended where still Aussies are persisting with batting after being played 180 dot overs); pitch is going to deteriorate and I must agree with Haysman, that spider-worm is going to tilt towards more inconsistent and uneven bounce which is curtains for Pakistan, because now Aussies have nullified Pakistan winning, now only either Australia can win it from here otherwise this game can only be a draw, which is not good for the test match cricket and is definitely negativity from PCB end, otherwise I always give reference to 2006 Karachi Test between Pakistan and India, where it was a green-top and this is where IK Pathan stroked a hat-trick, but later-on it was Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq who stole the show and took game away from India, rest it was Muhammad Asif Show.

But Investment on Curators should definitely be on the cards

Here I disagree with Ramiz Raja to that extent that pitches yes! are a problem, but addressing a problem is one thing, and application for removal of this problem is another thing, because drop-in pitches I don't think is the resolution to the problem;

Why I am saying this

1. It is an expensive venture, hence instead of utilizing that money to advertise DIP (drop-in pitch), invest on training on curators who can consistently create good, healthy, lively and supporting wicket regularly on regular period of time.
2. DIP venture in Australia and NZ are on those grounds, which are multi-venture, means multiple games are being played, like I remember; MCG was utilized as soccer field during Sydney Olympics, not in Cricket-Only grounds like Pakistan have.
3. If it is necessary, which I know is necessary; than initially firstly invest on research and development on clay and horticulture in Pakistan, because it is a science which makes sure that the wicket we prepare is crisp and good for both batters and bowlers, instead of acting like a 'burger' to visit a super-market, select a template and without any training and development on account of curators who're supposed to be MAINTAINING these wickets, will surely backfire.

FIRSTLY, invest on research and development 

Because Aussies also became world champion, just because they believed on research and development and hence now their cricketing researches are being utilized world wide, so why aren't we're conducting and making our minds on investment in research and development, because I believe Pakistan is so big, instead we have the minds of only utilizing Nandipur clay for creating composition of wicket, it should be aligned with infrastructure work being conducted in Pakistan; like Rafi Cricket Stadium in Karachi and Arbab Niaz and Hayatabad Stadiums in Peshawar City, but when your playing wickets are not up to the mark, these makeshift ventures i.e. DIP (drop-in wickets), and we should appreciate these people (who're horticulturists), because let admit one fact, this is a fact, and the composition of clay and percentage of different clay will make sure we are going to get a support playing 22 yards, instead of these graveyards.

Share

Asia Cup 2020 update

Expected venue of Asia Cup 2020 - T20 event

It is expected that Bangladesh is the supposed venue despite of the UAE because of the financial and crowd outcome, especially when the region is highly effected with the ongoing pandemic, so Bangladesh is best option.

What is my opinion on relocation of Asia Cup 2020?

I say instead of the UAE, Bangladesh is going to be better selection of Venue, because T20 tournament is all known for its venues and crowd, where we can't continuously assure continuous crowd involvement in UAE, therefore a good choice for staging Asia Cup in Bangladesh, but personally if it had happened in Pakistan, it could had done much good for the game and could have had improved the perspective of Pakistan cricket globally.

Listening to other YouTube Vloggers' opinions on the teams

I disagree with their speculated teams because they have been straight forward and shortsighted in their speculated teams, because all their teams are having the cream of PSL 2020 but they were not emphasizing on bench-strength, otherwise when I took note of the other cricket boards' team squads, they usually start with a blue-print plan that this is how we're going to plan this particular series where they take note of the country their teams' are currently touring, if their team is winning the series, this is going to be the squad which is generally a variable i.e. not fixed. Otherwise here in Pakistan, our teams' are being decided on the basis of fans' opinion which is another new in the world, instead of strategically decide and divide players' resource with respect difference aspects like position the team is playing etc. which is not taken into consideration, because of which most of the time the find we discover from PSL or from an international venture, but after sometimes let's say 6 months at least, that player is banished and therefore 3 4 times a year we're in continuous choreographed loop of searching for the replacement, instead of planning that not to overuse a particular player or reuse the used ammu like Kamran Akmal who's in his late 30s to advocate for the re-return.

Our so called Vloggers have short sight and therefore no broader perspective

Vloggers' should use their laptops to compile accumulated data and some human intelligence instead of getting emotional, think that winning is second thing, sustaining the momentum is and should be the main aspect, when players are going to re-change every now and than is going to sport no good for the country which generated players like Saeed Anwar, Aamir Sohail, Inzamam ul Haq, Ijaz Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq and the two W's, because they were continued in the longer run, but here our Vlogger's and YouTube video channel content creators decide the fate of Pakistan national cricket team, or is it our selection committee taking tips from them? I don't know nor I want to know because I do not count myself with them, this is my own platform where all what I write is my on point of view and is nowhere to be deemed as undue pressurizing.

Think about the country first

Thinking about the country means sustaining the momentum instead of changing players and watching bang bang bash players who're not able to SUSTAIN their performance in longer run unlike Aaron Finch of Australia who have been performing since 2018, can we assure, KAMRAN AKMAL could sustain that standard of performance? I still remember 2010 Sydney Test between Australia and Pakistan.

The legacy of Akmal Brothers

What else is remain when previously too, both brothers have been part of such occurrences on regular interval(s)

Are we making team for representing Pakistan Cricket international or is it the other-way-round? This is a shame, that most of 'social-media-activists' have been part of defending them without taking account of what they have been doing to the country, instead of thinking for the country, they have been thinking otherwise, as had it been the country, Akmal Brothers would definitely have been placed outside the Pakistan Green blazer, but instead we're too comfortable in defending their inclusion into the National Side, and that too when the Senior Akmal possesses the following error despite of his hard-hitting-capability.

Therefore, what is the blueprint-criteria of representing Pakistan Greens in 2020? The one who is having behavioral issues that too on continuum, and the other one is lacking the athleticism in his fitness, even if he scores 100 in a match, when he is not going to save runs while fielding lets suppose 10 and/or 15 runs so ultimately his 100 runs worth 90 and/or 85 runs, and that too I am assuming IF HE SCORES A 100, which is not possible for anyone to score a ton in every individual match, so if he doesn't score and loses the ball upon his grip or saving a sudden boundary i.e. reducing a 4 into 3 on regular, are we saying we want to give another chance to the tried-and-tested? THINK BEFORE YOU ADVOCATE SUCH PLAYERS SPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INCLUSION OF A PARTICULAR PLAYER TO REPRESENT PAKISTAN GREENS...

Code of Conduct and the behaviour of former Pakistani Player in front of spoiled/pampering news channels

For the avoidance of doubt, any posting by a Player or Player Support Personnel of comments on a social media platform (including, without limitation, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn) shall be deemed to be ‘public’ for the purposes of this offence. Consequently, a Player or Player Support Personnel may breach Article 2.7 where they criticise or make an inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in a Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match Official, Selection Committee, PCB officials or Cricket Team participating in any Match in any posting they make on a social media platform.

As per the above quote from link, many of the former cricketers on News Channels in Pakistan have been open and blunt in their views with regards to the strictness and the environment of current Pakistani Dressing room, which I should admit that it is not perfect and we definitely lack flamboyant players in current Pakistani cricket team lot, but the way Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt were bashing the "Fitness Test Criteria" and that too in front of the TV media which was actually spoiling them, because passing Yo Yo test is not the criteria of selecting into the National Team, but it is a per-requisite. Even in the religious context, we do not start offering prayers directly instead we cover per-requisites initially that is our dressing appropriate, are we clean, is the place we're going to offer prayers clean and do not place in front of the corridor etc and than we go for ablution and offer complete prayers with peace of mind, than how come we forget that cricket is a game starts from the fitness where every part of the body is involved with other part and if I start using the cricketing term, it is a game of hand-and-eye-coordination, so in order to select someone from a pool this is just a per-requisite.

A word to the Pakistani News Media

Pakistani news media shouldn't plagiarize the facts and figures, fitness shouldn't be the important factor which was rightly "manipulated" by Salman Butt, yes you read that right, he manipulated because I must admit, the PCB is also doing not right in having so much fitness emphasis instead they should emphasize on the fitness k how much fitness could he sustain for how much duration, but Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal were ousted from the National Team because of the reason I may not required to repeat those painful events, where I am not going to waste my time in repeating what Salman Butt had done but as far as Kamran Akmal is concerned, he has been part of multiple match fixing allegations, therefore in order to eradicate others for not pointing and raising fingers on the Pakistani flag and the Pakistani Cricket Team, he was barred from participating for the national job internationally. 

Link to this whole article here

Shame upon the Pakistani media

This is a matter of great shame for the shameless Pakistani media, where they are mixing up the meaning of forgiving and allow to represent the Pakistani colours in one single dimension, because according to the international laws of any country, defaming the country is a criminal offence and hence the criminal charge was not imposed on him instead his offence was reprimanded, but it didn't give him the straight forward right to be part of the National Duty, because wearing the Pakistani green and its official blazer with the word Pakistan embossed on it, means you're offering a National Duty and hence if one has been involved in so much match fixing allegations, he should be politely sidelined, which Kamran Akmal has been experiencing, for which he and Salman Butt both have been Manipulating the minds of the masses, because whatever they have been saying is not wrong but their intentions were definitely wrong. That is why it is the responsibility of the management with the team to make sure, such things doesn't happen, the same thing happened with Steven Smith of Australia and how much was he ashamed on his guilt is nothing worth to write words on, because he knew that due to this action of his, the whole Australia nation was called as cheats, and even upon return to International Cricket at Ashes last year, the English crowd was booing him, this is how much intensified this issue really is, and here we have Kamran Akmal who has a paragraph full of Match Fixing Allegations at different sources, and still he's bragging that as he has been forgiven therefore it is hi straight forward right to return to Pakistani Greens.

Forgiven and inclusion into the Pakistani greens are two different dimensions

Pakistani media should remember one thing that after a player is plagiarized in defaming the country, he/the person has given open license to any one in raising fingers to the country any time of the year, therefore stop promoting such players, He might be a better player but one must remember Shakoor Rana and Mike Gatting incident, where it was handled accordingly, Kamran Akmal might be innocent in these allegations but these allegations are marked on the career of his with a permanent marker, therefore he should accept that and instead give lectures to the younger generations on how to avoid such circumstances otherwise you're going to pay the price like he did. If he does something like that, it'd be better thing and I would be the first person to appreciate his act.

Pakistan tour to NZ, not optimistic about it

The Kiwi Cricket Board already showed their stance that Kiwi public may not be excited about Pakistan's upcoming tour of the country amid spot-fixing controversy Already when Pakistan tour to New Zealand going to start in matter of some days on the boxing day with a series of 2 T20 series, one of the major news off the ground was that Kiwi Cricket Board's heads are not very optimistic with this current tour of Pakistan haunting a spot fixing scam with them. They've the right to say that they're not very much pleased with what going on with Pakistan as the Justin Vaughan feels that the New Zealand public may not be excited about Pakistan's upcoming tour of the country due to the spot-fixing controversy, "I can understand the public may not be quite as excited about Pakistan as they otherwise might have been," Vaughan said. Pakistan's tour of New Zealand, which is part of the ICC's Future Tours Programme, will be the only international series of the summer in the country and Vaughan said, "We're kidding ourselves to think that there won't be some residual impact out of all this, which is sad.", and if we go back to Gaddafi Stadium Lahore where a Butt shaped mammal is chairing, where till now while I'm typing this, PCB is requesting the ICC for giving permission for them to select the suspended players for national team selection. This again shows lack of  good governance and management. Look at the other teams for God's sake, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, they're giving rest to their seniors and juniors are hired in their places, just see, the current concluded ODI against the Kiwis, India rested their majority gun power like Sehwag, Tendulkar, MSD etc and still they were able to finish the tournament on high. On the other hand, our cricket board is having a policy of rehiring the seniors who're already found in playing politics in the national cricket team. Let me be starting from the first name who I should call the drama queen of the Pakistani cricket team (I am using the term queen with complete consciousness) Mr. Shoaib Malik aka Shoaib Mirza who when included in the team or was given privilege to travel with the team although he wasn't playing, he was found creating distances between the players and so he's responsible for what happened with Pakistan cricket i.e. making it a laughing stock, we blame others for exploiting us but why only blame them when we already have black sheeps in our national cricket teams. The second numbers comes to my mind is Kamran Akmal, who's a Gilchrist sorta player in Pakistani team, but he was also found to be lost in the glitters of fame, and made him think that he is immortal and even if he can, his brothers should fill his shoes. Although earlier when he was included he made sure he would reply everyone whoever were in against of his inclusion into the cricket team, but since his brilliant innings against the English and later against the Indians at NSK where earlier IK Pathan had scored a hat-trick, who can forgot his match saving ton and his innings in the 2nd T20 event played in England. But later when he alongwith other senior players dropped the match from their grasp last year same time, since than the bad time on Akmal Senior started. He was so complexed with other keepers in the run that he did not made any keeper to stay alongwith him, thanks to that he has axed him and the Pakistani team as well. Earlier he also played with Zulqarnain Haider's career the same way that later on when Haider got a chance, he took the cheapest way to get fame, and under the clouds of such controversies, this series is going to be played and Mr. Vaughan has the right to say that the excitement level of the cricketers and the crowd may not be to that standard. Anyways going back to the game of cricket, it is my personal opinion that we should now look life after these players and to give them so much strict punishment that the youngsters who're in the pipelines should get some lesson from it. Atleast some sort of integrity should be regained and another message should be conveyed to them that look mate, this is Pakistan's national cricket team and not you father's owned cricket team so be in your limits else get lost we've other players too in the pipelines. But that's not the case and I think that pipeline is somewhere chocked, that's why again and again the same players are coming again and again. If I flashback to the Pakistan South Africa series played in UAE, MoYo was not fit enough and while practicing he was not able to bend himself so how, why and what in the world he was doing there, who was preferred on someone else's place who like Azhar Ali when got a chance might have scored somewhat, unlike Moyo who's more like a liability since he's relaxed now and since he like some of the other senior players in the camp did didn't allowed some of the players to cement their place, because of it Pakistan is paying the price and that's why news in the circuit is that Pakistan might recall Mohammad Yousuf again. Is this a way a national team is made? Like Rameez Raja in one of his latest interviews clearly mentioned that if Pakistan able to be out of news for atleast 6 months, than it'd be said that Pakistani Cricket is somewhat out of the torrent. So under such circumstances, I don't know why and how Kiwis should be excited about this series, which is the only home series they're going to be playing this year? They've the full right to show their  reservations. Plus I just want to make a point clear that blame others but before blaming them, first clean your own collars, as if you point fingers on someone, three fingers also point you, so just remember that before making any point, as when they are filing charges against the bookie, when their pictures were released with him, at Hobart - Australia, when Pakistan was playing the dead rubber test against the Aussies, Mazhar Majeed was found sitting with several of the players like Akmal, Malik, Salman Butt, Sarfaraz Ahmed etc in the hotel lobby, and those pictures were in a stance that they were in a group for a group photo sorta gathering, so how can't they figure out the background of the bookie sitting with them? Secondly the responsibility must also fall on the shoulders of those who're heading our cricket board as these players are in the payroll of the cricket board, and as I've a little bit training experience at several banks, I've seen that the permanent employees bear the most of responsibilities on their shoulders, and because they're on the payroll of their employees, they've to give some result, else they've got someone else to fill in their shoes, which in management language is said to be a result oriented management which is followed globally, but can't say whether the PCB follows the same or not? Peace!

Re: Rana, Malik get one-year bans, Younis and Yousuf axed from teams

Reference: http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/451392.html

Rana, Malik get one-year bans, Younis and Yousuf axed from teams

Osman Samiuddin

March 10, 2010

 

	The PCB has sacked ex-captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan from all formats of the international game © AFP

The PCB has struck against its players with a venom unseen in recent memory, carrying out the deepest cull of a senior cricket team in many years and banning and fining seven of its top players after the side's disastrous, winless tour of Australia. It has banned Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, from playing for Pakistan in any format for an indefinite period, while handing out one-year bans to Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers were fined Rs2-3 million [$24,000-35,000] for various misdemeanours and put on six-month probations.

Action had been expected once details of the inquiry committee's report recommendations were leaked in the press on Monday and Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, had followed it up by saying "more than significant action" would be taken against players. While the punishments for Malik, Rana, Afridi and the Akmal brothers were expected, the action against Yousuf and Younis has caught most people off-guard.

"Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team should not be part of national team in any format," the board said in its statement issued on Wednesday.

The PCB has stopped short of calling the punishment a life ban. "They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on," Taffazul Rizvi, the board's legal advisor told Cricinfo. "A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad."

Typically there was confusion and the board later appeared to climb down by clarifying that this was not the end of their careers. In a statement released at least six hours after the original release, the board said, "that the recommendation of the Committee is not a life ban on these cricketers. There is no specified term in the recommendation for these two players. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team."

Rizvi refused to elaborate on the nature of the pair's cases, but it is believed that the board had generally had enough with the two. Younis twice stepped down from the captaincy last year with player unrest against his leadership the underlying cause both times. Yousuf's sins are equally unclear, other than that he led a winless tour to Australia and engaged thereafter in a public battle with Malik.

The cases of indiscipline that have led to one-year bans on Malik and Rana, similarly, have not been expanded upon. "Rana Naved ul Hasan and Shoaib Malik be fined Rupees Two million. They should not be part of national team in any format for a period of one year."

Malik's name has figured persistently at the centre of speculation over the last year in inciting player unrest within the team, though nothing substantial has appeared in public to back that up. "We cannot discuss the specifics of the incident as we are under oath," Rizvi said. "But obviously we have taken action after much consideration and based on solid information."

In contrast, the cases of Akmal brothers and Shahid Afridi are straightforward. The brothers were fined for their behavior in the aftermath of the Sydney Test; Kamran was dropped by the board but insisted publicly he would be selected in the run-up to the third Test. Younger brother Umar was alleged to have feigned an injury to not play the Test in protest, though he did eventually play. Kamran has been fined Rs 3 million, Umar Rs 2 million and the pair are on probation.

Afridi was punished for the ball-biting incident in the Perth ODI, where he was captain. He has already been punished by the ICC, who immediately gave him a two-match ban. "For the shameful act of Shahid Khan Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute, he be fined Rupees 3 million," the board said. "A warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for 06 months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored."

The bans were handed down by an inquiry committee which comprised former players Wasim Bari, Zakir Khan and Yawar Saeed, besides Wazir Ali Khoja, a member of the PCB governing council, and Rizvi. The committee held hearings on February 12th, 13th and the 27th, and looked into reports from former coach Intikhab Alam, manager Abdul Raqeeb and newly appointed coach Waqar Younis, who was the bowling consultant during the Australia tour. Besides the players who were punished, the committee questioned Intikhab, Raqeeb, opener Salman Butt, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the physio Faisal Hayat and the PCB's cricket analyst Mohammad Talha.

Attention will turn now to how the players will respond. Legal action or appeals will be a consideration though Rizvi insisted the board was on solid ground. "We are on good ground with this," he said. "The PCB has done it thinking it is the right thing to do. It sets an example for the future."

As a whole, the action is almost unparalleled in even Pakistan's troubled history. The 2000 Justice Qayyum report had similar repercussions but that was about the graver concerns of corruption. This cull has been carried out, ostensibly, in a bid to curb indiscipline and player power.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

Feeds: Osman Samiuddin

Atlast some serious action taken by the PCB, but why only on the two great Y's! Although I must admit I am not a great fan of Muhammad Yousuf, after what doing some faulter captaincy and politics in the team. On the other hand, Shoaib Malik should have been punished heavier as in my opinion he's the main culprit behind all this. And Akmals after what they had done was serious and they didn't deserved to be playing, whatever Kamran Akmal did in Sydney test, i.e. dropping Hussey couple of times in an inning, the same player later scored a hundred and let the Aussies to win that test match which was almost on the grip of Pakistan team, but what junior Akmal did was an eye opener for the weak management of Pakistani team, because he had shown fake injury in protest of senior Akmal being dropped from the dead rubber Hobart test, even though he played but the enthusiasm which had been his trademark was not shown and it clearly showed that the aggression and zeal which was needed from him wasn't shown.

God knows why both Y's were dropped in presence of such stinky fishes, which they would be returned by filing a case just like some players did in 2000 after match fixing allegations. Just keeping my fingers crossed and next 24 - 48 hours are crucial, on the other hand news channels in Pakistan are having a cashing time covering this story. Lets hope all things go better for Pakistani cricket as it has been under hell of a controversies.

Peace!