ICC Champions Trophy - Controversy in trophy tour

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It is an ICC event, so why is PCB following
dictations when none follows their dictation?

The ICC's Champions Trophy tour will begin on Saturday from Islamabad, Pakistan, but will exclude Muzaffarabad from its initial leg due to objections raised by the BCCI. The removal of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, sends a harmful message to those living in these areas, implying they are not worthy of recognition. These regions deserve the same acknowledgement as major cities like Karachi. Furthermore, the PCB missed a crucial opportunity by failing to include Peshawar and Quetta in the tour. These cities are just as integral to Pakistan, and promoting tourism there should have been a priority, rather than focusing solely on a few selective venues.

This objection caused delays in finalizing a new route, raising concerns about the tour's potential postponement. The PCB announced the tour's launch and route on social media on Thursday, catching the ICC off guard. As an ICC event, protocol dictates that the global body announces such details.

However, an alternative route was finalized late on Friday, allowing the tour to begin as originally planned and announced by the PCB. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will accompany the trophy on the first day as it is displayed at iconic landmarks in Islamabad, including Daman-e-Koh, Faisal Mosque, and the Pakistan Monument.

From Islamabad, the trophy will visit schools, colleges, and landmarks in Abbottabad, Murree, and Karachi in the opening leg before embarking on an international tour to the seven other countries participating in the Champions Trophy.

The trophy will return to Pakistan on January 27, three weeks before the tournament's scheduled start, for another tour of venues across Pakistan.

With less than 100 days remaining until the tournament, it is unacceptable that there is still uncertainty about how much of the event will be held in Pakistan. I have been vocal in condemning this decision because it will undoubtedly tarnish Pakistan's image, while India will take every opportunity to undermine us. We must focus on the broader implications rather than getting caught up in short-term thinking. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that its government will not allow the team to play in Pakistan, proposing a hybrid model where India plays its matches elsewhere. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must stand firm and reject this notion; the entire tournament must and should be held in Pakistan only.

The PCB has written to the ICC, demanding that the BCCI provide written reasons for its refusal to visit and clarify when the ICC was informed of the BCCI's decision. 

It is unacceptable for the PCB to allow foreign entities to dictate terms that compromise Pakistan's interests. The PCB must assert its authority and prioritize national interests over external pressures.

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What has happened to Pakistani cricketers?

I was going through cricketing YouTube channels for updating myself off cricketing news amid COVID-19 threat.

I have not been impressed with the way our social media has been acting while refurnishing the old mid 90s fixing scams, I know it is a reality which is not going to be denied by any means, but why spoon-feeding? That too in the time period where majority of the cricketing masses are situated at homes, therefore I have been cynical on the contribution of the social media while unnecessarily hyping the age old allergy again and again, which for me is like a criminal offense.

Those who say it is not!

I just want to give an example of someone who has skin allergy for instance Eczema, once one had that instance of particular skin allergy, but now because of precautions and proper medications, one has got rid from the same, so would it be feasible for rub the same area again and again so that the particular allergy erupts again and subsequently involves other areas of the body. The best way to tackle with skin allergy is to contain the allergy at a limited area.

Fixing and Allergy

Same is the scenario with Fixing Allegations being criminally highlighted where instead of containing the same, our so called social media is glamorizing it as a pride. If I remember correctly (correct me if I am not) spanning from 2010 till 2019, we had seen Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Asif, Salman Butt, Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, and last but yet to be the least, Umar Akmal.

Shoaib Akhtar

What has happened to Shoaib Akhtar? If I recall myself back in time when Shoaib Akhtar was about to launch his book "Controversially Yours" in 2011, where he used to bash Indian Cricketers, even at that time I personally used to place my status's regarding why he has been so controversial, as at that time I didn't know the meaning of being an attention-seeker, but after some "software timely update" he has been psychoanalytically more closer to India than the Indians themselves.

As per the video above

Are Indians so vocal about Pakistani cricketers these days like Pakistani cricketers have been? Instead of being social media junkies, they should concentrate on continuous improvement cum upgrades, instead of degrading the stature of all Pakistanis all around the world by doing such cheap things. Just answer me this thing again, are Indians vocal about Pakistanis? Aren't they considering Indian interests more than anything else? It is the intent which matters.

Danish Kaneria playing the minority card

Danish Kaneria after spoiling his own case, has now gone all naked and like we say in Urdu بے شرم ہوجانا because he initially ruined his own case and now after crying over the spilled milk, has tried himself to be a drama queen to instead playing his cards with his judgement, which I am sorry he did not, the claims he has been portraying on his online interview with Vikrant Gupta of an Indian TV Sports Tak.

My say

My say is that he himself is responsible for the mess, either he was wrong the first time and later on he was right or change of hearts, but the way he shred the light on the minority card, is very humiliating because we as Pakistanis doesn't believe on such things, he himself has a right to earn a living, this is a definite physiological right of DK, but if I were at DK's place, I would had taken some other aspects of earning my living, as I personally feel since I am plagiarized now to represent the country, I would definitely had sidelined myself from cricketing activities. This would have been the case for DK instead of returning back to cricket. Respect is more important than money, this is what I personally feel.

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Shoaib Akhtar - country comes first

Original link enclosed here

Shoaib Akhtar instead of beating around the bush
should go for something constructive for the country

One thing I am not able to understand, though Indian people are not like that how their media is portraying but the fact is in today's scenario where wars are being staged on News Media, than why in the world is Mr. Shoaib Akhtar trying so hard to emphasis on having friendship with India.

Because of people like him

Indians have started to treat Pakistanis as someone taken for granted, otherwise in the 1990s it was other way round where they still rate our cricketers and seniors on a higher level, but now they have downgraded and degraded the pride stature we once had, because of people like Shoaib Akhtar who have no shame in admitting that they are the sole agents of Indian diplomacy in Pakistan.

Country comes first

I am definitely assured that one or more posts like that won't hurt his cause (which is promoting Indian perspective in Pakistan without knowing the repercussions in the long run), I do not have a problem with it, but kindly take control of Pakistan's pride, we're not here to be treated as a 'washroom rug' on international grounds, because this is not rigidness but every country have this legislative on what to promote, how to promote, why to promote, when to promote and where to promote, because country's pride is a very sensitive issue which is as fragile as it gets, therefore these are the margins which one should not be allowed to breach so that no further international جگ ہنسائی be experienced and it should be eradicated to as much as possible.

My objection

My objection is very simple, facilitating Indians should be maintained on equality, because it should not be like that Intend to take all and give nothing, whether Indians allow Pakistani cricketers and other personnel in India? Than why are we being so اتاولا on facilitating them without taking account of country's stature?

Don't place lame excuses

We have examples like Rashid Latif and Moin Khan who're placing themselves behind the curtains although Rashid Latif has also been involved with a YouTube channel and PTV Sports analyst but the fact is both are contributing to Pakistan cricket by involving with Pakistan domestic and academy cricket which is much better aspect than being so vocal on the National Media resulting in mockery of Pakistan and Pakistan's cricket fraternity.

Shoaib Akhtar might go for a training academy just like them

This is a reality, instead of showing so much sycophantic affection towards India (no grudge to India) but give something to the country you got fame from, just answer us what he has given back to the country, without seeking attention for it? Like Rashid Latif runs Caught Behind Youtube channel but never I have listened him promoting his academy on social media medium, maybe once or twice but I have never seen him so, the same thing Shoaib Akhtar could also do the same thing so that he could brag that he has done something for the country after he has retired.

Why creating a non-issue as an issue?

Shoaib Akhtar came to trending amid 27th April 2020 when Umar Akmal was awarded 3 years cricket suspension means he can't play cricket of any sort because of the punishment, where Shoaib Akhtar was saying that the fault was not of Umar Akmal but Judiciary party of PCB, although later on in the video, he diplomatically changed the topic and also criticized Umar Akmal for the cover up but his main topic was not to making Umar Akmal realize what he has done, but to give him a cover in placing the whole blame on the judiciary team of PCB.

Umar Akmal case was...

When the people who spot fix the particular event in a cricket game, approached Umar Akmal; in reciprocate he didn't inform the PCB and relevant authorities which in the books of the law, means you were giving it a thought, so I personally feel the PCB did the right thing according to the circumstances.

Umar Akmal had previously been involved in such misconducts

So does Mr. Shoaib Akhtar going to say that players' are gods and they are nowhere to be touched? Are they مادر پدر آزاد? Are they allowed to do anything even if it is misconduct, or in Shoaib's case; yet another attention-seeking gesture, which he is advocating is nothing of higher importance but if we analyze on longer run, the misconduct with Umar Akmal did is not being allowed anywhere on the global world, or if even it is allowed, it is allowed on New-Age genre which is a non serious segment in their segments, therefore what Shoaib Akhtar did has nothing to do with recent times but in the generations to come, the misconduct which Shoaib Akhtar advocated will have a greater impact.

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Shoaib Akhtar... why you do this all the time?

This is a shame on how a Pakistani great pacer of modern era, whom I grow up watching playing splendid games, a bowler who was havoc on the batters during his fiery spells, which used to increase tense and adrenaline rapidly for both his team mates, his fans both in Pakistan and abroad and his critics, for which we Pakistanis used to feel patronage on how our bowler used to take revenge and rapid reaction on subliminal reactions towards Pakistan team.

When Shoaib Akhtar made a mark... in style

This is the moment when I personally remember as a heroic effort from a Pakistani pacer which definitely made me like him as a superman of the Pakistan Cricket Team, for which I still remember and praise him for the effort he did, especially the fact he was having broken knees and whole respect for the lad performing so much with a deficiency.

After retirement - post 2011 era

Being attention seeker

If being under certain aspects, being attention seeking ain't a bad thing. We do the same while seeking appreciation from our ordinates and seniors, therefore it is totally natural, but the level of attention seeking SA has incorporated, is negative attention seeking.

Freedom of speech - with self imposed regulations

This is another aspect, because freedom of speech is something basic and common right of every individual, but Allah and other heavenly religions do emphasize on taking accounts of taking care of sentiments of fellow human being, like there is a saying in Urdu language that تیر کمان سے اور بات زبان سے نکلی ہوئی کبھی واپس نہیں آتی if I transliterate in English, think before you leap forward.

Self-respect

There is one thing known as self-respect, when Indians taunt us that we involve their material and content in order to get more views and viewership, instead we should remember that Indians created this aspect of Indian Nationalism within the masses, that they are proud of their brands and promote it as THEIR NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, the same instead if SA had done for Pakistan instead of licking (Indian) their butts, he would had got more respect globally, because it is Pakistan from where you got all this fame, therefore it was your national responsibility to promote Pakistan instead of showing the world that our patronage and proud nature not only against India but globally which is a natural aspect internationally.

Sorry to say

Shoaib Akhtar feels freedom of speech means speaking your heart out without acknowledging the outcome and/or repercussions of whatever he says, as he is a well-known celebrity, therefore it is a well known fact that whatever he utters makes a mockery of Pakistani perspective which destroyed the Pakistani pride on the whole.

The Indian perspective

Logistically, this seems improbable, even safety-wise for the cricketers. Akhtar’s proposal was shot down by former Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev, who said that India doesn’t need money to fight the coronavirus crisis, but needs the authorities to work together. Dev said we don’t need to put the lives of cricketers at stake for raising money.

And this is not the end, he has been busy uttering rubbish and showing his affection (which is not actually a bad thing) towards India, it is to be make sure that country's pride is to be prioritized, just like Indians do with their country's pride on international arena, which we need to acknowledge and make sure when talking about Pakistan. 

Umar Akmal, when you do not nip-in-the-bud on given time

Although, Umar Akmal is surely responsible for whatever the trouble he's in, but the fact is, it requires two hands to create a clap.

Management requires to be proactive

This is the main bone of contention because whoever reading this from anywhere and from any part of the world, would surely agree with me that characters like Umar Akmal are in every part of the cricketing world, it is just the matter of how the cricket board of that country tackles with them.

List of some modern-day cricketers creating troubles for the Cricket Boards

Like I mentioned above, the cricket fraternity is filled with cricketers creating trouble for their respective cricket boards, but their case studies show that it is because of the prompt actions amid their cricket boards, that we rate them as current modern-day likable.

Ricky Ponting

Also known as Punter, furthermore he has been associated with Australia, Antigua Hawksbills, ICC World XI, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Somerset, Surrey, Tasmania. While his blade has sparkled, his stewardship is pock-marked by three Ashes defeats - two in England and one at home - and stumbles to South Africa and India.

As a batsman the only debate is where to rank him in the high reaches of the game's greatest run-makers. Acclaimed by Academy coach Rod Marsh as the best teenage batsman he had ever seen, Ponting began with Tasmania at 17 and Australia at 20 and was given out unluckily for 96 on his Test debut. There were some teething problems, including a public admission of an alcohol problem, but the longer he went on the more he matured, building up records and runs.

But the fact is, he was a reckless darling of Australian cricket, but the reality is their cricket board managed him accordingly;

Being alcoholic

In early 1999, Ricky Ponting suffered a major blow, as he was involved in a fight within a night club that left him unhanded, in return he was subsequently suspended for three matches for this controversial behavior. For the first time, his love of gambling makes headlines for all the wrong reasons.

A foul-mouthed captain

The bitter loss for Ponting was so humiliating that he could not control his anger. He famously lost his cool, known as a controversial incident in recent days when he was run out by substitute fielder Gary Pert in the fourth Test against England. England coach Duncan Fletcher was fined 75% of the match fee as soon as he left the pitch at Trent Bridge.

Virat Kohli

During his early days, he was flamboyant and used to fight with his fellow cricketers in the team, therefore it was a hard time for even BCCI to rehabilitate him, because had BCCI didn't take respective actions to safeguard a cricketer who is fearless, and always ready to take challenges on his shoulders, because being a Pakistani, I am not going to forget the innings of VK even when I'd be in my 60s when in an Asia Cup game, he chased a massive target placed by Pakistan and won India an unbelievable ODI game.

Therefore getting back to the topic

The fault lies with both Umar Akmal and the cricketing board which is Pakistan Cricket Board (The PCB), where not only Umar Akmal but the Cricket Board is equally responsible and again this is not a contradiction of my above arguments where I have shown my eagerness in giving punishments to the players who plays with the name of the country, but my additional step from this argument is that who is going to implement the intention for eradicating the trust of cricket game lovers, having additional players in support of the players already performing, because monopoly is not good for the game, and if we praise a player like a god, it is going to show light for those players that they are invincibles, whose responsibility was that to ensure monopoly doesn't sustain? Whose responsibility was to ensure to have a rehabilitation program for safeguarding the interest of the country and the country's cricket board?

No sympathies for Umar Akmal but he has been scapegoated!

Again I have to repeat, No sympathies for a drama queen like Umar Akmal who thought to be famous is to do controversial and objectional things on the social media, everyone likes seeking attention, but in seeking attention, one must not cross his limits set by the seniors, and it is the responsibility of the management to make sure everything goes in sync with the organization, in the present scenario is PCB, therefore Umar Akmal is the main culprit but the management is equally responsible for not taking timely actions to eradicate the repercussions.

Repetitive incidents in the recent past

Repetitive incidents in the recent past have definitely exposed the loopholes of the cricket board because this is the responsibility of the cricket board not to have a repetitive instance multiple times.

Not agreeing with Shoaib Akhtar

This again needs to be clarified, that I am not agreeing as while I am critical of the cricket board but at least I am not biased as Shoaib Akhtar just because he had displeased incidents with the PCB and he had grudges toward them, for which he exploited because he has been using Umar Akmal's shoulders to aim his own proposed plans. This is a national issue as Pakistan's name is being dirtied amid Umar Akmal punishment and therefore we need to use our words sensibly because one wrong word in this social media era can make a mockery of the whole nation within minutes. So if someone has a wide fan-club as Shoaib Akhtar needs to behave with empathy and should sideline his personal grudges at the side and be neutral on his comments because that shows the stature of a person.

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Mr. Shoaib 'Bash' Akhtar Sahab

Below are the points I am gonna debate on;

• Umar Akmal is the latest Pakistani player to be banned on the corruption charges

  This is a shame, because one must remember the fact that he (Umar Akmal) and Virat Kohli debuted in the same timeline, one end up being one of the greatest chasers of modern day cricket, and otherwise the other debutant end up being part of different controversies, and instead of concentrating on his career and the lucky opportunity of representing the country which other fellow players with him always dreamed of, but honestly in my own perspective, he was a great player but because of his childish attitude, he ruined the opportunity he got, for which there is none to blame, he was a self-detonating time bomb which actually exploded few hours ago.

• Akmal had failed to report spot-fixing approaches made to him during the recent edition of the Pakistan Super League-5

  Again I would have to continue with above mentioned argument, that because of the above mentioned attitude and behavioral problem in his genes, there's none to blame except himself, because initially we must take account of the fact that since Hansie Cronje debacle, the cricketing world/fraternity has been choosy and cautious of such approaches, and hence it is a raising of eye brows act that so much discrepancy in his actions that once he informed the PCB of the approach but another instance where such approach was made again, he didn't take it seriously and took casual attitude towards it in the second time around.

• Akhtar slammed the PCB and its legal department for their failure to handle the issue of match-fixing

  Here I am gonna oppose Mr. Shoaib Akhtar on diverting/converting/plagiarizing the whole societal issue into a lawsuit issue, which is under no circumstances relates to the present circumstances, because if Mr. Shoaib Akhtar recalls, he himself has been DEPENDENT on/of fan-support himself, which is not a bad thing but this is a bad thing that you end up diverting the attention from society who is basically responsible for this debacle, because honestly if our society and fans had acted sensibly, and had not pampered him and other cricketers post 1992 era, players would also had not crossed lines, even if we go through Islamic Studies as well, there have been restrictions/limitations on us because if otherwise, it would definitely create a catastrophe and a quick detonation of the time-bomb, because the society needs to be self accountable of their own acts before pointing fingers on others.
  Hence, instead of the legal department, it is the fault of the SOCIETY, because like we quote, You reap what you sow hence he himself was found saying that chiefs of the cricket board were fans of those tainted cricketers, but my say is even if the chiefs were, why the society let it be like that? Why players ended up saying ہم عوام کی خواہش پر کھیلیں گے like that? Means the fault lies more with the society because it were the masses who accepted them. So when society is the main culprit, you still want to blame the legal department of PCB and place all the mess under the carpet? This is a shame for you Mr. Shoaib 'Bash' Akhtar sahab.

  You should remember one thing

  Proud nations do place country's pride at front, and sportsmen are their reflections on global scale, and since you have retired from competitive cricket, you have been a bash-boy of the cricketing fraternity and have been acting the 'next' Veena Malik, and acting sycophantic towards Indians instead of being logical like Kapil Dev when Vikrant Gupta took him online for an interview, and placed your point of view of staging an exhibition game for Corona Victims, he said if they required money, we should give them as we don't require, instead I would had wished this amount would have been distributed to the educational concerns as our children are the victims as they have been void of their study rights. 
  This shows and exposes the concerns of a reply from an educated person versus an emotional and a person who place country's dignity on global grounds, because loving the country is one thing, but representing the love for your country on international ground is something else, SA might be a more patriotic person from the heart but failed miserably in representing the respect, dignity, concerns and pride of the nation on international grounds.

  Sachin's birthday

  Because of your sycophantic attitude towards Indians (no offense to Indians), even Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar didn't bother to respond to your birthday tweet, otherwise just imagine if instead, it was by Wasim Akram or even by Imran Khan, had he not respond? He even respond to Brett Lee, so this is a clear indication where you stand on the international grounds, so therefore instead of talking TIT-FOR-TATS, try to take courses and classes from intellectuals on how to talk and how to hit-the-pot-when-it-is-hot strategy instead of being a reckless driver on an expressway. Enough said...

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Are heroes treated like that?

	Not only Afridi but there are many players who were disgraced in current cricket board's tenure. After a week long gap, I'm again in a mood to write one, as dust from Afridi-PCB controversy starting to settle as Afridi withdraw his petition against the PCB and made himself available for the hearing at PCB HQ. On the other hand PCB gifted him with hefty fines and with that gave him a PCB NOC which means he can now play his remaining stint with UK County Hampshire and the SLPL. Since 8th of October 2008, when this Azaab-e-Ilahi (God's Curse), imposed on us in the shape of PCB chairman, following the support with some of the in-power political parties and parties in the opposition, has ruined and deteriorated Pakistan's and Pakistan Cricket's image once and for all, It'll take sometime to get these wounds healed. We lost players like MoYo and Younis just because they came in against of the Butt's dictatorship. They claim that we got rid of dictatorship but I say a new sort of idiotic dictatorship has been imposed on us where no one's accountable on the top but the sub-ordinates do. I am too young to have a memory of PCB's history but whatever I heard and searched about PCB from my elders and from the internet, I never found a clue that so many players went in against of the administrator of the PCB to the court in a same tenure. Players had to have a visit to Provincial High Courts in order to gain some justice against the PCB. I don't know why and what in the world making them so complacent to take action against this buffoon in human shape. Neither he has provided with a future plan for Pakistan cricket, nor invested in PCB property like Grounds, infrastructures etc, but in order to get positive gestures from the people in power, he has created an International Cricket Ground in Garhi Khuda Bukhsh. I do not object on this construction of ground but what guarantee do they give it'd be well maintained, unlike National Stadium in Karachi, which is under shattered, although they've worked so much on the outfield but what about the outlook of the ground? Similarly with a domestically used PCB held cricket ground recently constructed at Mirpurkhas, Sindh, which outer walls were on ground when last year torrential rains after Cyclone Phet hit Thatta and adjourning areas. Talking about players, this is not the first time that a senior has retaliated against the current administration of the PCB, Younis Khan who won us the 2009 WT20 stint in the UK also came under fire, than MoYo and so on and so forth. I just thank Almighty Inzamam-ul-Haq retired on the right time, else the kinda respect and response he got from everyone wasn't even thinkable. Already we're famous in the World for not respecting our seniors when they retired, they came up with a boom and die with a spark like a star whose life's diminished with just a spark of light and than its a history. I don't think after great Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, I don't remember we gave a standing ovation to an outgoing sports personality, whether it comes to two great W's. Saqlain Mushtaq, who innovated the Doosra Ball, Shoaib Akhtar, even those who're in and are in hot waters although because of their own, the PCB should have had supported them whatsoever, we should not forget many of our current cricket team players' hail from humble background, so when PCB is spending so much in creating their own housing societies and etc, they should invest in their own players because of them, the PCB is able to generate money but instead of investing them into their players, they're using them in themselves, and let players to play for foreign leagues, to earn, instead of doing something like that on their own ground. I was hearing about PPL or PCL whatsoever since Pakistan played that famous Karachi test against the Indians in 2006-07 season, had they started it on war-approach, if they had started PPL or PCL back than, eventhough attack on Sri Lankan team would had happened, atleast we'd had some source of earning and similarly up-to-date upgrade of our grounds, or at Dubai, Sharjah and/or Abu Dhabi. It could had been a profitable venture in whatever the circumstances. Look what India have gained from their domestic multimillion tournament, they've up-to-date ground facilities, they are able to have back-benches populated so that there's backup to every single player, on the contrary I need not to mention what's the situation in Pakistan, even those who do not watch cricket know what's and where's wrong! Instead of spending time in investing and creating new ways of generating incomes, they are wasting their energies in court visits and Uncle Butt's foreign trips with the team. May Allah bless us all, Ameen.

Adieu la légende Shoaib Akhtar

Akhtar going back to his mark after bowling out  fast and furiously MJ with a beautiful delivery after Sachin at Kolkata As the title says for itself, Adieu la légende. I was in my university when this news broke that one of my personal favourite fast bowler of all time, Shoaib Akhtar got a retirement as soon as Pakistan's world cup comes to an end, either by winning or even before that. I was reading comments on Cricinfo, and everyone got me flashbacked to that marvelous bowling spell at Kolkata and than the Cricket World Cup 1999 Semi Final fiery spell against the Kiwis, or the Current Cricket World Cup 2011s league match against the mighty Lankans, where he bowled out a fast delivery to get rid of Mahela Jayawerdene. Although Akhtar's carrer has several full stops, which resulted delay in his career debut aswell, but I personally think he was much better than the current lot of Pakistani so called cream, who preferred themselves on Pakistan, don't wanna name them but you guys know whom I am pointing to, atleast he came out of all grays around him, specially the time when Pakistan recently toured England where spot-fixing scam took place, or if going at the time-line, he was not named even at the Match-Fixing tribunal's outcome where Pakistan's cream got punishments including Wasim Akram but he was spared as he was also with the team since 1996-1997. His carrer, although has been ruined because of two factors during his primitive career, as according to South Asian Standards, they're very little and only handful. If we sneak peak into his career we'll find out that because of his injuries and bowling-action controversies, because of which it has been a mere that he used to play a complete series. Bowling averages Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10 Tests 46 82 8143 4574 178 6/11 11/78 25.69 3.37 45.7 10 12 2 ODIs 163 162 7764 6169 247 6/16 6/16 24.97 4.76 31.4 6 4 0 T20Is 15 15 318 432 19 3/38 3/38 22.73 8.15 16.7 0 0 0 Fir me, following were some of my personal favourite spells by him. The wicket, gave identity to this fast bowler at that time for Indian players and fans 4 for 71 v India, Asian Test Championship, Kolkata, 1999 Two balls that silenced 100,000 spectators. Indian fans weren't too familiar with Shoaib Akhtar but he introduced himself in a manner that left a packed Eden Gardens shell-shocked in a minute. He broke through Rahul Dravid's defences with a fiery inswinging yorker that uprooted leg stump but what followed was unfathomable to the crowd then. India's best batsman strolled to the crease to wild cheers and walked back to the pavilion to stunned silence. Facing Shoaib for the first time, Sachin Tendulkar was at the receiving end of another inswinging yorker, which he failed to keep out and which sent the middle stump cartwheeling towards the wicketkeeper. Shoaib had well and truly arrived. He bagged eight wickets in a match-winning performance. Akhtar's fiery spell didn't allow the Kiwis to get settled during the Cricket World Cup 1999 3 for 55 v New Zealand, World Cup semi-final, Manchester, 1999 Shoaib lit up the World Cup semi-final in Manchester in front of a partisan crowd to give his favourite opposition their first taste of what would be a regular diet from him. He hit 90 mph consistently and, though he went for a few, he aimed correctly and just at the right time to prevent New Zealand from posting a challenging score in what turned out to be a one-sided knockout. Shoaib bowled three spells, and dislodged a batsman in each. Nathan Astle was his first victim. Stephen Fleming had just slashed him to third man when Shoaib returned from round the wicket to fire in a 92mph yorker that cleaned up leg stump. And, in his final spell, pace gave way to subtlety as Chris Harris was undone by a superbly disguised slower ball. New Zealand were kept to 241 for 7, and Pakistan chased that down with no difficulty. Akhtar broke the 100mph barrier in the same match 6 for 11 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lahore, 2002 New Zealand were steamrolled with both bat and ball in Lahore and Shoaib joined in the hammering. New Zealand were up against it after Pakistan had piled up 643 in the first innings, and Shoaib's spell shut them completely out of contention. His six victims were all either bowled or lbw as his fiery pace and toe-crushing lengths simply proved too hot to handle. In a spell of fifty deliveries, Shoaib bagged 6 for 11 and skittled out New Zealand for 73, towards a massive defeat. A fast bowler shattering the stumps of another fast bowler at Colombo, 2002 5 for 21 v Australia, 1st Test, Colombo, 2002 Australia's pre-eminence had rarely been challenged in the late nineties and the early noughties, but one Shoaib spell threatened to cause a major upset against a young Pakistan team. Pakistan were looking to limit the damage after conceding a lead of 188 in the first innings but Shoaib sprung the Colombo Test back to life in a spell that made a nonsense of an unfavourable pitch with searing pace. Called on to bowl for a second spell after Australia had been well-placed at 71 for 1, Shoaib fired in a series of inswinging thunderbolts that crippled a powerful line-up. Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh were sent back in a matter of five deliveries and Adam Gilchrist was knocked off with a missile from round the wicket. Australia lost nine wickets for 53, of which Shoaib nipped out five, to collapse to 127 all out. The Pakistan batsmen, for their part, suffered a collapse of their own to lose by 41 runs. Akhtar during ODI match against the Aussies  at Brisbane, an spell which allowed Pakistan to win their first bilateral ODI series against Aussies in their own backyard 5 for 25 v Australia, 3rd ODI, Brisbane, 2002 Shoaib starred in another significant win for Pakistan, this time helping them seal an ODI series in Australia. He had the cushion of a competitive score and derailed an Australian line-up that struggled to put up a challenge. Ponting fell to pace, Darren Lehmann was bowled round his legs, Michael Bevan was caught behind while the tail offered little resistance. Shoaib followed up three wickets in three overs with a couple more down the order to finish with 5 for 25 and catch Australia short by 91 runs. Akhtar's 5-for in first and 6-for in the second innings literally shattered the Kiwis like this Ian Butler's wicket 6 for 30 v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Wellington, 2003 Shoaib's love affair with New Zealand's batting continued in Wellington, the hosts caving in to a devastating spell to set up a memorable victory for Pakistan. His pace acquired greater potency with the movement and swing in a windy Wellington and the New Zealand batsmen failed to measure up to that. Shoaib had picked up a five-for in the first innings but his batsmen had let that effort down, conceding a lead of 170. New Zealand looked good to put it beyond the visitors in the second innings before Shoaib struck. He removed a stodgy Mark Richardson and Scott Styris off successive deliveries, and combined with seamer Shabbir Ahmed to clean up the tail. New Zealand lost seven wickets for eight runs in 10.4 overs and Pakistan's batsmen stepped up in the second innings to chase down 274. Although one must not forget the bowling spell against the Kiwis at Pallekele, one must praise Ross Taylor where he literally shattered SA, but he's one of the greats of the game when it comes to fiery fast bowling, and while the chapter of Shoaib Akhtar gonna end, I don't think there would be a pace bowler like him as Shane Bond retired, Tait and Lee gonna soon, so I'd call this decade in which fast bowling would have an end. Alas!

Time to create some backup!

What is life for Pakistan Cricket after them? Are we working for a backup plan who'd replace them after they retire?

Although now clouds have been shed from the captaincy of upcoming series' in Sri Lanka and England, but have we thought of a backup plan, for life after Afridis, Younis', Yousufs, Maliks, Shoaib Akhtars etc?

Why we're wasting talent like Asim Kamal? Instead of trying in their later matches in New Zealand and Australia just after the World T20 triumph in England, they emphasized on a player who was instead of attending Pakistan's domestic matches which were on those days, went on to play a private league in Bangladesh, where according to stats mention, he was the high scorer! but did that thing helped Pakistan in New Zealand and Australia when it needed most? Afridi was also in Australia but he did played his part like the first ODI innings which he played and than the captaincy at the fifth and final ODI where Pakistan had almost won against Aussies. But did Misbah played his part? His inclusion in the team was just on the basis of his lucky year 2007 performance.

Like some analysts said, selecting players on reputation has paid the price in this World T20 played in West Indies, Pakistan also paid the price in this regards. If there was any other deserving player in place of Misbah it would have paid like the inclusion of Abdul Rehman following an injury to Yasir Arafat.

What I am saying instead of selecting team on players' past performance why not selecting them on the basis of their performances in domestic circuit? It might good to listen but we have to improve our domestic circuit standard, with comparison to Australian Shield. It has been a norm that a player emerges from our domestic taking handful wickets or scoring tons of scores but when the real arena for performance matters, they fail!

Asim Kamal had promise in his performance why isn't he be giving chances I don't know, but wanna know!