Najam Sethi has trapped Pakistan cricket! (PC-AFP)
New Delhi, There is a very old saying – four days of moonlight then a dark night. This saying fits perfectly on the Pakistan Cricket Board. Exactly four days back. Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi came in front of the camera. He started his talk by saying that he has brought great news – the Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan. After this he said many other things. Which we will mention further. Ending his talk, he said – better late than never. Good news will keep coming in future also.
Exactly four days later the ‘good news’ that came is that Najam Sethi is leaving his post of Pakistan Cricket Board. Now there is talk of this responsibility going to Zaka Ashraf. Now you decide whether this whole incident within 4 days is ‘good news’ or ‘bad news’ for Pakistan cricket.
What is the reason for leaving the post of Najam Sethi?
It is good that Najam Sethi himself has given this reason. Otherwise there would be a lot of speculations. Najam Sethi himself has written in the social media that- “I do not want to be the root of the dispute between Asif Zardari and Shahbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Under these circumstances, I am not a candidate for the post of PCB chairman. Best wishes to all the stakeholders.
Salaam everyone! I dont want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all the stakeholders.
Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) June 19, 2023
Everyone will understand that if he had to make this announcement only after 4 days, then he does not promise good news before 4 days. That is, all the development has happened suddenly. While announcing the hosting of the Asia Cup, Najam Sethi had also said that since 2016, Pakistan Super League has improved every year. Apart from this, all the big teams have visited Pakistan. Since 2008, there was a major lacuna in organizing a multi-team tournament, that lacuna has also been filled by the Asia Cup. He also discussed the effort behind it and the future of hybrid models. We will also discuss the impact of this turn of events, but first let’s listen to Najam Sethi’s four days old statement.
Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, thanks the Asian Cricket Council for accepting its hybrid model for the ACC Asia Cup 2023, which is now scheduled from 31 August to 17 September.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/xNWnm2YJTX pic.twitter.com/hmxSTUHwqv
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 15, 2023
What is the internal politics of Pakistan cricket?
Understand the internal politics of Pakistan cricket. Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan. Being the Prime Minister, he is also the ‘Patron’ of the Board. Asif Ali Zardari has been the President of Pakistan. He is also with the present government. It is believed that he wants his candidate for the post of PCB chairman. He was also given assurance of this. While traditionally the chairman’s chair in PCB goes to the Prime Minister’s candidate. There is a tussle between the two sides regarding this matter. Which will only get hotter in the coming times. Remind you that Najam Sethi was given this responsibility when Rameez Raja was removed from the post of chairman. At that time, Najam Sethi was given about four months time saying that he had to restore department cricket in Pakistan cricket. Let us tell you that after the closure of department cricket, there was a lot of ruckus in Pakistan cricket. There was a crisis of livelihood for the domestic players.
Big blow before Asia Cup and World Cup
No one can deny that every PCB chairman has his own likes and dislikes. In Pakistan cricket, it makes a difference whether the chairman likes Lahore or Karachi more. More players of the city which is more liked. This camp goes on a lot in Pakistan cricket. In such a situation, before the Asia Cup and the World Cup, the direct effect of such changes is sure to be visible on the Pakistan team. This discussion has also started in the media of Pakistan that what will happen to Babar Azam now? Is it not that his captaincy will also be in danger. In recent times, questions have been raised about the captaincy of Babar Azam anyway. The average performance of the Pakistan team is the reason behind this. But if along with this reason a little political gambit also goes on, then Babar Azam’s chair will be in danger.
Four chairman in one year, PCB’s musical chair
The interesting thing is that the PCB elections are to be held again in October. In such a situation, even if Zaka Ashraf takes over the chair of PCB chairman, but after four months he may also have to step down. There is a discussion in Pakistan that in the current unstable environment, it is possible to a large extent that Zaka Ashraf’s tenure should be only for four months. If this happens, then PCB will get four chairman in about a year. First Rameez Raja, then Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf and a new name coming in October. This situation is ridiculous. This will not happen in any cricket board of the world. Not even in the cricket boards of very small countries. The trouble is, how seriously would anyone take the Pakistan Cricket Board in such a situation? Pakistan’s stake in world cricket will only suffer.
Biggest loss of cricket
By the way, the real loss is of cricket. Which is the biggest disadvantage. After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009, the condition of cricket in Pakistan is not good. Whatever may be said to pat your back, but even today the situation is worrying. Whenever it seems that things are slowly coming back on track, something or the other goes wrong. Pakistan may flaunt the fact that big teams toured there, Asia Cup was hosted on hybrid model but look at the other side of the coin as well. Recently, the situation in Pakistan became so serious due to the arrest of Imran Khan that the matches of PSL started coming under fire. Players could not practice. The court had to intervene and avert Imran’s arrest. The blasts took place near the hotel of the international teams. All these signs are not good. They are going to harm a good ‘Cricketing Nation’.
Can BCCI save PCB from going down the drain?
It was a few months back. Rameez Raja used to be the PCB chairman. In a meeting, he had clearly said that if BCCI wants, it can destroy PCB. The intention of BCCI has never been such that using its power to ruin PCB. But the PCB and the entire country of Pakistan have to understand that if the BCCI wishes, it can save the Pakistan Cricket Board from going down the drain. But for this Pakistan has to change. Terror against India on its soil has to be ended by flourishing. The mouths of statements like Javed Miandad who give statements against India will have to be sealed. Pakistan has to fix its political relations with India. It is recorded in history that this has happened before. The history of cricket diplomacy in India-Pakistan is old. Everyone knows that what is the advantage of playing cricket with India? But the willpower needed for this is not visible in Pakistan at the moment.
