After such a long process of Pakistan Cricket Board trying to prove to the ICC that the Champions Trophy can be held in Pakistan. The security situation is good enough to have the tournament and amidst so much speculation and worry, they were able to somehow convince the ICC to serve some international cricket to the starved fans. They succeeded and
it sounded all happy galore. Not to be.
First the KIWIs as usual weary of the threats and memories of their last brave visit didn't want to come. Made headlines for quite some time and with doubts in everybody's head, the teams, the management boards, the fans, it still looked like it will happen. It still does.
Then...Musharraf Resigns. People would wonder how is that linked to Paki Cricket. Well the president of Pakistan is the patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board as well and even though that is really just a title the big news immediately after that one was Nasim Ashraf resigning. Nasim Ashraf was an unknown personality to be really honest before his good friend Musharraf made him the Chairman of the PCB. I don't know what he did or what he didn't. The real truth is I don't really care. Lets keep it at that, he is gone.
As far as latest news, the tournament is still ON and it will be in Pakistan. But the inner truthful echoes say, ICC will decide against it. Lets hope they don't but all bells are ringing in that favour. Security is again as volatile as it gets. All teams would like to have the security situation reviewed once more which should come out in the negative. The next question is, if not here, then where.
If the ICC was smart enough they would have already kept an alternate. I would say the options are probably England and....England. Hehehe...ok I think UAE might have a chance also according to some rumours.
Nasim Ashraf will be remembered for his...umm...his...He tried to...hm...He will be remembered for ....NOTHING!! Yes people, he will be remembered for no good anyway. There is nothing positive that came from under him. I think it was the worst tenure ever by anyone chairing the prestigious position. Lets hope the replacement is good and is someone like (who is) Imran Khan. Yes. I have no two ways about it. He is the man for the job, if he wants it. I have got my theories about it and he is the man for it.
As for the Champions Trophy, fans wait for it more than the world cup I think. I do at least, you don't have any stupid "minnows vs giants" matches which are a complete waste of time. The other day someone used the word mismatches for those matches. The Champions Trophy is right to the business with everybody match potentially competitive.
I am looking forward to Mendis ripping through everybody at the tournament. He has just run through the Indian team. Looking forward to the tournament, wherever it happens.
thats the only encouragement left to make me interested towards CT...
ReplyDeleteWhen news trickled in the general had resigned from the post of President, I was waiting for the inevitable to happen at PCB, and by extention, in the wider world of cricket.
ReplyDeleteAustralia announces their pull-out after dilly-dallying soon after Gen. Musharraf stepped back.
In the eyes of the western world, and many others, I feel there was a feeling that it was safer with Musharraf in command than a civilian elected government which may or may not be able to control both the army and people. I think that was the precipitating factor in the Ozzie pull-out.
CT could have been potponed if they really felt the sitaution, despite the ICC clearance, was not good. I want it to go on if it has to...for I think the "world" was never in favour of CT anyway right from beginning and were looking for excuses to bunk it forever....Pakistan's security issue is one such excuse and the growth of T20 will be another...which the "world" thinks can stick.
@straight point - absolutely...everyone likes a new kid on the block especially if he is this good...
ReplyDelete@soulberry - sigh...doesnt seem like happening now does it...