Posts Tagged ‘ICC’

5 results.
Mar29

Out of the frying Pan into the fire

by wasim on March 29th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Posted In: Uncategorized

PCB cleared Rana Naveed and Mushtaq to play county cricket, both the players have been playing in the rogue Indian league ICL, under a previous mutual understanding between the boards and ICC it was decided that players playing in ICL will not be able to play any domestic cricket, although PCB has not allowed its players who opted for ICL to play domestic cricket neither they were given central contracts, but these two players have been given NOC to play county cricket, a move which has irked BCCI and might start a cold war between BCCI and PCB.

To ban players from playing domestic cricket or play overseas in other leagues cannot be morally or legally justified, these players have every right to earn their livelihood, and they should also have a right to play for their country. BCCI very cleverly manipulated all the other boards and ICC by declaring ICL as a big threat to International cricket and the monopoly of these respective organizations, and created a rival league of its own (IPL) with an initial objective of countering the threats posed by ICL and therefore got the blessings and unanimous support of all the other boards and ICC.

 Now when IPL has been created and about to start its first season most of the cricket boards are beginning to realize that they are out of the frying pan and into the fire. IPL is causing the same problems which were initially anticipated from ICL only on a larger scale, almost two months of International Cricket has been eaten up by this league, PCB is struggling to fill up the gaps created by the cancellation of Australian tour,Newzealand is struggling to get its players on board for the English tour, none of the boards is willing to commit its team to a tour which clashes with IPL dates as they know they will not be able to send their A team as all the major players have been cannibalized by these two leagues.

Domestic Cricket in different countries will also get affected as major players will not be available. All the premium players have been pouched by IPL and all the second string players are playing for ICL, this will have serious financial repercussions for the various boards, between the two leagues 3.5 month of International and domestic cricket and the revenues from it will get dried up. If a board will try not to give an NOC to its players for IPL those player will always have the option to join ICL as a result all the boards will be helpless. Its a win win situation for BCCI and Indian cricket and a total loss situation for the rest of the world.

BCCI is the sole beneficiary of all the financial gains from IPL, whereas the rest of the boards are net losers, both IPL and ICL will capture a major chunk of sponsorship and media rights market, these markets in dollar terms have a certain size and their growth is also limited once they are captured by a particular brand or organization it will be hard for other boards to make inroads. A series of miscalculations have been done by the administrators of ICC and different boards.

  1. If the purpose of IPL was to kill ICL then why its dates do not coincide with ICL?
  2. Why a separate Slot was not carved for IPL in the ICC FTP?
  3. Why ICC or other board members do not have a financial and administrative share in IPL? They are sharing their assets i.e players, and sacrificing their revenue from International and domestic cricket during these 44 days they should have been monetarily compensated.
  4. Why isn’t their a clause where ICC is given control to ban players from a particular country to play for IPL if a particular International series is just cancelled because the players of that particular country want to play in IPL?

Its a fact that no International match or series has been delayed, cancelled or postponed due to ICL, all the dangers which were associated with ICL are becoming reality because of IPL, this league has created so many problems for different boards in just two months who knows how many more problems will be created in the years to come.This straining of relations between PCB and BCCI is just the beginning, if this league is not internationally governed and properly regulated ICC will get disintegrated.

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Sep19

Srilanka leads the way

by wasim on September 19th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Posted In: Cricket, Cricket Pakistan

Sri Lanka has decided to lift ban on its ICL players the decision will create ripples in the International cricket community and might create a rift in the Asian block if the situation is not resolved.  A few days ago 13 Bangladeshi players joined the rebel league creating a huge crisis for BCB.  PCB is also finding it difficult to stop its players to join the rebel league they might lose their star player Mohammed Yousuf who is expected to announce his decision to join ICL later this month, the situation is catastrophic for Bangladesh as if they continue with the 10 year ban on the rebel players they will find it hard to retain their International status.

Since Pakistan’s International cricket has almost finished for the moment they have no choice but to launch their own domestic leagues and for that matter they would need  their players playing for ICL to make their leagues more attractive, BCCI should support the legitimacy of ICL as there is no other solution for the problem, I think other countries have waited enough and so far BCCI and ICC have done nothing to solve the problem, probably lifting of the bans from the rebel players will make these two entities soften their stance and will force them to actively look for a solution to the problem.

There are indications that PCB will follow the suit as a few weeks ago Shabbir Ahmad was seen practicing at the National academy. There is absolutely no choice for Bangladesh but to revoke the ban as they do not have the talent pool to sustain the exodus of 13 players. I think the time is right for Pakistan to lift the ban, it will deliver a perfect response to ICC for not supporting Pakistan and might also make other cricketing boards to repent over their decisions of not touring Pakistan, the decision will have a wider impact infact if such a decision is made it will legitimize rebel leagues or at least allow them to flourish and will ultimately lead to the demise of ICC and its monopoly over cricket.

PCB has suffered huge losses because of ICC’s failure to make the western block cricketing nations to tour Pakistan, and its highly unlikely that the policies of these countries will change in near future, so if PCB has to survive they will have to start their own leagues they have the Infrastructure they have the talent  they only need to change their business model, they need to offer lucrative contracts to foreign players to attract them, no private league can flourish in Pakistan as most of the stadiums are owned and operated by PCB so PCB has nothing to fear.

Begging and pleading has so far not worked in their favor, when logic fails to work aggression is the best technique its time for PCB to show some aggression its their only choice.

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Feb14

Mullah black mailer of Pakistan cricket

by wasim on February 14th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Posted In: Cricket, Cricket Pakistan

Despite the fact that Sind high court suspended the ban on Pakistan’s ICL players, PCB has made it clear that none of the Players would be selected in the Pakistan team until they sever relations with ICL.

Mohammad Yousuf said on Saturday he would not end his contract with ICL, insisting that if Pakistan needs him it must solve the matter with cricket’s governing body.

‘How can I break my contract with the ICL, which is for a period of three years,’ Yousuf told reporters. ‘If the PCB wants me to play for Pakistan they should resolve the matter with the ICC.’

Yousuf said he still hoped to play for his country.

‘I am a cricketer and playing cricket is my profession. I never wanted to be embroiled in court cases but the previous PCB set-up got me entangled in court cases, and now I am unable to represent my country.’

‘I am still world’s number two player in Test rankings and number nine in one-day rankings and have a lot to offer to my country. It is up to the PCB to realise how important I am for the team.’

Yousaf was awarded a hefty contract valuing Rs 12mil  by Nasim Ashraf in an attempt to dissuade him from play for ICL he was also promised a lucrative contract from IPL to further compensate his loss for not playing for ICL, Yousaf never received a bid he was paid his reserve price of US $ 300,000 by IPL.

Things eventually became sour for Yousaf as ICL took him to court and threatened to sue him, Yousaf again managed to re-negotiate a lucrative contract with ICL and ditched Pakistan team at the last minute and left to play for ICL without informing anybody.

He breached his contract with PCB.

He breached his contract with ICL.

And as soon as the last season with ICL was over he launched an attack on Shoaib Malik and tried to portray himself as the victim and Malik responsible for all the wrong doings.

Yousuf said he had not realised he would be banned from international cricket by signing with the ICL.

‘I never knew that I will be deprived of playing for my country, which has always been my top priority. All these regulations have come after I signed the contract,’

That’s a lie, he knew he was going to be banned according to PCB’s policy but he cleverly manipulated all parties concerned and made a lot of money from all parties by exploiting the situation to his advantage.

He has become the Mullah black mailer of Pakistan cricket.

I have been against the ICL bans and have always maintained that players should be allowed to play cricket anywhere when they are not playing for the country but Yousaf  ditched his country just before an international tour, now he is trying to black mail PCB again knowing the fragility of Pakistan’s batting line up.

The Pakistan cricket fans want to see him play for the country again but Yousaf has refused to sever his relations with ICL he wants PCB to lift the ban on ICL players unconditionally.

PCB management seems to be confused on the issue, on one hand they have openly stated their intent to lift the bans but on the other hand they lack the courage and will to stand up against ICC.

The situation might not get resolved unless ICC gives some sort of recognition to ICL there are rumours that in their next meeting ICC is going to offer a veterans tournament to ICL.

ICL cannot accept that offer as a lot of young Indian cricketers play for ICL without whom the tournament would not be possible.

ICL is also facing severe financial troubles which have made them unable to make payments to International players on a timely fashion. The  travel restrictions imposed by Pakistan government on Pakistani players have further compounded their problem. It seems that ICL will close its doors eventually leaving its player out in the woods.

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Dec19

Cricket needs it’s soul back

by wasim on December 19th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Posted In: Cricket, Cricket India

825 runs were scored in Rajkot and 603 runs were scored in Nagpur, both matches went down to the wire. The TRP ratings went through the roof, the gate money was good, the advertisers and the sponsors can’t complain, the batsmen are having a time of their lives.  So why are some people whining ?

Don’t they understand the simple fact that for everything you gain you have to lose something. 

Cricket administrators decided long ago that in order to increase revenues and make cricket a spectator sport they will have to skew the game in favor of the batsman. The WWF model was followed to make the game more exciting for the spectators and the fair contest between bat and ball was taken out of the game.

Many restrictions were imposed on bowlers to take the venom out of bowling i.e limitations on overs, bouncer restrictions, field restrictions, strict wide and no ball rules, power plays, the compulsory ball change after 35 overs and shorter boundaries  but nothing succeeds more in rendering the bowlers toothless than a dead pitch. 

It is unfair to single out just BCCI for this crime, ODI and T20 pitches prepared all over the world are generally placid. The pitch at Rajkot was not much different from what we usually see in an Odi these days,  825 runs were scored because two of the most savage batsmen Sehwag and Dilshan were at their best in that match and the pace attack of both sides was below par.

Greed has imprisoned the souls of cricket administrators, they have no right to kill the soul of the game in the name of commercialization.

Test match cricket is almost dead and the ODi format is on it’s death bed, ICC wants to revive the game by using a pink ball and by holding day and night test matches, cricket cannot be revived with a pink ball it needs it’s soul back, the fair contest between bat and ball should be restored.

In a five match series at least two should be played on supporting tracks or else nobody is going to stay up all night for five days to watch a match which won’t produce a result.

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Nov09

Sanctions on Pakistan cricket almost inevitable

by wasim on November 9th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Posted In: Cricket, Cricket Pakistan

Pakistan cricket today was hit by another match fixing scandal when their wicket keeper Zulqernain Haider went missing half an hour before the fifth and final Odi match between Pakistan and South Africa.

Zulqernain left a message on his face book page saying“Leaving Pakistan cricket because get bad msg fr 1 man fr lose the match in last game.”

Haider scored  crucial 19 runs in the 4th Odi to help Pakistan win from a difficult situation, the message left by him on his face book account suggests that the betting mafia wasn’t happy with him as they lost a lot of money because Pakistan won the match when they were supposed to lose it.

The brief statements made by Haider after reaching London further suggest that he was given death threats to under perform in the fifth ODI. Haider also told the media that Pakistan was like his mother and he can’t sell it for money, he also told them that he has lived in starvation before in his life and live with it again.

The team management and PCB has remained tight lipped about the reasons due to which Zulqernain Haider escaped to London and through out the day they tried to decieve the media regarding the issue.

Just a few weeks ago after the Spot fixing scandal ICC gave PCB only a month to clean up their act or else Pakistan cricket will have to face sanctions. And just two days ago ICC’s top brass expressed their satisfaction with the progress PCB has made in curbing corruption.

ICC will have to re evaluate their assessment now as Pakistan cricket players are still being hunted by the betting mafia and if in the coming days any of Zulqernain’s statement proved a link between PCB’s administration and the betting mafia it will result in dire consequences for Pakistan cricket.

The mysterious circumstances under which Haider escaped to England and the lack of information regarding the source of the threats he received has left a lot of questions unanswered as a result all kinds of rumours and conspiracy theories are circulating.

1-Why did he chose to go to England? Why not Pakistan?

2-He is not a genuine match winner hence he is not important for the bookies. Why the threat wasn’t issued to Razzaq, Akhtar or any other star player.

3-Why the management handed him over his passport and copy of the visa and why did they lied to the press.

4-Why Haider had no confidence in the tour management team, and chose to escape secretly?

5-A day before the 5th match Intikhab Alam told a few reporters that the management was contemplating to play Umar Akmal as a wicket keeper to strengthen the batting, if Haider wasn’t in the plans their was no justification of any threats.

6- No 24 year old player runs away to another country because of a threatening email or SMS unless they identify the threatening party and the seriousness behind the threat.

If we analyze the above questions the situation becomes more confusing.

Haider is no average joe he is now a star in Pakistan it’s not easy for anybody to harm him unless he knew that he won’t get protection in Pakistan and chose to flee to another country and seek asylum there.

He wasn’t given his test cap during the Leeds test, he was sent back home declared injured when he told the media that he was fit to play. The management seems to be keen on playing Akmal regardless of his performance. The above facts clearly show that PCB administration has a strong favoritism for Akmal. Haider wouldn’t have been selected if Kamran Akmal was not under ICC’s investigation.

The senior players can already be on the books as at least three or four times in the series the job of winning the match was left for the tail enders after sudden collapses twice Pakistan team won their match. Wahab Riaz did his best to get Haider run out in the fourth ODi but Haider didn’t fell for it and won the match for Pakistan.

Riaz at least on three occasions during the series got out after scoring some quick runs, if Haider had sacrificed his wicket I know for sure Wahab wouldn’t have finished the match for Pakistan.

He was conscious of the the managements favoritism for Kamran Akmal and must not have any confidence in the management especially if he knew the source from where the threat originated. Or may be he didn’t escaped secretly at all and knew that he is being dropped unfairly for U Akmal and had a fight with the management and decided to move to England to get back at the management through English media.

The way Pakistan played some of the matches in this series clearly indicates some foul play by some senior players, Pakistan should have won the series but the extremely close loss in the third Odi costed them the serie ironically they fielded their best line up in the final match and suffered the worst defeat in the five match series their bowling has never looked so miserable the pattern was the same when they lose chasing big scores the opening partnership was good then a long collapse the lower middle order resisted but stopped short.

The star players who were kept out of the series were brought back and surprisingly Pakistan lost, PCB’s top management has been rigging with the team selection there is no doubt about that and it can be a strong possibility that some of the top managers are involved in corruption and have links with the betting mafia.

But if Haider chose to open his mouth and decided to blow the whistle then there is no chance that PCB will evade sanctions from ICC as they will become inevitable.

I am sure ICC’s ACSU will quiz him and it won’t be possible for him not to give proper answers. The truth will come out in a matter of few days.

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