PCB and the powers that be had been preparing for the World Cup 2015 since the night that Pakistan lost to India in Mohali in the semifinal of the World Cup 2011. But in spite of all the promises and the plans, the bread remained half baked until the squad’s departure for Australia for the mega event’s eleventh edition.

Right from the beginning, it was evident that all was not well in the PCB which was still going through the pains of changing chairmen; a problem compounded by its occurrence, as frequently as one would change shirts on a sultry summer’s day.

Finally, as matters settled somewhat, Shaharyar Khan drew the shortest straw, and it fell on his octogenarian shoulders to steer the ship from choppy seas to a tranquil shore — in itself a gargantuan task. It seemed that the chairman was a one-man squad as he was the only one visible and audible from the PCB side.

It should also be borne in mind that there is a vast difference between a brilliant and successful diplomat, which Shahryar is, and a tough and efficient administrator and manager which he is not cut out to be. He is too nice a being. As I once told him when he took over the PCB for his first innings that the Commissioner for Rwanda’s assignment which he did with distinction would appear a cake walk compared to the PCB job.

But where were all the council members, and the hordes of directors, senior general managers, general managers and managers, both plain and junior, and executives who are on the ‘rolls of PCB?’ The chairman stood like Felicia Dorothea Hemans’ boy on the burning deck (in the poem Casabianca)…. The chairman should be the final authority; here he has been reduced to the first line of defence, whether for cricket matters or administrative purposes or for media interaction. These should be handled by the respective directorates.

In preparation for the World Cup, a 30-member squad was announced by an unwieldy six-member selection committee during a Pentangular Regional Tournament which took place in Karachi [having been moved from its original venue Multan owing to inclement weather]. This rendered the tournament superfluous and insipid; and the selection process a bit farcical. Confusion became further confounded because the two main characters of the drama the coach Waqar Younis (vacationing in his adopted home Australia) and the captain Misbah arrived at the National Stadium Karachi where the selectors had convened, on the eve of the announcement.

The selection of the final 15 for the World Cup was, from the commencement, controversial. The coach and the captain did not see eye to eye with the Moin-Khan led selection committee. Rumours have it that the duo wanted certain players who were not approved by the selectors. Once out of Pakistan, the team management sent for replacements of their choice. It is said that they failed in their attempt to get Sohail Tanvir as the chairman intervened and sent Rahat Ali instead, but they succeeded in calling Nasir Jamshed. Lewis Carroll’s Mad-tea-party was merrily underway!

Also, in a mysterious move, the manager and chief selector Moin Khan was stripped of his managerial responsibilities and was simply the chief selector now. This caused heart burn and left a bad taste in all mouths. Then, in an even more inexplicable move the PCB’s chairman decided to send Moin to Australia as chief selector without giving him a job description or a code of conduct; and he ended up in a hilarious, though worrisome mountain out of a molehill case the dinner at the Casino. In the end it proved to be a matter full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

Why was Moin sent would perhaps remain a mystery; why he was called back an even more complicated matter; in the end Moin was cleared and the chapter closed — much ado about nothing. Pakistan cricket was made a laughing stock of the cricketing World.

The team did poorly in two ODIs planned against New Zealand, and was soundly walloped by India and then the West Indies in their pool ‘B’ matches of the World Cup. There was moaning and groaning, finger-pointing, and the channels went ballistic, going so far as to say that Pakistan will be returning home shortly.

There were other theories bandied about. We are too emotional and without going into the format of the tournament and the potential of the team, we jumped to conclusions. But the two early defeats had been rude wake-up calls all the same and the team bounced right back and in style with four convincing wins in a row, including a tremendous victory against the highly-rated South Africans. They are now in the quarter-finals.

The batsmen are finding their feet and timing, and the bowlers their line and length. Yes fitness and fielding remain causes for concern but if these are corrected, and the players remain focussed there is no reason why Pakistan should not make it to the semifinals and perhaps even to the final and obtain the ultimate trophy.

We need to put our house in order, haste and post haste, to achieve these high goals and aspirations which we are quite capable of doing. The selection still needs to be more logical because tougher oppositions await Pakistan and no lapses will be allowed. The chairman and his innumerable and able colleagues, the team management, and above all the players must surely have their work clearly cut out and understood. The resolve and the determination will have to be there. They should realize their responsibilities and work in unison and all should be on the same page. Best of luck Pakistan.

The writer is a renowned cricket commentator and expert

Published in Dawn March 18th , 2015

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