Besieged by trouble back home and facing a virtual boycott from international cricket, underdogs at the World Twenty20, Pakistan scripted the unpredictable.
The streets of the strife-torn country erupted with joy and brought about a much needed sense of calm. But can Pakistan cricket play a role, as the team captain said, in improving the country’s battered image? What does Sunday’s win mean for the beleaguered nation? And is cricket the ultimate healer for terror-hit Pakistan?
That was the topic of debate on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation.
On the panel of experts to try and answer those questions were Editor-at-large of DNA Ayaz Memon, former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan G Parthasarathy and Pakistan Editor of Cricinfo Osman Samiuddin.
Outcasts to champions
It is often said that the average Pakistani has two heroes – the Pakistani army and the Pakistani cricketer. The army over the years has lost some of its sheen but the cricketer is now becoming the biggest cult figure in the country and also redeeming the lost sense of self.
Beginning the debate Samiuddin said, “I don't think the Pakistani cricketer had ever fallen by the wayside. They have been through tough times in the last year but to be a cricketer has been an aspiration for a lot of people in Pakistan. Even people like Shoaib Akhtar, who is a tainted player, is looked upto by the young in Pakistan. So cricket never really fell out that badly. As far as the army goes, they have actually been more popular than a lot of people can imagine. And what they are doing in Swat right now has increased their popularity in the country.”
But many say that it is too simplistic an argument to say that cricket can be a healer for a terror-hit country.
“Having lived in Pakistan for so long I must admit that they produce some incredibly talented cricketers. Most are sociologically very different from our boys. This time two of their heroes were Younis Khan and Afridi. Both are from the terror-hit North West Frontier Province (NWFP). And both could not have been happy to see F-16 jets hitting their homes. So yes, for the present they are the national heroes,” Parthasarathy said.
However, he added, “They have fermented terror for too long and now they are paying the price for it. So in the long term all this euphoria dies out when 100 people die in an air strike. So we cannot get carried away by what is happening right now.”
But despite all odds this win means a lot to an average Pakistani.
Not quite agreeing, Memon said, “I think too much is being placed on this victory to see that suddenly everything becomes right. Like Mr Parthasarathy said, even Omar Gul is from NWFP. So three of the major performers are from that area. What can happen after this win is that it may make many youngsters think that there are many ways of getting ahead in life. But this is a process, things can't change overnight. I still can't see other countries touring Pakistan immediately.”
Memon then spoke about how cricket is a national game in Pakistan as much as it has been in India.
“The biggest setback was the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team because there was this firm belief that whatever may happen, terror will never approach cricket. And that belief was shattered. So to repair that sometime will be taken and that will be on the part of the Government of Pakistan and not the cricketers. Cricketers are blameless in this matter,” he added.
PAGE_BREAK
The mind of a Pakistani cricketer
What goes on in the mind of cricketers like Younis Khan when they play? Back home their families could be hit while they are away.
Explaining the dichotomy faced by the Pakistani players, Samiuddin said, “Guys like Younis Khan are a lot more aware of what is going on simply because he is from that part of the country. Not many know that Younis was drastically affected by the terror attack in Lahore. He considered retiring and had said that he would have done it the day after the attack. Terror affects all of them strongly. The first time they were all travelling in a bus for a series against Australia, they were quite nervous. But to have come out of that frame of mind and to have performed like this speaks highly of them.”
CNN-IBN recently received an e-mail from Pakistan which talks about how the Taliban has listed out all un-Islamic things and among them cricket has not been particularly favoured either.
Reacting to this, Samiuddin said, “It is not as if the youth only have to choose between joining the Taliban or becoming a cricketer in Pakistan. And it is not as if cricket is going to save us from the Taliban. There is a lot of grey in between too. There are people who don't care for the Taliban or cricket. So we have to be careful in judging how much of this T20 win will have an affect on the country. It is a known fact that the Taliban is against sports and a lot of other things.”
Hope floats
People in Pakistan have pretty much accepted that they will not see international cricket for a while but was this win required to retain its relevance for the youth?
“No, not for the youth but it was needed to retain Pakistan's relevance in the world stage,” Samiuddin said.
“What was worrying was that Pakistan cricket team was being sidelined from a lot of things. A fine example would be the IPL. There is just a feeling that Pakistan is being left behind. And the administration has not handled a lot of issues well. But with this win they have reminded everyone that they are here to stay. In this new age of cricket where T20 is big we have seen some IPL teams desire the return of Pakistani players. So that purpose has been served,” Samiuddin added.
The debate then meandered into PCB's financial troubles, which are well documented. Will this victory bring any kind of financial impetus?
PAGE_BREAK
“I wouldn't think so. This victory is a boost to for their hardwork. So the problem of finance is still very much there,” Samiuddin said.
Despite the fact that Pakistan continues to throw up individual geniuses the fact remains that the world cricket has been divided into the strong lobby of India, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka while Pakistan has slipped to the second rung.
Should the PCB look at this victory as a roadmap for Pakistan cricket in future?
“The PCB was a close ally of the BCCI till 26/11 and the Lahore incident happened. BCCI and ICC dumped PCB after these incidents. But restructuring is required because you cannot lose the talent that Pakistan produces. So the FTP (Future Tourist Prograame) should be reorganised. Pakistan should have more oversees tours. IPL should reconsider and get back the Pakistani players to ensure that Pakistan cricket survives. Otherwise if there is no home cricket there and some occasional cricket with other countries then the team could stagnate and wither away. This cannot happen in a short term but chances are it could happen in a long term,” Memon explained.
Hope floats
Is there a chance that the ICC could go back on its decision and hold some of the World Cup matches in Pakistan?
“That is possible because it will be in 2011. There are almost two years remaining for that tournament to be held but it all depends on how the domestic situation improves in Pakistan. The world community has to be encouraged to believe that if the teams go there, there will be no danger to them,” Memon said.
Speaking on the how the people of Pakistan look at the present situation and how the PCB could set things right, Samiuddin said, “I spoke to some of the Pakistani journalists who spoke to 40-50 young people in Pakistan between the age group of 18-25 who said after the T20 win that Pakistan cannot hold cricket here but as long as Pakistan keeps winning on neutral venues or abroad we don't care and we still love cricket.”
He agreed that pressure might be there from certain sections but the PCB should stand above all this and say "we messed up in March."
“Saying anything other than that is nothing but a bare-faced lie. PCB has to make its peace with other boards around the world,” Samiuddin said.
Concluding the debate Parthasarathy spoke about Indo-Pak ties.
“The founder of the Jang Group Mir Khalil Ur Rehman once told me many years ago that Pakistan ka masla ye hai ki hum cricket ke maidan ko jung ka maidan banate hain aur jung ke maidan ko cricket ka maidan banate hain (The problem with Pakistan is they treat a cricket match like war and a war like a cricket match),” he said.
“Now there are differing views when it comes to playing with India. As far as I am concerned I would have loved to have the Pakistani players play in the IPL and come to India. But I draw a distinction between the Pakistani cricketers who are entertainers and the Pakistan army which runs their foreign policy. As long as I am worried that there could be another 26/11, it is superficial to imagine that the guys who are not running cricket will be able to change anything for those who are playing cricket,” Parthasarathy added.
Final results of the SMS poll:
Yes - 34 per cent
No - 66 per cent
Comments
0 comment