PCB Committee Recommends Ban, Fines on Pakistan Players: Right Or Wrong?

At last there is some ‘good’ news from PCB: The board’s committee designed to probe the Pakistan’s pathetic tour of Australia earlier this year, has come up with some solid decisions. The committee led by Waseem Bari, has recommended the PCB to do the following actions:

>Ban on Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan & Shoaib Malik for 12 months; 

>Fines of Rs.3 Million each on Shahid Afridi, Umer Akmal, and Kamran Akmal.

Why I call this as good news: Well, I just posted the last story about The Dilemma of Pakistan Cricket! in which I  talked about the underlying reasons behind the pathetic performance of Pakistan Cricket team. Among other problems I pointed out that the lack of accountability is the core problem facing Pakistan Cricket. And today, at least the PCB has taken actions against some of the culprits in the team.

The recommendations of the committee are not surprising at all. I personally feel, and I believe most of the cricket fans feel the same way, that there are groupings in the team; players are not playing for the team; players are rather playing for
their lobbies. This is rubbish.

Everyone knows that Pakistan is facing so many problems: there is terrorism, poverty, inflation, power crisis, unemployment, political instability and the list is never-ending. Amid all this, there is only Cricket that gives this nation some hope, some recognition. And why the nation should not hope from Pakistan Cricket Team, they are the highest paid sportsmen of the country. They earn millions of Dollars not only from PCB, their local departments, but also by playing in international clubs in Australia, England, India and even in Bangladesh. After earning so much money, only because of Pakistan, these players never think about the pride of the nation: people who pray day and night for the success of their cricket team!

Not only that it’s the professional duty of these players to perform at their best but also it’s their moral duty to do so! They owe it to their nation.

Shoaib Malik and Rana Naveed have been recommended to get banned for 1 year. As far as Shoaib Malik is concerned, I was not too surprised. But the inclusion of Rana Naveed in this list is quite surprising. I always thought he is a very patriotic and passionate player but may be the politics in the team have changed his attitude as well. As for Malik, we have already heard reports about his indiscipline and not following the instructions of the team management.

Shahid Afridi, Umer Akmal and Kamran Akmal got fines. Well, as far as Afridi is concerned I feel sorry for him. Although he has committed a crime (foolish) but at least this act of him was not as condemnable as those of the other players who got ban and fine. Umer Akmal should be ashamed of himself. He pretended a fake injury when his brother was dropped from the last test after his disastrous performance in Sydney test. I think Umer Akmal should also have been banned for this shameful thought. When your priorities are limited to your brother, you don’t deserve a role in the national team.

I know these bans and fines will not completely root out the problems of the Pakistan team. But, at least, we have some actions. Players will be a little careful in their actions and they may refrain from such acts for which these players got fines and bans.

So guys, I am done. It’s your turn now. Tell me about your feelings. Do you support the committee’s recommendations? Do you have anything else to share? Tell me in your Comments!