ANYONE who has even casually followed Pakistan cricket over the years will know that our cricket board’s response to losing the current Test series in England is a hysterical overreaction. After consecutive defeats at Headingley and Lord’s sealed the fate of the three-match rubber, the Pakistan Cricket Board sacked the head coach and fast-bowling coach, ordered seven players from the squad to pack their bags, and announced five novices and two recalls as their replacements. On top of that, one of the openers will be subjected to a disciplinary investigation for allegedly faking an injury.
As actions of the PCB administration go, this is unprecedented. As human behaviour goes, this is lunacy.
These developments have unleashed a deafening outrage, triggering embarrassing news headlines and sarcastic social media memes. That Pakistan’s cricket establishment has degenerated into such farce should come as no surprise.
The PCB chairman has always been a handpicked political appointee — merit be damned. And since a fish rots from the head, there you have it. Yes, sometimes you will get lucky with the arrival of a Nur Khan or an Arif Abbasi at the helm, but these are fortuitous exceptions.
A national cricket board chief is meant to be an elected official, voted in by representatives of regional cricket associations. This makes the position approachable and accountable. Instead, the practice in Pakistan is for the prime minister to dole out the PCB chairmanship as a favour or reward to an ally or acolyte.
