He still remembers during his playing times a player was offered Rs.20 a day during camps still it couldn’t deter them from going all-out for the dignity and honour of Pakistan. “A player is paid Rs.1000 now but sans any job security. Non-availability of sponsors is to be blamed for this while sponsors will only be lured if media starts projecting the game across the country behind this lack of media coverage to lure sponsor into the game.” Shahbaz believes when our team has plunged to humiliating 15th rank in the world how could one expect a financier to come forward? “But I hold that the government can’t be absolved from its responsibility of pledging job securities to the players.”
When I asked him about quality of hockey broadcast, he agreed that there was enough room for improvement and broadcasters must cover all the PHF events like cricket as hockey was Pakistan’s national sport. But he was satisfied with the commentary standard much to my amazement because Pakistan produced commentators the likes of S M Naqi and Zakir Hussain but who is filling their boots? No one. He further said that English commentary on hockey was not in the demand because hockey audience in the country were, mainly, not English-literate. But what if you have to enhance your fan-base? How would you attract your educated youth to the game who watch and compare the sporting events around the world? He applauded the idea of pressing upon the authorities to ensure the coverage of our domestic hockey matches on regular basis.
But one must applaud his efforts for bringing international hockey back to Pakistan. Though one could argue that the players featuring in the World XI are no longer part of contemporary hockey still you can’t take credit away from the PHF for hosting an international event in Karachi where no one else could. Still one reckon they missed the trick by not involving PTV World and Ten Sports for the promulgation of the fact that Pakistan can organise international sporting events in the wake of elimination of terrorism. On the other hand the national federation is all-set to organise four-nation tournament as well which will be first one to be played in ages in Pakistan.
Published in Daily Times, January 22nd 2018.
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