Daily Times

LAHORE: Last week Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Mohammad Khan caused a stir in the sports circles of the country when he remarked that absence of educated players in the national team was one of the reasons for their recent poor performance. “Presently only Misbahul Haq is a proper graduate in the team. And the absence of educated players in the team is a primary reason for their recent downfall. In future we will do our best to induct and encourage educated players into the team and also groom the existing lot of talent,” Shaharyar had said. Pakistan have found no success in the shorter version of the game in recent times. Starting from a 3-0 whitewash against England in the United Arab Emirates to a no-show in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh and ICC World Twenty20 in India, it has been a disastrous times for the national outfit. Many, including former and present cricketers and a bunch of sc-called critics, were taken aback by the statement of Shaharyar. It did not go well with them and they flayed the PCB chief and gave examples of many former greats like Hanif Muhammad, Mushtaq Muhammad, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamamul Haq, Younus Khan, Sarfraz Nawaz, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar who were the top players and not very educated. Perhaps those were the good times for Pakistan cricket while the contemporary era seems gloomy with the current lot of ‘rowdy’ and ‘out of control’ players who ‘play with their country.’ We should understand what Shaharyar meant was that education improves the personality of a player. Education among players helps maintain discipline, teamwork and professionalism, and the PCB chairman was lamenting that lack of these was responsible for decline of the national squad that miserably failed at the Asia Cup and World T20.

But whatever the critics of the PCB chairman say, we should praise Shaharyar who is very much right in his opinion because of the eccentricities involving our national players. Our players, on a number of occasions, have brought shame to their country through their ‘deeds’. Pakistan cricket has suffered a lot because of these players. Their lack of education have shown all and sundry that they don’t have professionalism, sincerity, determination and team spirit despite having immense talent. Education builds character and inculcates spirit and discipline among players. Particularly in this part of the world, education can help how to handle fame and money that goes directly into heads of our players, coming from humble backgrounds, who just go berserk. As Albert Einstein said: ‘Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character’. Education and sports work well together. Pakistan cricket do need educated players who could give proper respect and bring honour to their country through their on and off the field acts.

Look at highly educated Imran Khan, Ramiz Raja, Wasim Hasan Raja, Saeed Anwar, Javed Burki and Majid Khan who did their country proud by excelling on the field. Latest research has shown that school and college students who take part in sports tend to fare significantly better both in their educational institutions and in later life. Along with education, participating in sports, like cricket and hockey, are cognitively and organisationally demanding activities that help convey self-discipline and leadership skills. This is especially true for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The evidence suggests players benefit from educational institutions that offer a variety of enriching activities, including sports.

The scandals involving Ahmad Shahzad and Umar Akmal have, no doubt, bowed the PCB’s head to shame a number of times. Their attitude and behaviour, along with some others, are highly deplorable.

Throw in disciplinary problems, and you have players who are neither great individual performers nor good team players. A combination like that simply doesn’t cut the international ice. And behind all this is lack of education. Sometimes it makes one wonder what is the tolerance level of the PCB.

That Pakistan cricket has boundless talent has to be one of the most oft-repeated statements in the country, but the PCB persistence with these unruly players not maximising their potential inevitably and makes one question it. There are many talented and educated players in Pakistan, who are knocking at the doors of the PCB. Is that difficult for the selectors, who get hefty salaries, to find them? A good sportsman, with education, always learns to obey the rules of the games and the commands of his superiors. Education also helps players gain leadership qualities, maintain teamwork and display team spirit. Nelson Mandela once said: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ Education trains players to face defeat with a smile and maintain the humility even in victory. Educated players automatically gain confidence and can turn themselves into shining examples. With education, players are motivated to show their character and give their best on and off the field.