Daily Times

The newly-minted Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman could not have anticipated a more shaky pitch to open. Visibly distraught at the last-minute cancellation of the England cricket board on the heels of the Kiwis’ pullout, Ramiz Raja looked like a man dedicated to pull the rabbit out of the hat, come what may. Looking at him hard at work, meeting the district-level management to bring the new talent out in the open, magic may well be on its way.

We are still far, far away from reviving the glory of the days when Greenshirts used to rule over hearts and ranks alike. But clashing horns with the old guard does give a whiff of new blood. Former COO Wasim Khan’s exit, especially in the midst of him alleged to have enjoyed the high-quality life is no small feat. Said to be rubber-stamped by influential cricketers, the chief must have had a hard time putting the squeeze on Mr Khan. However, just as challenging would be coming up with a replacement that invests in the long-term planning of the cricketing board. Something, the organisation perpetually mired in homegrown politics is still short of.

With coronavirus putting an effective hold on international cricket, the new chief has quite a challenge before him. His predecessors might have succeeded in breaking the ice but they did not have to deal with an insurgency at their doorstep. The Afghan situation has come as an unneeded fly in the ointment for Pakistani cricket. For no matter how many diplomatic channels we invest in, our adversaries now have another song and dance in their arsenal. Though England did not explicitly mention the threat of chaos in Kabul spilling over, their fears could be read in fine print. The vicious propaganda unleashed by our “unfriendly” neighbours is not doing us any favour whereby the PCB needs to put an even greater show of normalcy.

As for domestic cricket, the much-celebrated Pakistan Super League is doing its best to resuscitate the dying sport. Invigorating fans to cheer the home team once again as international players are invited to see the security arrangement for themselves, it is a godsend to help restore our reputation. Mr Raja would hopefully use this to quash any unnecessary concerns. Having talked of lessons to be learned, he is someone who has known the stadiums from within all his life. As a commentator, his crass criticism of any misstep by a player would send murmurs down dressing-rooms. Here’s to hoping, his administration is just as unwavering. *