The peon returned empty-handed. He was asked to bring the two Urdu booklets on anti-doping and anti-corruption by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) director in Lahore. The director sheepishly told us that these rule books may have been out of stock.
This sums up how the NCA ignores the proper education of the players on these important issues. NCA is the place where our budding players must be harnessed on discipline and on various pitfalls that are in the way of a cricketer.
When former captain Majid Khan was the CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), he stressed on the proper upbringing and education of cricketers.
General Tauqir Zia admirably started and set up the NCA in 2003 to serve as the platform to groom our players – both on and off the field. But sadly, little has been done to educate the players on how to avoid the pitfalls that come in the way of a cricketer.
Resultantly, Pakistan have lost a number of players who fell in the dig despite their eyes being kept open by one after the other cases. They are told sport reveals character.
But in Pakistan’s case, we are a country or a system that is backward and as resistant to improvement and learning from the bitter lesson as very few in the world.
Our players have been de-tracked by match fixing, sex scandals, doping violations, misbehaviour, infighting etc, etc. If we start counting them, the number may cross 50, and if you take into account the small infringements, then it may go well up to 100!
The latest case of an alleged rape involving the highly talented yet unproductive Haider Ali highlights this problem. In fact, it should be an eye-opener for those who are running the game.
It smacks of a poor system, both on and off the field. Haider started his career with high promise in the ICC Junior World Cup in South Africa nearly five years ago.
He was regarded as the “next big thing” for his batting talent. Remarkably, he scored a half-century in Pakistan’s crucial match against India. But Yashaswi Jaiswal hit an undefeated hundred to seal India’s comprehensive ten-wicket win.
Five years on, Jaiswal is an established Test player for India, having scored six hundreds with two double tons. Sadly, Haider is in a quagmire, on bail over charges of raping a Pakistani-origin British girl!
Haider made his international debut in September 2020, hitting an impressive 33-ball 54 with two sixes and five boundaries. His score is still the highest by any Pakistan batter on a T20I debut.
But later chances saw Haider declining in form and attitude. It was a case of less hard work and caught in two minds. He was told to curb his natural attacking style by coaches, which hampered his progress.
In all, he has played 35 T20Is and just two one-day internationals. He seemed to have revived his chances to break into the national team with some good showings for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.
Sources said Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson was considering Haider for the tri-series in Sharjah and then the Asia Cup.
But Haider fell into an abyss.
PCB instantly suspended Haider which was a wise decision but provided him legal support through Pakistan’s High Commission in London. If he doesn’t come out clean, then there will be further disciplinary action against him.
One glaring mistake on the part of the PCB was that they did not send a manager or a security manager with Pakistan Shaheens on the UK tour. It was inexplicable considering the past cases and ignominy that had befallen on Pakistan cricketers.
Also, the team management should be scrutinized on how Haider went to Manchester from the team hotel in another city when there was no match in Manchester? Haider not only went to Manchester, but if reports are to be believed, he stayed a night there.
So once the PCB settles this issue, the officials need to keep a schoolmasterly eye on players. The NCA should start courses for players to deal with such problems. Our players need proper grooming and upbringing.
The Haider Ali episode has brought a bad name for Pakistan worldwide, in general, and in India in particular. Indian media jumps on anything notorious that involves Pakistan and its players.
Strong and stringent measures are the need of the hour. Our cricket is going down on the field and off the field; it is earning a bad reputation.
