Pakistani cricket cauldron of intrigue stirs up again. A World Cup is just around the corner | Cricket news

The committee recently picked a long list of players for the New Zealand home series. They said that this would be the pool from which the T20 World Cup squad will be composed. Fast bowler Mohammad Amir, once jailed in Britain on match-fixing charges, was recalled. All-rounder Imad Wasim also returned. He had withdrawn in disgust, saying that he had been wronged. Amir and Imad were part of the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Pakistan team that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 – the last time Pakistan won an ICC event.

Sarfaraz would not last long. He was fired. Many claim that this was the reason he came from Karachi. He made way for Lahore boy Babar. Amir and Imad also did not last long. They were seen as the men of Sarfaraz. The committee's most influential selector Wahab has shared a dressing room with most of the senior players, but this is certainly no reunion of old friends.

YouTubers, TV pundits and former Pakistan players are taking potshots and betting on how soon Pakistani cricket will go the way of hockey. Knives are already being sharpened. They predict that all hell will break loose if Pakistan loses to India in the T20 World Cup in June.

No radical change takes place in Pakistan without the military in the background. After the major changes, PCB dutifully announced a two-week physical fitness camp at an army camp in Kakul, Abbottabad. Was it optics or an out-of-the-box idea to prepare the team for the upcoming season?

Modern fitness trainers and sports scientists look down on such short-term fitness programs. The Novak Djokovics and Virat Kohlis of the world credit lifestyle changes, daily discipline and innovative ideas for their fitness turnaround.

Pakistan cricket's social media handles contain several videos of players climbing rope walls, lifting teammates like firefighters do, playing tug-of-war, running on obstacle courses and push-up competitions. The boot camp's outdoor activities are more like board games and players like corporate employees on an off-site retreat.

Babar said the camp improved the bond between the team. PCB would share the evidence. There was a video of Amir cackling while playing pool with Babar. Cricket, pool table and reconciliation efforts are not new. Sourav Ganguly and Greg Chappell once also potted colored balls on a green sheet in Zimbabwe. It did not work.

Political intrigue

Pakistan has wheels within wheels. It starts from the top. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was the interim chief minister of Punjab at the time of his appointment. He is currently Minister of the Interior. Wahab, the selector, was Naqvi's sports minister. You don't have to be an insider to say that these are political appointments.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi with Babar Azam. (Screenshot)

Wahab, meanwhile, has dual responsibilities. He is also the team's traveling senior manager. He's not alone. If Yousuf does not select the team, he will be the batting coach of the national team.

Besides the obvious conflict of interest question, there are also practical concerns. Do Pakistan's key decision-making processes have too much on their plate? Will they have time to extinguish the potential fires that could start in the highly flammable locker room?

Even before the team met after the leadership change, there was a PCB-generated controversy. The press release announcing Babar's appointment had an ultra-enthusiastic quote from outgoing skipper Shaheen. As a team player, it is my duty to support our captain, Babar Azam…I have nothing but respect for him…, he said. It was a gracious thought, but the only thing was that it was fake. According to reports, Shaheen was furious and wanted to make his own statement. PCB panicked. The chairman rushed to peace talks.

Shaheen is not just any former captain. He has led his Pakistan Super League team to two titles. The many Pathans currently in the team have always been part of his coterie. He is also the son-in-law of one of Pakistan's most popular former cricketers ever: Shahid Afridi. PCB has not appointed a vice-captain yet, but he is likely to create a power

Stirring up the past

At the press conference where the list of candidates for the army camp was announced, there were accusations of regionalism and toothlessness of the voters. Why are too many from Lahore? Was the decision to make Babar captain forced on you as many of the selectors until recently proclaimed his captaincy on television? There was a sheepish smile from the selectors on stage.

Razzaq knew the spotlight was on him. During the World Cup, in his avatar as a cricket expert, he had said on the news channel that Babar is a good batsman but his captaincy was not great and he had to step aside. During the media interaction, Razzaq, now a selector, said how a person's opinion changes when he changes seats. The explanation was not convincing.

Others may also need an urgent rewrite. Amir is often asked on TV about his 'best friend' Babar. Sarcasm is Pakistani based. He was once asked why he tweets when Virat Kohli scores a hundred but not when Babar does the same. He didn't hum or grunt, but unashamedly said he was a Virat fan. On another show, he expressed his unflattering opinion about Babar, the T20 batsman and captain.

Babar also carries baggage. Maybe a lighter one. Blame it on a TV show with quick questions. Some time ago he was asked the one word that came to mind when he heard the name Wahab. Phupho, he says. There was loud laughter on the set. Phupho means Bua, father's sister. But pop culture references say that Phupho is the evil aunt who loves intrigue. She is someone who likes to stir the pot.

If there ever was a recipe for disaster, PCB has been true to it and hasn't missed a single spice. This is a male ensemble that would be any reality show casting director's dream.

Historically, Pakistan does not allow the atmosphere in the dressing room to influence their performance on the field. Imran Khan-Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis… those Men in Green may not be the best of friends, but they are committed to the greater common cause. But this time it looks different. Babar's men do not belong to the same class and the distrust runs much deeper.

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