Rana willing to quit ICL for Pakistan

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider the forced ostracism of the ICL players, including him, in order to revive Pakistan cricket from its unyielding slump.

Rana, of Lahore Badshahs and currently representing Yorkshire in county cricket, also offered to quit the ICL immediately — in a similar manner to Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq — providing the PCB guarantees him a spot in the national side.

‘We are all here to serve our country, if the PCB wants us to,’ Rana told Dawn.

‘However, no one from the PCB has contacted us yet with regards to cancelling our ICL contracts and representing Pakistan. They have even selected the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup now and despite us [Naved, Razzaq, Imran Nazir] being named in the original 30-man squad, a PCB official is yet to speak to any of us.’

‘Since the board is aware of our decisions and future plans, it is up to them to contact us, ensure us that we will be in their plans and if that is the case then we are more than willing to cancel our ICL contracts.’

In a recent statement, the PCB clarified its position on the ICL players and that a decision on their national reckoning would remain pending until the ICL contracts are cancelled.

‘The PCB’s position on players who have participated in ICL is that such players must resign from ICL if they are to be considered for selection by PCB. While permitting such players to play cricket, PCB will decide on case-to-case basis the penalties to be imposed and the time period for which they will remain banned,’ a PCB statement said.

Rana, however, remained sceptical of the statement and wanted assurance from the PCB before breaking ties with the ICL. ‘We can’t simply cancel our contracts just to get the Board to talk to us. What will happen if we cancel our contracts and get dumped by the PCB as well?’

Judging by his refusal to get involved with the American Premier League (APL) until it gets sanctioned by the ICC as well as ICL’s latest season cancellations, Rana obviously wants a swift return to international duties.

‘I’ve been approach by the APL organisers to represent the Pakistani team in the tournament but I’d rather hear from the PCB on the league’s status before confirming anything.’

However, with the PCB unable to take a swift stance on the matter, and based on Rana’s experience of the English conditions and his prowess with the bat as a pinch-hitter, the PCB may well rue the missed opportunity at the World Twenty20.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper May 07, 2009

An air of complacency

Faras Ghani, a Pakistani journalist, has contributed this special post to Line and Length on the need for the Pakistan Cricket Board to wake up to their slack security.

How can Ijaz Butt, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, defend the security measures – not the security officials – in his country when he didn't see what I saw? While I wasn't in Lahore for the aborted second Test, I was in Karachi for the first where security seemed to become toned down as the match progressed.

Although security officials still outnumbered spectators, there was an air of complacency. From day two, I could see no snipers stationed atop the water towers, body searches became faint touches and most personnel positioned to search belongings would smile and wave you on.

See, I'm a cricket freak. Not an enthusiast, but a freak for only a freak would dismiss all safety concerns, defy the financial gloom and fly across the continents to spend the last drops of his holiday allowance watching Pakistan take on Sri Lanka at home in their first Test for 14 months. Even the most fervent of followers queried my love for such a dour encounter, but as I told them: it could be the last series to be played in Pakistan. Little did I realise how true that prediction might be.

SecurityThe dullness of the Karachi Test allowed me to wander about the stadium with my camera. While not questioning the desire, and the right, of officials to be photographed, the sheer numbers hassling me for one became rather worrying. Being complimented for looking nice with a red tee failed to ease my worries and nor did the number of napping police officials in the stands.

I had to go through three checks from the gates to my destination but the whole act seemed superficial. Inside, perhaps fully confident in their colleagues' abilities on the gates, security officials seemed more interested in watching Younis Khan crawl to a world record, pleading for photos of them to be printed on the front pages or sharing a cigarette than keeping a watchful eye on spectator behaviour, especially in the backdrop of the prevailing law and order situation. Some even rested in bunches under the shade outside, surrounded by leftover biryani and the sense of false security.

After Lahore's debacle – deemed the farewell to international cricket in Pakistan by my good friend Hafsa Adil – how can we expect tours in six to nine months after this? Step out and smell the teabag and powered milk chai Butt sahab.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published on The Times Online Mar 13, 2009.