If anybody can match India’s tempestuous relation with its national cricket team, it has to be Pakistan. The ups and downs of the Men in Green invariably evoke impassioned responses across the country that sometimes seem to border on the threatening. Unluckily for the team, there have been enough ups and downs, or more precisely downs, for it during the on-going World Cup.
Before Misbah-ul-Haq and his men trounced Zimbabwe on Sunday, their run in the tournament had featured only losses to India and West Indies, which led to severe heartburn back home. In the last few days, two petitions related to the cricket team have been filed in courts.
Last Thursday, a court in Lahore admitted a petition seeking a case against national chief selector Moin Khan for visiting a casino in Christchurch ahead of the team’s match against West Indies on February 21. The Pakistani team lost that game by 150 runs.
Khan, who was recalled from the World Cup, returned to Pakistan to a hostile reception and angry demonstrations. At the airport, a small group of young people showed up with banners showing their disapproval. When they realised that Khan had quietly slipped away, they poured out their anger by smashing eggs on their heads.
“I apologise to the people,” Khan told the media upon his arrival in Karachi. “I never realised my actions would have such serious repercussions.” According to sources at NDTV, Khan has been asked to resign.
On February 23, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court against the poor performance of the Pakistani team. Dawn reported that the petitioner named Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shahryar Ahmed Khan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PCB board member Najam Sethi as respondents in the case. The petitioner asked the court to investigate the reasons behind the team’s dismal performance.
'A dying sport'
Among the most strident critics of the team has been former Pakistani fast-bowler Shoaib Akthar. Asked about his thoughts on the country’s performance in the World Cup in an interview, he replied: “Pakistan cricket is dying.”
“It’s not stagnation, it’s the collapse of the society, of cricketing culture,” Akhtar said. “It’s a failure of Pakistan’s first-class cricket, of its grassroots. It’s a failure of living legends who failed to inspire, including myself. I also blame myself. We failed to inspire youngsters. On top of that, what did not help us was the match fixing phase. After 1995, the Pakistan team was troubled a lot because of match-fixing allegations.”
In a video that later went viral, Akthar told Geo News TV channel: “I have not seen a more coward and selfish captain than Misbah.”
Funeral procession
After Pakistan’s loss to the West Indies, cricket fans in the southern city of Multan held a mock funeral for their cricket team, complete with a coffin and several cricket bats placed over it.
Cricket Fans Offer Symbolic Funeral Prayer of... by zemtv
When Misbah was asked by the media whether the fault was with the batting, bowling or the fielding, he responded, “Everything.”
Pakistan's loss to India
Some fans had earlier smashed television sets after Pakistan’s defeat at the hands of India.
Frustration of an angry fan
While others are using anger to show their discontent, some are using humour. This Creative Babey spoof of the Bollywood movie A Wednesday captures the frustration of a Pakistani cricket fan.
Before Misbah-ul-Haq and his men trounced Zimbabwe on Sunday, their run in the tournament had featured only losses to India and West Indies, which led to severe heartburn back home. In the last few days, two petitions related to the cricket team have been filed in courts.
Last Thursday, a court in Lahore admitted a petition seeking a case against national chief selector Moin Khan for visiting a casino in Christchurch ahead of the team’s match against West Indies on February 21. The Pakistani team lost that game by 150 runs.
Khan, who was recalled from the World Cup, returned to Pakistan to a hostile reception and angry demonstrations. At the airport, a small group of young people showed up with banners showing their disapproval. When they realised that Khan had quietly slipped away, they poured out their anger by smashing eggs on their heads.
“I apologise to the people,” Khan told the media upon his arrival in Karachi. “I never realised my actions would have such serious repercussions.” According to sources at NDTV, Khan has been asked to resign.
On February 23, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court against the poor performance of the Pakistani team. Dawn reported that the petitioner named Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shahryar Ahmed Khan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PCB board member Najam Sethi as respondents in the case. The petitioner asked the court to investigate the reasons behind the team’s dismal performance.
'A dying sport'
Among the most strident critics of the team has been former Pakistani fast-bowler Shoaib Akthar. Asked about his thoughts on the country’s performance in the World Cup in an interview, he replied: “Pakistan cricket is dying.”
“It’s not stagnation, it’s the collapse of the society, of cricketing culture,” Akhtar said. “It’s a failure of Pakistan’s first-class cricket, of its grassroots. It’s a failure of living legends who failed to inspire, including myself. I also blame myself. We failed to inspire youngsters. On top of that, what did not help us was the match fixing phase. After 1995, the Pakistan team was troubled a lot because of match-fixing allegations.”
In a video that later went viral, Akthar told Geo News TV channel: “I have not seen a more coward and selfish captain than Misbah.”
Funeral procession
After Pakistan’s loss to the West Indies, cricket fans in the southern city of Multan held a mock funeral for their cricket team, complete with a coffin and several cricket bats placed over it.
Cricket Fans Offer Symbolic Funeral Prayer of... by zemtv
When Misbah was asked by the media whether the fault was with the batting, bowling or the fielding, he responded, “Everything.”
Pakistan's loss to India
Some fans had earlier smashed television sets after Pakistan’s defeat at the hands of India.
Frustration of an angry fan
While others are using anger to show their discontent, some are using humour. This Creative Babey spoof of the Bollywood movie A Wednesday captures the frustration of a Pakistani cricket fan.
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