![Pakistan came out to play vs UAE amid boycott talks [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1758125726380_PAK_boycott.jpg?type=hq)
Pakistan came out to play vs UAE amid boycott talks [Source: AFP]
"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." The famous dialogue from the Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Dark Knight’ perfectly sums up the current situation of Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Ever since the tournament began in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan armed conflict, the word ‘boycott’ has taken the centre stage. Despite the Indian government giving clearance to the BCCI and the players to participate in the competition, the country’s passionate fanbase is not actively following the tournament and, quite clearly, distancing itself from all the developments due to the involvement of Pakistan in it.
On a similar note, the Pakistan cricket team also threatened to boycott the crucial face-off against UAE following the infamous handshake controversy against arch-rivals India. But after multiple twists and turns, the Men in Green finally arrived at Dubai International Stadium to participate in the fixture after the ICC withheld its stance of appointing Andy Pycroft, the man whom the PCB wanted to sack from the Asia Cup, as the match referee for the UAE encounter.
Now, as Pakistan take on the UAE despite creating a lot of buzz around a potential withdrawal from the tournament, the country, which was once hailed for its cricketing prowess, seems to be on the verge of becoming a laughing stock in the global cricketing community.
Unfazed ICC Overrules Stubborn PCB’s Bizarre Demand
As we all know, captain Suryakumar Yadav and the entire Indian team walked off the ground without shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts. This apparently agitated the Pakistani skipper Agha Salman, who decided not to attend the post-match presentation in retaliation. Keeping all the India-Pakistan jingoism aside, does this move even make sense?
There’s no provision in the ICC rule book that mandates the customary handshake after the game’s conclusion. If we, the avid followers of the game, know this, how on earth can we expect a professional cricketer like Agha Salman not to be aware of it?
As if this wasn’t enough, the PCB took the matter to the court of ICC, asking the apex cricketing body to relieve Andy Pycroft of his duties as a match referee for allegedly not maintaining neutrality to protect ‘sportsmanship’ in their game against India. Again, the plea seemed absolutely farcical, as neither the Indians nor Pycroft had breached any of the ICC Code of Conduct guidelines.
So, the ICC adhered to its principles and rightfully acquitted Pycroft, even persisting with him as the match referee for Pakistan’s final group-stage match against the UAE. Thus, the PCB found itself at the receiving end yet again, not because of the bias of Pycroft or the ICC, but due to its fragile ego.
Money Vs Self Respect: Reality Strikes PCB Hard
Upon the ICC’s disapproval to replace Pycroft with Richie Richardson as the referee for the Pakistan vs UAE game, the PCB bosses teamed up to conduct a high-level meeting in Lahore.
The focus quickly shifted from cricket to politics within seconds, just like what we have witnessed throughout the entire Asia Cup edition so far, where controversies have grabbed more attention than cricket. But what happens next? The PCB yet again changes its stance, much like it has played musical chairs with its administrators and leadership groups over the years.
The volatile nature of the Pakistan Cricket Board once again proves why the global cricketing community can’t take it seriously. Imagine a governing body threatening to walk out of a multi-national event, much before realising that it can’t flex its financial muscle to compensate for the loss.
A Legit Boycott Threat Or A Mere Attempt To Distract Fans From Real Issues
Despite Pakistan’s ordinary performance against India across all fronts, nobody questioned their approach towards the game, thanks to their threat of boycotting the Asia Cup. From a fragile top-order to a bowling unit that lacks penetration, India’s rampant side exposed all the glaring loopholes in Pakistan’s Asia Cup lineup.
Suryakumar Yadav and his troops were well within their rights to decide if they would shake hands with people from a nation that had an active role in the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam.
Neither did they mention Pakistan once in the press conference, nor did they foul-mouth their rival players, abiding by the ICC Code of Conduct. So, Pakistan’s motive behind threatening the ICC to boycott the entire tournament seems logical on no grounds. Rather, it was just another gimmick to distract its passionate cricket fans from the real issues that led to their downfall.
Pakistan’s Fall From Grace Is The What PCB Should Address
A team that once had the likes of Wasim, Waqar, Imran, and Shoaib Akhtar is now gradually becoming a laughing stock due to the PCB’s clueless decision-making at the administrative level.
While the Pakistan players seem disinterested in fine-tuning their grey areas, the flaws of the management are rapidly diminishing Pakistan’s stature as a cricketing power. So, it’s high time the PCB should stop creating unnecessary drama around non-existent issues and take effective measures that can revitalise Pakistan cricket and restore its former glory.
