MenInG
24th October 2011, 20:27
We all like to dream of a Utopian world - a world of beauty, where everything is perfect.
As a passionate fan of Pakistani cricket, one’s Utopia consists of a world when Pakistani cricketers are considered the paragons of professionalism, where the term “Pakistani cricketer” is a synonym for sporting excellence and integrity. In addition, the tooth fairy is real and Santa Claus is fit enough for sliding down most Chimneys while pigs fly around – you get the picture :)
We all wish that we were part of this perfect universe but we all know that this is a dream and it doesn’t take long to get a healthy dose of reality check to bring most of us to ground.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the events that have happened in the past few days and continue to happen in the cricket field and in the courts in London.
The Pakistani cricket team kicked off our foray into Utopia with an inspired performance against the Sri Lankans in Abu Dhabi. Defying all talk of flat and insipid cricket in front of non existent crowds, Misbah-ul-Haq’s band of men played an incredible brand of cricket.
Whilst many among us warned of premature comparisons to greatness, the sight of Junaid Khan firing his reverse swinging Yorkers at the hapless Sri Lankan batsmen was enough to launch us into state of euphoria. The doors to Utopia were beginning to open. Junaid Khan’s sajda on TV after getting his 5fer was symbolic to say the least but to many who have their feet grounded in reality, reminded us of another precocious young talent. The dream was starting to shatter already.
The Pakistani batting performance that followed was brilliant with a double hundred from Taufeeq but there were glimpses of mediocrity in the way we seem to have squandered an opportunity to score more. The visions of a perfect world had started to blur.
This was day 3 and what followed for the next two days could only be described as rude awakening. Pakistani cricket plummeted to a spectacular nose dive as we dropped catches and allowed Sri Lanka to mount a successful rearguard action.
Even with the doom and gloom around, our bowlers did their heroic best but it was never enough. The test match, like a dream gone bad, ended in farcical manner for Pakistan as they refused to chase down a moderately difficult target. Utopia was a land faraway and we were back on earth.
Just as Pakistan fans started to wind down and rationalize their team’s incredible ability to NOT win, Monday arrived with great fanfare.
For their patience, the fans of this game were rewarded with another blockbuster – the courts at Southwark bore witness to closing arguments of one of the worst aspects of Pakistani cricket. The trial of the notorious 3 ( or 2 at the moment) which had been simmering in the background while actual cricket took centre stage suddenly burst into the forefront.
The sight of what were once Pakistan’s pride and joy being questioned, bickering and defending themselves like petty criminals was a sight that even the hardened of all fans could not forget nor forgive.
It was bad enough that Pakistan’s reputation was being dragged through mud, it also transpired that the full might of the English Tabloid press descended on the courts like flies on excrement to make merry. The cyber space was abuzz with witty one liners about the accused and all the Pakistani fans could do is stare in disbelief at their screens as details of the level of corruption were discussed and the stars of yesterday – the people who promised us a pie of heaven were brought down to earth and consigned to dust bins of history.
How much more can a Pakistani fan take and what has he done to deserve this? Whatever the rationale employed in explaining the happenings on and off the field, the fact is that the average fan needs a break. The only real way out of this is for our cricketers on the field to play out of their skins and deliver us from this nightmare.
In the meanwhile, what can a Pakistani fan do to alleviate his condition of hopelessness? Dream on, I suppose.
http://www.pakpassion.net/photopost/data/615/IMG_9681.jpg
As a passionate fan of Pakistani cricket, one’s Utopia consists of a world when Pakistani cricketers are considered the paragons of professionalism, where the term “Pakistani cricketer” is a synonym for sporting excellence and integrity. In addition, the tooth fairy is real and Santa Claus is fit enough for sliding down most Chimneys while pigs fly around – you get the picture :)
We all wish that we were part of this perfect universe but we all know that this is a dream and it doesn’t take long to get a healthy dose of reality check to bring most of us to ground.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the events that have happened in the past few days and continue to happen in the cricket field and in the courts in London.
The Pakistani cricket team kicked off our foray into Utopia with an inspired performance against the Sri Lankans in Abu Dhabi. Defying all talk of flat and insipid cricket in front of non existent crowds, Misbah-ul-Haq’s band of men played an incredible brand of cricket.
Whilst many among us warned of premature comparisons to greatness, the sight of Junaid Khan firing his reverse swinging Yorkers at the hapless Sri Lankan batsmen was enough to launch us into state of euphoria. The doors to Utopia were beginning to open. Junaid Khan’s sajda on TV after getting his 5fer was symbolic to say the least but to many who have their feet grounded in reality, reminded us of another precocious young talent. The dream was starting to shatter already.
The Pakistani batting performance that followed was brilliant with a double hundred from Taufeeq but there were glimpses of mediocrity in the way we seem to have squandered an opportunity to score more. The visions of a perfect world had started to blur.
This was day 3 and what followed for the next two days could only be described as rude awakening. Pakistani cricket plummeted to a spectacular nose dive as we dropped catches and allowed Sri Lanka to mount a successful rearguard action.
Even with the doom and gloom around, our bowlers did their heroic best but it was never enough. The test match, like a dream gone bad, ended in farcical manner for Pakistan as they refused to chase down a moderately difficult target. Utopia was a land faraway and we were back on earth.
Just as Pakistan fans started to wind down and rationalize their team’s incredible ability to NOT win, Monday arrived with great fanfare.
For their patience, the fans of this game were rewarded with another blockbuster – the courts at Southwark bore witness to closing arguments of one of the worst aspects of Pakistani cricket. The trial of the notorious 3 ( or 2 at the moment) which had been simmering in the background while actual cricket took centre stage suddenly burst into the forefront.
The sight of what were once Pakistan’s pride and joy being questioned, bickering and defending themselves like petty criminals was a sight that even the hardened of all fans could not forget nor forgive.
It was bad enough that Pakistan’s reputation was being dragged through mud, it also transpired that the full might of the English Tabloid press descended on the courts like flies on excrement to make merry. The cyber space was abuzz with witty one liners about the accused and all the Pakistani fans could do is stare in disbelief at their screens as details of the level of corruption were discussed and the stars of yesterday – the people who promised us a pie of heaven were brought down to earth and consigned to dust bins of history.
How much more can a Pakistani fan take and what has he done to deserve this? Whatever the rationale employed in explaining the happenings on and off the field, the fact is that the average fan needs a break. The only real way out of this is for our cricketers on the field to play out of their skins and deliver us from this nightmare.
In the meanwhile, what can a Pakistani fan do to alleviate his condition of hopelessness? Dream on, I suppose.
http://www.pakpassion.net/photopost/data/615/IMG_9681.jpg