IPLISED Tillakaratne Dilshan

Sri Lankan skipper Dilshan has welcomed the decision of his board not to travel Pakistan for upcoming due tour. He said, “The last time it was a bad experience for me as a cricketer in Pakistan. As a player, I do not want to face the same situation again in future. My personal view is that I don’t want to play cricket in Pakistan again”.

Pakistan cricket’s fans are not happy on the statement of Dilshan on an open forum. Tauqeer Zia the former PCB Chairman said that Dilshan’s comments are insensitive to the problems being faced by the Pakistani people. I don’t think there was a need for such personal views on a public forum once Sri Lankan board had turned down our invitation.

Infact in past Pakistani team had visited so many times Sri Lanka (in worst security situation of Sri Lanka) in response to avoiding tour of Sri Lanka by some Western countries. In response to this positive attitude Sri Lankan team had also visited Pakistan when Western and Indian team avoided to visit Pakistan, but unfortunately Government of Pakistan failed to provide them security and they were attacked by militant. After that accident no wise person can expect Sri Lankan tour in the prevailed worst security situation of Pakistan.

The question is why the PCB is making things confusing? The plan has to be straight forward and i.e. no international matches in Pakistan till the end of war against terror. So, PCB should not stress any team to visit Pakistan as it is impossible in the current situation. Therefore PCB should adopt the plan of neutral venue otherwise the current unwise attitude of PCB will provide chances to IPL players like Dilshan (who have already faced match fixing allegations from his former captain Kumar Sangakkara) to speak harshly against Pakistan.

Hashan Tillakaratne on the Track of Truth

Former Sri Lankan captain Hashan Tillakaratne has said that match fixing is in vogue in Sri Lankan cricket since 1992. He said that he will disclose the names of Sri Lankan match fixers very soon. He said that though I am not 100% sure that the final of ICC World Cup 2011 was fixed, but some decisive changes made by Sri Lankan team management before the final made the issue doubtful.

Infact the attitude of senior Sri Lankan players towards money aim league IPL is a reflection of the Hashan Tillakaratne concerns. To me playing for his country should be the first priority of a professional player, but when Sri Lankan board and government called the player to join Camp before the tour of England, most of Sri Lankan players showed their cold response in doing so. They were not agreed to leave IPL and join the camp for the preparation of important tour of England. Even on one hand, attacking bowler Lasith Malenga declared himself injured for the tour of England and on the other hand, he was playing IPL matches continually. When after his ambiguous stance Sri Lankan board called him back for restoration of fitness, he even announced retirement. This attitude of Malenga showed that how Sri Lankan players are interesting in playing IPL. According to board instructions Sri Lankan players were due to leave IPL before 5th May but now because of their cold response and influence from BCCI Sri Lankan board allowed them up to mid of May. These players will not join the camp which is an essential part of preparation before any tour for every international team. Even most of them will not play warm up match. Coming one step forward former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara

 has demanded space for IPL in ICC future tour programme for avoiding clash with board. By this he has indirectly accepted clash with his board in present and indicated clash with board in future due to IPL This story is enough for understanding the priorities of Sri Lankan cricketers.

So, therefore, the blames of Hashan Tillakaratne should not be called rubbish blindly as one of Sri Lankan minister has done.  Even the behavior of West Indian Chris Gayle is out of box. He was dropped for just 2 matches as strategy by his board but he made it excuse and withdrawn himself from international tour and joined IPL. This attitude is enough for understanding the priorities of players. It means that because of available option of IPL, players will now dictate their boards. By adopting this type of attitude, cricket fans can now identify money loving and professional cricketers clearly. On one side there is Ravi Bopara who ignored money aim IPL because of preparation for tour of Sri Lanka and on the other side there are Sri Lankan players who ignored preparation camp for international tour because of IPL.

To those players who were playing for money illegally in past, IPL has provided open field to make it legal. You can ignore your international tours; you can make some other excuses to join IPL for earning money without any fear, because the dispute with your board will be handled by richest board of cricket BCCI as it did in the case of Sri Lankan player.

Was it a reward of performance of ICC world cup 2011 Final for Sri Lankan?

Does Pakistani Wicketkeeper Deserve the Title of World Champion?

What is the meaning of World Champion? To me a team who has best players than all other teams in all field of the game is to be called the World Champion. Champion team must have great bowlers, great batsmen and great fielding composition.  In fielding, the role of Wicketkeeper stands crucial. Australian had won world cup three times in a row because of unforgettable performance of her wicket keeper.  The performance of Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana was also remarkable in a world cup which Sri Lanaka won. Pakistani Wicketkeeper Moin Khan also played extra ordinary in a World Cup which Pakistan won.

In recent world cup AB Deviliar from South Africa, Mahendra Sing Doni from India and Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lana are performing behind the wickets and also in batting. Especially Australia and Sri Lanka also have good bowlers and batsmen. Therefore, these teams can prove as champion.

Pakistan is also looking forward to win this world cup. But the current performance of Pakistani Wicket Keeper Kamran Akmal can not help Pakistan to win this world cup. The primary duty of a wicket keeper is to perform duties behind the stumps perfectly, but the performance of Kamran Akmal behind the wickets is very poor. Because of his poor performance Pakistan has loss so many series abroad in recent past. But cricket board included him again in team for world cup reference to his batting performance. Infact after in early days of his career he did not play any utility inning for Pakistan. So, if Pakistan wants to become champion again, Kamran Akmal should improve his performance as there is no other quality wicketkeeper besides him with the team at the moment. With the current performance, Kamran Akmal does not deserve to be called champion wicketkeeper, therefore, Pakistan also does not deserve to be called champion in all fields of ODIs cricket.

Author :M.ASIM