“The world of cricket is reeling from a

storm of allegations and rumours.”

–Ijaz Butt – 2010

Deserted roads, closed shops and kitchens brewing the aromatic foods, well, what else could be other than a fixture, a cricket match! Although cricket is not the national sport of Pakistan, but whatsoever, it is broadly followed all over the country with great excitement. Cricketers, in Pakistan have achieved great fame, equal to rock-stars and celebrities. Imran Khan along with his team, who won the 1992 World-Cup, is considered to be an unmatched hero in the realm of cricket.

Not many years back, Pakistan cricket team was considered to be amongst the prestigious and feared sides. The fast-paced bowlers, coupled with magical swing, were a nightmare for the batsmen of greatest calibre. The batting line up had all the versatility, from putting a big score on board for the opponent to chasing most nail biting victories. Last ball sixes, hat tricks and tremendous test temperament were embedded in Pakistani Cricket once.

Gradually, the performance has declined, players have been performing inconsistently and there has been a musical-chair for captaincy, lobbying and, the worst of all, match-fixing. Young players, with extreme talent, which if put into action through hard work, can do wonders and break records. However, the politicising of Pakistan Cricket Board has infested more diplomacy than agility in the players. Terrorism, particularly the attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, has further aggravated the issue and has provided the authorities with a reasonable excuse for their poor managerial decisions which translate into insulting defeats.

To hope up the inglorious downfall of cricket, it shall take a few more years for the bats to rain runs consistently. Platforms, like the Pakistan Super League, can provide a thrust and fill the void which would be left after the retirement of senior players. Young players with a newer and revolutionised approach towards modern, fast-paced, cricket need to be encouraged so that current standards of international top-ranking teams can be matched.