RAWALPINDI - Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director Domestic Intikhab Alam along with PCB governing board member Shakil Sheikh and sponsors unveiled the Cool & Cool Haier Q8 T20 Cup 2015-16 in a bungled ceremony held here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The PCB looked in a hurry to launch the trophy as the journalists of twin cities were not properly informed, the place was stinking where the press conference was held and not a single representative of Rawalpindi Region was invited at the occasion. The board also didn't bother to make even ordinary arrangements for the important ceremony where the journalists faced a lot of difficulties especially in listening to what Intikhab and Shakil Sheikh were addressing about. The board also didn’t bother to invite a single national team player in the unveiling ceremony of national event.
All the rumors spread by the PCB and their close aides regarding Rawalpindi administration that it was not willing to provide security for the event proved false, rather Intikhab and Shakil praised the cooperation of DCO Pindi and other law enforcing agencies and also appreciated excellent and foolproof arrangements made by them to make the successful one.
It was witnessed in other cities that before the unveiling of the trophy, at least national team skipper and other top stars were present on the occasion, but the PCB didn't pay any heed in this regard when it came to Pindi. No one else but Rawalpindi Region president Major (R) Naeem Gilani is responsible for the poor arrangements and insulting treatment rendered to the cricket-mad people of Rawalpindi and he also didn't bother to turn up for the significant ceremony.
Rawalpindi Region is being long run under the shadows of Islamabad and cricketers of the region have been facing a number of difficulties. Gilani was a super flop during his two tenures, but he was once again drafted as dummy president by the powerful mafia, who had destroyed the Rawalpindi cricket and mainly responsible for injustices being done to the Pindi players. There is not a single top class cricket ground available for the Pindi cricketers, where they may go and enjoy playing cricket. Pasban ground, KRL ground, GHQ ground and Pindi Stadium are too expensive to play there. The time is high when instead of going with a dummy president, the people of Rawalpindi region must be given a right to select a person, who may help them resolve their long standing issues.
Intikhab nor Shakil managed to satisfy the journalists, who wanted to know the reasons behind not being informed through proper channel. They had no answers regarding format, which was introduced by the PCB. There was a complete chaos, as the journalists were finding it really difficult to understand what Intikhab and Shakil were saying. Mohsin Ali tried time and again to turn the both’s attention towards difficulties being faced by the journalists and requested them to arrange a mike so that they might listen to them properly, but all their requests were given dear air as they were least bothered about the happenings and wanted to unveil logo and rush to address other issues of importance.
Intikhab, who is also tournament organising committee chairman, thanked DCO Rawalpindi and other security agencies and sponsors, who were on board with the PCB for the last year and wanted sponsors to remain with the PCB for a longer period of time, and said that eight teams were divided into two pools and the team, which tops the pool, would join 10 teams for the main round. The qualification round starts from September 1 to 5, as three matches will be played on each day, while the main round will commence from September 8 and the final will be played on September 15th. All the top players of the country will be seen in action from their respective teams, while two matches will be played on Diamond ground Islamabad. Majority of matches will be played in day light, while some of them and the final will be held played under floodlights.
Shakil, who is tournament organizing committee patron, termed all the rumors regarding shifting the event from Rawalpindi as rumors, and said the event would be held as per announced schedule. “We are grateful to DCO Rawalpindi and Punjab CM for providing special security for the event. Ticket booths will be set up at both ends of roads leading towards the stadium. The main road leading to stadium will be closed due to security purposes, while only VVIPs and VIP movement will be allowed passage to main entrance of Pindi Stadium. We will provide car parking stickers to media and others, who could park their vehicles at the designated places.” He assured that the spectators had to face no inconvenience this time and those, who would have valid match tickets, would be given path to stadium. He admired Rawalpindi crowd and termed them the best in the country. We have always witnessed tremendously successful events in Rawalpindi and I am quite hopeful this time, all the past records regarding attendance of spectators will be broken.
To a query regarding weather’s forecast, Shakil replied: “We have kept in mind all the things and provided special covers for the pitches and made it sure that the event would be held according to plan and on given dates. We have put up on sale very cheap price tickets of Rs 100 and Rs 200, which I think is quite affordable and people will turn up in quite few numbers.”
Later, the logo was unveiled in the presence of sponsors. The PCB must ensure that only genuine sports journalists must be given path to media box unlike of past, when the PCB issued media accreditation cards in bulks and it was impossible for the genuine journalists to cover the event smoothly. RISJA has appealed to the PCB chairman and patron of the tournament organising committee to keep a close eye on non-journalists and ensure only genuine to cover the event.