The last straw
Shoaib Akhtar is in the headlines again, and yet again for all the wrong reasons. The enigmatic "Rawalpindi Express" has the knack of getting himself in trouble repeatedly. This time he may have crossed the line after a spat with team mate, Mohammad Asif, led him to strike Asif with a cricket bat in front of a sizeable presence of the international media!As much as he is the darling of the crowd that flocks to see him steam in and terrorize batsmen with his thunderbolts, he makes a very bad role model for youngsters. Arguably the fastest bowler in cricketing history (having clocked the fastest delivery ever bowled by any person), he is also the "bad boy" of cricket - ironically in a game that is known as a "gentleman's sport".
Shoaib's insolent behavior has been repeatedly tolerated by our ad-hoc cricketing governing body, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board), which is led by an incompetent medical doctor (what the fudge is a medical doctor's business in a sport and that too as chairman?) Dr. Naseem Ashraf. The eerie doctor is best buddies with Musharraf. Enough said.
As much as I was waiting to see Shoaib back at the inaugural 20-20 World Cup, I am glad the PCB has finally made the right call and summoned Shoaib back to Pakistan effectively taking him out of the competition. It serves him right and it is about time. He has won us many games single-handedly and his "bad boy" image sometimes is a positive thing, too. But, such consistently brash behavior cannot be tolerated.
Shoaib actually represents the state of the ummah these days - highly talented, raw, showing immense potential in bursts, but lacking any vision or direction and a total contempt for laws. I am sure that even the most ardent supporters of Shoaib have lost all hope in him now.
He must be kicking himself in his long and lonely flight back home, but I am sure he is not going to learn anything from this experience. He needs to know that he is not bigger than the game and that the team can do without him. He not only gives a bad name to the country, but also deflates the spirit of his fellow team member in the wake of an important competition. I hope he is out for good now and I also hope that Dr. Naseem Ashraf is booted alongwith Shoaib.
(images taken from www.cricinfo.com)
posted by al-republican at 4:52 AM
10 Comments:
Damn! He beat up a team member with a cricket bat? Pardon, but wow - that's just unbelievable. A cricket bat is heavy and made of wood(?) - it's not like a tennis racket, I'd assume.
Nevertheless - who would beat up his team mate. Man, that's so weird.
Shoaib actually represents the state of the ummah these days - highly talented, raw, showing immense potential in bursts, but lacking any vision or direction and a total contempt for laws.
ROFL. Quite right you are, too.
The Ummah after all makes headlines mostly by blowing up things. I call that 'brash intolerable' behaviour.
But don't get in a huff. At least Pakistani cricket gets in the headlines at all.
Well maybe it's 'cause he's taking some sort of muscle building pills, that throws people into some blind rage or crap of such sort?
lol, I don't watch cricket, hence sorta assumed it wasn't his character - trying to give the dude, benefit of the doubt :)
what's this, Al.
Too busy fasting to blog?
Nick, yes, I am a little caught up with work and family. So much so that I hardly get on the internet for an hour everyday on a lucky day.
No posts anytime soon (unless something really cool happens that I just HAVE to blog about). But, I do read your's and others thoughts. Your comments make me laugh, nick! I didn't know you had an Indian wife? That's pretty cool. Is she Hindu?
Hope you had a good time off during your vacation.
Hi Al, Ramadan kareem by the way.
I figured you are up till dawn everyday eating and visiting your bearded uncles.
Sorry mate, my wife is not Muslim if that's what you wanted to know. I think she is Hindu going on Buddhist. She is "searching", you know.
Mostly though, she is searching at Harvey Nichols at MOE. Surprisingly, she hasn't found enlightenment yet.
Most people we meet get all mellow and warm around their hearts and how beautiful multicultural multiracial unions are.
Not sure if that's 'cool'. It's unusual in Dubai for sure. In London nobody batted an eyelid but here we get our share or stares.
Quite often it's a pain in the arse, actually. I wouldn't have chosen it deliberately:
1. It's a pain having to go to Europe and India twice a year to show off the kids to various realtives. Lots of airmiles, though.
2. I have to put up with Indian food. Apart from Janna, Bengan barta, mutterpaneer and rotis I can't stand the stuff.
3. I have to watch Bollywood movies. Not really, but you know you can't escape the soundtrack warbling across the house.
But, where the heart goes....
Al,
May I extend my congratulations to you and your country for reaching the final of the Twenty20 tournament.
And to India for winning it.
Haha thanks Nick! I am actually thinking of my next entry on that final. Indians are so influenced by Bollywood that almost all of them think they live in a damn movie!
Somehow, bollywood and the finals of the T20 WC are related and irritatingly as well! You will get the point when I do a write up on it.
Al, can't wait to read your write up :)
Hmmmm.....it's true most desi's live in some sort of make believe movie world - with all sorts of drama :) Just attend a desi wedding!
On youtube a bollywood freako commented Amitab Bachan is more powerful & eternal than Christ and Allah - goes to show the depth/level these people are influenced by Bollywood. Sadly it's all such utter crap.
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