Cricket must not stop.

At the moment, PCB is desperately trying to get out of the pit.
It’s been eight years.

Last time they played at home, Afridi’s century was the fastest ever. Anwar’s 194 was the highest individual total in an ODI. Asif was at his best. Akhtar and Yousuf hadn’t retired. Misbah hadn’t arrived. Amir hadn’t been banned. Their people would go and watch them play on their own turf.

Since then, Afridi’s record has been broken twice. So for Anwar’s 194. Amir got banned, served five long years and got back. Asif is yet to see another day. Younus became their best ever Test batsman. Misbah came, conquered and is set to go.

But International Cricket is yet to return.

When the questions surround the efficacy of a PSL final in Lahore, there is a fair bit of logic and common sense behind them. How handy would the outcomes be?
There are reasons to believe that it might not achieve what it is meant to. It might not even help Pakistan’s image across the cricketing circles. In the end, it could be a futile and silly exercise.

But PCB finds it so tempting that they think they need to give it a go. Could be it reassures themselves and their people - that they can do it.

Practicality is not a challenge here.
But feasibility is a big one.

Despite all the necessary evils of the post 9/11 developments, for years they enjoyed cricket in their own grounds. No one even thought of the remote possibility that one day, all this would evaporate. That Gaddafi could be the epicentre of an antagonism, none would believe.

In the aftermath, PCB didn’t help itself.
Why would someone else then?

A year goes by, and Lords happens.
Giles Clarke, the voice they needed the most to spread the word and address Pakistan’s isolation at ICC, refuses to greet Amir who was the player of the series.

The pit gets darker and wider.

Over the last few years, however, there have been consistent attempts by PCB to reincarnate a belief that Pakistan could host International Cricket like others do. Even though the returns didn’t meet the targets but it is fair to say they tried a lot.

What failed them?
There were quite a few external factors that they were in no position to control. Obviously, they couldn’t tell Obama when to pull out of Afghanistan. And, they couldn’t convince Modi to sit well with the CPEC. And also they couldn’t assure Mumbai attacks issue be resolved on table.

Every time, an India Pakistan series is in the offing, Mumbai 2009 blocks visions.
Pakistan always want to play India. India never wants to. This inflicts millions of dollars on PCB’s pockets. But BCCI is never short of excuses.

PCB, under Sethi, has posed itself well. In 2014, they also arranged a tour for Ireland. They were all set to turn it on. But one terrible night, Karachi airport came under attack. Ireland refused to visit them.

Zimbabwe asked for a lot. They paid it. Zimbabwe toured them. The opening match against Zimbabwe was not a low-key game. Not just a match, it was a celebration across the country. They thought they had made it. But they didn’t know a bomb had to explode just outside Gaddafi.

No one has toured them since.
No one except Zimbabwe has visited them in eight years.

Their grounds stay empty. Their wickets lay barren. Their stands echo silence.
Out of this desolation, they seek a revival. And don’t forget; they are desperate for one.

PSL has done all the yards for this one final to be held in Lahore. They have spent nights carving it. FICA came in their way. They sought Giles Clarke’s help again. His visit helped a lot. Only three weeks ago, a PSL final in Lahore was the likeliest. People were asking for special passes even before the inaugural ceremony could begin.

Now, the pit isn’t that dark.
There is a hope, a bleak line of white light approaching the tunnel.

But suddenly, it happens again. Once again, someone loses his mind. Once more, the lively and cheerful Mall Road records a carnage. Once again, they are in the middle of nowhere.

In the premise of disaster stands tall PCB, a Cricket Board that wants to convince the world that - Cricket must not stop.

A flash of genius

Can this guy bowl three dots in the last over of a narrow chase? That too in a T20 game.

He doesn’t even look like a fast bowler now. There was a time he would normally bowl at 150 kph. But now he is 37. Actually today he got 37. Now he walks like a lower order Zimbabwean batsman.

You know he failed to defend 15 in the last over of an important ODI game and Pakistan lost the series. And here, he has to save last 5 off last 6 in a T20 game.
Anwar Ali is facing him. He can hit the ball. On the other end stands Roussow, who is amongst the top scorers of the season.
Can Sami win it for Islamabad?

How many of us would think so?

He runs in. Anwar is ready to finish it on the first ball. He doesn't want to play the rest. Sami knows it. He bangs it short and drags Anwar towards his off stump. Anwar swings it hard and fails to meet the pace of ball. He is no deVilliers.
But he can finish it on the next one.
Next one is no different.

Now they need 5 off 4.
Third ball reflects a change of plan. Sami changes the line but keeps the length. Anwar desperately meets the ball and manages an awkward stroke. He rushes towards the other end. Mid-on gets the chance to run him out. But Badree doesn’t look interested.

It should’ve hurt Sami.
But he doesn’t even look at anyone. He thoughtfully walks towards Misbah. There is a chat. By the looks of it, it is safe to say that Misbah wants him to bowl almost the same stuff to Rossouw.

Roussow too has no cure for it. He swings it hard. And misses.

Now, nobody knows how much Quetta need off how many.
Sir Viv is shown on the big screen. He is smiling. But his face tells you that he knows it is one of those days. He is just trying to convince himself.

Sami is ready to bowl the fourth one. Suddenly Misbah calls him. A bit of chat there and we see Smith is being removed from Mid-on and sent to Long-on.
Why that?
What to follow?

Sami runs in and offers no width this time. Blocked in his own feet, Roussow strikes it towards the long on. There, Smith is quick in returning the throw but Anwar is not enough so. He is run out.

Quetta have cursed themselves. Sami has made it happen. The team that dominated the game in last two hours is on the brink now.
They need two off the last ball.

Can Roussow do it?
Nine out of ten times you’d say he can. Tenth time it'd be against Sami.
Sami runs in. Roussow knows he needs runs to win it. But the last five balls have shattered his nerves. Sami cramps him for room. Again he fails to adjust to pace and it goes straight to Misbah at mid on.

He collects it cleanly. Sami receives the throw at bowling end but he fumbles. So does Roussow. He knows he is over the line but he forgets that they aren’t yet. Perera keeps begging for the second.
But Roussow believes it’s over.

What were you expecting five minutes ago?
Misbah shouts loud for Sami. They rush in from the square. Sami is their hero of the night. He is the man on camera now. They all are behind him. He is smiling.
They defended two off the last ball.
They pulled off a magic.

And here, I am thinking why this cricketing brain played only 36 Tests and 87 ODIs for Pakistan in a career spanning 16 years?

He hasn’t retired yet. But another chance seems unlikely now.
He has missed many of those already.

Kings didn't mean it

Karachi Kings needed to mean something.
And they turned out to be nothing.
They relied on big names. They should’ve sought good combinations but they believed otherwise. By now, they must be thinking the same.
But apparently, they aren’t.

Look at the squad. Aren’t they a good T20 mix?
The highest run getter of the format is opening for them. A composed young lad is accompanying him. There is a fine captain in the greatest batsman of this era.
You have Malik who can do equally well in all three departments. There comes Bopara. He can play some good strokes. And he can bowl a few good ones. And what about Sohail Khan? Not only he can hit the ball cleanly but he moves it too.

Amir is still a good T20 bowler. And he can smash it too. Usama Mir might have the least exposure but he can handle pressure. He’s shown it.

Look Imad is there.
But, is he?

Nonetheless, a strong batting line is complemented by a good mix of spin and pace. What else you need to mean something?
But’s what you see from a vantage point. Details are not that rosy.

The most hyped player of T20 is not there. His attention spans have been flashy.  He’s always found short of movement. And he has been tried more than enough. He should’ve been dropped long ago. Yet, they are expecting a one-off miraculous innings from him.

Pollard rarely gets runs. He doesn’t bowl anymore. He is not even a good fielder. But since, they’ve spent a lot on him and since he is a big name, they won’t let go off him.

Their two of the most important batting slots are misfiring. They can’t open well. Neither can they finish. And the consistent failures of these two big guns have put extra load on all others. Their batsmen get poor starts. They can’t hold it together until the 15th over. And their tail is not getting any support from Pollard or even Imad.

Sanga, once a wise captain, now looks frustrated. Can you believe he has forgot all that he knew of his gloves only in last two weeks?
Now, he makes errors in field placings. He gets confused. He mistimes the all important switch of pace and spin.
His batters don’t help him.
He fails to help his bowlers.

His ship is rushing towards a glacier and he can’t do enough to stop it.

And then you have theatrics as if all these things failed to amuse you.

A strategic time-out is called for. But Sanga didn’t ask for it. He was signalled from the dressing room by his old partner Mahela.

And as the team surrounded Mickey Arthur, there was a moment.
Beside the wicket, there is a team meeting. Thus far in the game, Karachi have fared miserable. And Arthur was there to calm things down. He had to tell them to hold their nerves. He is surrounded by his XI. He is talking to them. But then the camera man finds a good shot and then we see he’s talking to Sohail Khan.

But he’s not talking.
He’s shouting.
He commands Sohail to look into his eyes. And then you can’t hear what he says. Even Sohail can’t. Yet, he does. But his face tells otherwise.

In next over, Sohail produces two wickets. Two make three. Karachi look in command.

But then, Sohail’s next over is completely out of place. The guy who produced two wickets in the previous one, is now as senseless as the entire Time-Out meeting.
Again, Karachi start losing their nerves.

Shoaib Malik bowls a very good length on middle stump. Roussow cramps himself for room. He doesn’t find the ball. Ball gets itself to the edge of his bat. It flies from the vacant slip region.

Sanga doesn’t even sigh.

Malik looks in disbelief.

Out there in the square, a guy runs behind it. He is running. But he isn’t going behind it with a hope to keep his team alive. He is just running for himself, to stop himself from one more error.

He manages a lazy dive, collects the ball and throws it back. The camera zooms in. This is Sohail Khan.

Behind the stumps, a lost face tries to hide behind those big white gloves. He looks into the sky. Then he rolls his eyes in disbelief.

It appears he’s asking himself, “Why am I here?”