Pakistan's biggest rival is Pakistan

If an award is to be instituted for the most chaotic cricket team in the world, Pakistan can win it hands down. No other team has generated so much controversy both on and off the field.

Pakistan is a team that should be handled with care. If united, they could be the toughest team in the world to beat; but to get them to play as a unit is even tougher.

The Pakistan Cricket Board should consider itself lucky to have got the services of an able administrator like Shaharyar Khan. Ultimately, this man who has served as a renowned foreign diplomat, had to throw in his towel.

The biggest opponent that the Pakistan team faces is themselves. It's always been a mountainous task to get the players to think alike and focus on their task, with the result, though individually extremely talented, they are not able to perform at their best on the field.

External forces keep pulling back every player. Interestingly, every top player has a ring of supporters around him. They claim to be his guide and feed him with all negative thoughts.

During India's last tour to Pakistan, I witnessed how this coterie works. Every decision by the board or the team management is criticised heavily. Youngsters are made to believe that he could be targeted soon.

Lahore-Karachi factor

Any decision taken by a Lahore-based administrator or player will be viewed sceptically if the player happens to be from Karachi and vice versa.

Some of the comments made by former players were so harmful that Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq had to finally appeal to his players not to read any Pakistan dailies.

The only person who ever managed to get Pakistan to play as a unit was Imran Khan. His charismatic image, together with the fact that he never let himself be considered a part of any region, helped him accomplish that.

Fortunately, Imran also got the support of Javed Miandad, the eccentric genius. And that year they lifted the World Cup.

Shaharyar Khan tried his best to rope in former senior players and utilise their intelligence for the benefit of the team. Unfortunately, none of the senior players could hold hands together.

After Javed Miandad was appointed the national coach, it was his former colleagues who turned out to be his biggest critics and ensured his exit. When Zaheer Abbas was made the manager, another group of players worked hard to ensure his exit as well.

Shaharyar Khan did transform the PCB into a professional unit. He managed it because of the blessings of President Pervez Musharraf, or else his term as chairman would have been as short as that of many of his predecessors.