Why hefty fines not a solution to Pakistan’s poor show at T20 World Cup
Former Pakistan cricketers say PCB needs to address the deep-rooted problem in the sport
Dubai: Pakistan’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup ensured they were heavily fined by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Mohammad Amir, a former Pakistan pacer, has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after it imposed a 5 million Pakistan rupees fine on the team for their poor performance. He said the solution were not fines but to address deep-rooted problem in cricket.
“Fines aren’t the solution. I’ve said it from day one — invest in domestic cricket. That is where you will find quality players. If you are angry with someone, don’t fine them; drop them and tell them to perform consistently for two years in domestic cricket. The biggest punishment for a player is being left out of the team,” he said.
Pakistan managed to qualify for the Super 8s stage of the tournament, but despite defeating Sri Lanka in their final Super 8s game, they couldn’t better their net run rate than New Zealand to make an early exit.
The penalty was apparently imposed not for disciplinary grounds but for failing to meet the performance standards. Following Pakistan’s 61-run loss against India in the group stage, players were advised that the penalty would be forgiven if the team advanced to the semi-finals.
Amir chastised the PCB and cautioned chairman Mohsin Naqvi against “scapegoating” players and called for a double penalty on administrators and selectors, arguing that they should also be held responsible.
Wrong combinations
“If fines are the solution, apply them to everyone — from selectors to the administration. Players weren’t forced at gunpoint. Hold selectors accountable for wrong combinations. Double the fine for them. Stop scapegoating players. This isn’t the real solution. Why do players have to suffer all the time?” Amir said on a Pakistani show.
Amir also questioned the reasoning of punishing every player, even Fakhar Zaman, who played in just two games, and Sahibzada Farhan, who broke the record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition with two centuries.
“If you can’t pick the right combination, the ones who selected the squad and chalked out the plans must answer. Will you fine Fakhar Zaman as well, who played just two games? What about Sahibzada Farhan?” he questioned.
Amir further pointed out that if PCB was unsatisfied with certain players, they should be dropped from the team to send a stronger message than imposing fines on the entire team. He urged that underperformers be given at least two years to show themselves in domestic cricket before being called up.
Narrow thinking
Pakistan former captain Shahid Afridi also said that it was narrow thinking on the part of the board to go ahead with the decision of fining players for poor performance.
“It is a decision that cannot be understood,” said Afridi on local Pakistan TV channel.
“They are thinking in a petty way. What would they even do with Rs5 million? I do not think this is any kind of penalty. Whoever did not perform, they should be sent back to First Class cricket. There are some players who, I think, should not return to the team before two years. These punishments will be enough,” said the former Pakistan captain.
Pakistan will now move on from the T20 World Cup and prepare for their three-ODI tour of Bangladesh that begins on March 11.
