The Champions Trophy 2013 was a debacle in every sense of the word. We played three, and lost three; outclassed and outplayed. Sometimes unprecedented failure can do wonders. Had Pakistan somehow bowled West Indies out before 170, as they were so close to doing so and had the batsmen somehow chased down 235 even after losing nine wickets against South Africa, we would have been in the semi-finals. Regardless of what would have happened after it, we would have given the boys a pat on their backs for showing tremendous fight and will power. Thank God that did not happen. The true state of our batting now lies in front of us as clear as the midsummer sky. Our destroyer has been our batting, the failure of which during the Champions Trophy can be branched into three core issues: The availability of good quality batsmen Consider this- how many batsmen from our current batting line up would make it to the Indian starting 11? Take our two most, or should I say relatively, successful batsmen. Would they even make the cut? Would you choose Nasir Jamshed over Rohit Sharma or Ravindra Jadeja? Would you choose Misbahul-Haq over Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina or MS Dhoni? I highly doubt it. This says a lot about the batting talent that we have to offer. A lot has been said about Kamran Akmal not deserving a place in the batting line up. The bitter truth is, we do not have a better wicket keeper-batsman than him. Our supply of talent is choked. One would never have associated such a problem with Pakistan, until international teams stopped touring our land. Slowly but surely, the ‘galli cricket’ tradition is disappearing. It is naive to deny it. We are just not selecting good enough players anymore. Our domestic cricket is in shambles and our college and school cricket is withering. The Pakistan Cricket Board needs to wake up. The selection I do not know what the selectors were thinking while penning the team for the Champions Trophy. Imran Farhat had a decent series against South Africa, but he failed miserably in the two games against Ireland. What was the need of another opener, who had been tried and tested four times, when we already had Nasir Jamshed, Muhammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal? If the selectors wanted to play Kamran Akmal down the order and needed another opener, Ahmed Shehzad or Shahzaib Hasan were all reasonably viable options. Shoaib Malik’s last batting milestone was a century against India in September 2009. Four years down the line, he has not had a single half century to his name in the One Day International (ODI) format. We also seldom use him as a bowler. One wonders why he still made the cut. There was not a single dynamic pinch hitter in the team. No Hammad Azam, no Shahid Afridi, no Umar Akmal and no Abdul Razzaq. If Afridi, Razzaq and Umar Akmal needed to be dropped, they needed to be replaced by a proper pinch hitters as well. The management absurdly backed the young Umar Amin to bat at number seven, where he isn’t accustomed to, even in first class cricket. Umar Amin is a proper top order batsman. He is a steady timer of the ball, not a big hitter. The captaincy I am sorry but Misbahul-Haq’s personal performances aside, he has failed to inspire the team. The difference between our approach, and the approach of say the Indian team, was apparent. Our batsmen play to save their wickets. Their batsmen play to score runs. Ours are batting with the mindset of trying to stay at the crease long enough for the runs to magically drop on their laps. Something that I believe has become the bane of Pakistani batting. Misbah needs to be more proactive. He needs to be more attacking. He needs to instil confidence in the team. However, note that I mean the players need to be attacking, not reckless. There’s a fine line between the two, and playing at the top most competitive level, you expect the players to realise what that line is. 170 runs, 167 runs and 165 runs; our batsmen failed to score more than 170 on dry wickets. This is a country that has produced legendary batsmen like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamamul Haq and Saeed Anwar. Hence, one cannot write off Pakistan as a country that only produces fast bowlers and the occasional exceptional spinner. This country has unfathomable potential, and the management had better start honing it before it too starts deteriorating.

Has there been a worse Pakistani batting line up in recent memory then this fledgling, fragile and technically incompetent unit? It is almost unbelievable to comprehend that Pakistan was considered as one of the top contenders for the title before this Champions Trophy commenced. Yes, batting has always proven to be our Achilles heel and usually the only reliable route to victory is when the bowlers can deliver knock-out punches. But how often can a bowling attack deliver when their batsmen perish for 170-odd in one game and fail to chase down a modest 235 in the next? Something is seriously wrong with the structure of Pakistan cricket and its selection criteria as well as the grooming and polishing of talent. Maybe it is all about the mindset and the failure of the system in liberating our young batsmen from the fear of top quality bowlers (and some ordinary ones like McLaren and Roach). Another factor could be the lack of talent, skill, temperament and confidence. This also attaches serious question marks on the effectiveness of the work being done at the national cricket academy and the value of the input that highly paid foreign coaches bring to Pakistan cricket. If the end result will perennially remain as catastrophic as this latest Champions Trophy debacle then why even bother with this fancy coach philosophy? I am sure that a local, level-three qualified cricket coach can deliver equally abysmal results at one-tenth the salary. In the year and a half following, Misbahul Haq’s ascent to captaincy consistency seemed to be creeping back into the highly volatile and turbulent world of Pakistan cricket. The doggedness and resilience born in Imran and Miandad’s eras and furthered in flashes by the likes of Wasim Akram and Inzamam was gaining momentum and winning the hearts of a cricketing mad nation. Even the bitterness and anger emanating from the spot-fixing saga seemed like a distant memory. Then came a testing tour to South Africa and all the preceding progress unravelled swiftly; our batting line up that had been warming up merrily on flat UAE pitches returned to their old swishing and nervy ways on bouncier wickets. Bar Younis and Shafiq, the rest of the technically-deficient batting line-up folded in a jiffy and even a heroic bowling effort from the consistently fantastic Saeed Ajmal could not prevent an absolute drubbing. So what lies next for Pakistan cricket? An emotional, knee-jerk reaction would be to demand dismissals and retirements. The prime target could be Misbahul Haq; the poor man has been labelled ‘tuk tuk’ and what not for his sedate batting style. Yet with all the other batsmen falling like nine pins around him does he usually have any other option left in his bare armour? Rightfully so that Misbah has lambasted his fellow batsmen after their calamitous display in England. Pakistan cricket would be far better off with the likes of Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam getting a long and consistent run in both formats of the game. Wouldn’t reliability and a bit of ‘tuk tuk’ serve us far better than the flashiness and style that lacks substance? More importantly, when and how will this embarrassment of shameful flopping at the international stage end? Is cricket in Pakistan heading in the same doomed direction of hockey and squash? For the sake of all the old and wise men the Pakistan cricket board employs’, I seriously hope not! Read more by Safwan here, or follow him on Twitter @Safwan_Umair

Too long has Misbahul Haq been made fun of, criticised, and blamed for Pakistan’s losses. When Pakistan loses, it’s Misbah’s fault. When Pakistan wins, an individual performance by a more ‘exciting’ player is credited. Enough is enough! When Misbah replaced the infamous Salman Butt (former captain), the team and the country was at its worse in terms of its reputation, morale and performance.  Since then, Pakistan has been re-moulded into a force to be reckoned with - not by Afridi, or any other individual, but by Misbah. His mature and calculated approach to the game has not won him fans. Instead, it has made him a target of ridicule. He is not being properly appreciated, considering what he has done for his country - leading from the front with consistent individual performances, well balanced captaincy and hard work. He won respect for Pakistan cricket after the debacle that occurred three years ago in England. Between 2010 and 2012 Pakistan under Misbah had the highest win/loss ratio in the world. Also, Misbah is the fourth most effective captain in Pakistan’s test history as of date, ranking three places above Imran Khan. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="475"] PHOTO: REUTERS[/caption] Now that Pakistan has been knocked out of the last Champions Trophy, the most disappointing aspect of this is that Pakistan’s batting has been the reason behind it. Yet again, our batsmen failed miserably against a downsized South African attack and an abysmal West Indies attack, both of whom got thrashed by the Indian batsmen. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] PHOTO: AFP[/caption] What personally has most disappointed me about the tournament is that the batsmen failed to show the heart that their captain showed. Leading from the front and scoring back-to-back fifties should have been enough to secure at least one victory if not two, but if on the other end the batsmen are struggling to reach double figures, it is not a wonder that we could not overcome even a meagre target of 235. Pakistan had come to the tournament as one of the top contenders for the trophy and after their dismal performance, barring the captain''s role, Misbah rightfully showed his frustration over it in the following words:

"If you are not delivering as a player, the team will suffer. At the moment, no one is justifying their place in the team. No one is getting runs."

"It's really difficult when your batting is performing like that. It's really disappointing."

"When you produce these sort of performances, they (the fans) have the right to say this. The players need to take responsibility."

 Dear Imran Farhat, you are the true master of comebacks. You have made at least a zillion of them. You disappointed the nation on a million occasions, but you always made a comeback with your head held high. You epitomise the spirit of “Emir Timur”, who never lost his hope after watching the perseverance of an ant climbing over a vertical wall. However, unlike you, Timur had finally conquered his goal and defeated King Bruce. More of a likeness is prominent between you and the ant, as you are continue to climb a vertical wall of Pakistani batting hopes, over and over again. I am sure, one day you will succeed in your efforts. I don't think it matters if Pakistan were to lose numerous more games as long as we continue to accommodate you till you get it right. I remember when you made your One Day International (ODI) debut as a young spirited cricketer against New Zealand, in 2001. You were only 19. It was quite an impressive debut, considering your current form. You made five whole runs before getting out and in the next ODI, you scored another four runs! Since then, you have been showing consistent form in various formats of the game- be it ODIs, tests, or T20's. In the recent two ODI innings in Champions Trophy, you scored two runs apiece. Good show, mate. Keep it up. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] PHOTO: AFP[/caption] However, you alone cannot shoulder all the glory. Let us take a peek at the recent illustrious form of Shoaib Malik; a man who hasn’t scored a single fifty since September 2009.  He, like you Mr Farhat, is also considered as a top-order “specialist” batsman. His last 14 ODI batting statistics read: seven, 23, 34, 24, five, 19, 35, four, 19, 28, one, 43, zero, eight. He too is a persevering "hero", although he can occasionally bowl and field, unlike you. But more than your consistency, I must praise the faith and tenacity of your selectors. They have been investing faith in you since pre-9/11 attack times - much has changed in the world, yet you seem to prevail. It reminds me of Einstein's definition of insanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. I am sure these selectors are trying to eulogise that theory of Einstein's. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] PHOTO: AFP[/caption] My dear hero! This nation requires facing an ordeal to test its patience and steadfastness, and you fit the role of that ordeal perfectly.  Otherwise, we had far better players who have impressive domestic records. Just look at the First Class (FC) averages of some of these bright and talented players: Usman Salahuddin (FC average; 47.21), Umar Akmal (FC average; 48.94), Fawad Alam (FC average; 55.96), Harris Sohail (FC average; 52.74) etc. All of them score heaps of runs in domestic cricket against the likes of M Irfan, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul and Asad Ali. Yet they don’t get ample opportunities, thanks to you, of course. Then, we have even more gleaming youthful talent, such as Hammad Azam, Shazaib Hasan, and Ahmad Shehzad, who get one or two opportunities and are being dropped forever. Perhaps, they lack the “mental strength” and “resources” that you possess. Look at Nasir Jamshed: I remember he was benched in the recent bilateral series against South Africa after only three failures. The selectors had conveniently forgotten that Jamshed had scored two back-to-back centuries against India, only three ODIs ago. They immediately looked around for a replacement and lo and behold! They called you once again. I immediately looked towards the skies because the Champions Trophy was right around the corner. As a result, today, we virtually knocked out of this prestigious tournament. We have Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed as two relatively established openers. Moreover, we also have Kamran Akmal: who has been opening in ODIs with a reasonable success. Why would we need an additional opener? Probably because you are a lucky charm, my hero. I was frustrated with the constant failures of Afridi with bat and ball recently. I was even in favour of dropping him from the team. However, I now believe that just half of “Lala” can perform better than you and Malik combined. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] PHOTO: AFP[/caption] Today, after a tenaciousness of a decade, your average stands around the lofty heights of 30 in 58 ODIs, and 32 in 40 Test matches. Keep trying mate; you are still pretty young, a vibrant 31 year old. When you will be 40, I am sure your average will walk hand in hand with your age. My only worry is that, why the selectors have been so hesitant in making you the next captain. All your children and grandchildren would be proud of such an illustrious career. Finally, if somebody reckons that our cricket, especially our batting has lost its foothold and has become hopeless, they better take a look at the records of the above-mentioned young domestic players. It is not the players but the management that is playing cricket for our nation. Read more by Faisal here.

Every Pakistani boy who has even a tiny bit of interest in cricket must have played street cricket, at one point or another in his life. The game is coined as street cricket or galli cricket in Pakistan as it is mainly played on residential streets in cities.  This form of cricket is played with a tennis ball covered with electric tape. Taping the ball is sheer skill and every boy that has played the game has either mastered or tried mastering this art. The ball should remain round shaped after the taping otherwise it will move around in the air as well as after pitching. There are some typical terminologies used in the galli cricket which one will never hear in professional cricket, neither by the players nor by commentators. Terms like ‘touch and go’ are common in street cricket. It means just play the ball while running and try to score a run whether the batsman hit the ball or not. There are many such terms that are not strange to the galli cricketers but would sound odd to the layman. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350" caption="Children playing street cricket with a makeshift wicket. Photo: Reuters"][/caption] Cricket seems to have evolved quite a lot in the recent years. There have been many new inventions in shots and bowling styles. Sometimes people like me are amazed at how some of the avant-garde deliveries and shots played by the batsman are extremely common in street cricket. There are some examples of such new inventions in international cricket that have been used in galli cricket for decades! In April 2008, a mystery spinner was introduced by the Sri Lankan team who took the entire world by surprise. That spinner was Ajantha Mendis, whose magic “carrom” ball left the cricketing world bamboozled. I was pretty bemused to see the whole world talking about this magical delivery with such awe. Carrom ball is known as the “finger” ball in our streets and is used by every second person playing on the streets. Mendis ruled international batsmen with this very ordinary carom ball but he couldn't fool Pakistanis with it! Our cricketers had been playing the same delivery successfully for ages - Mendis did not show Pakistan anything new. Playing in narrow streets does not allow freeing the arms and hitting long mighty blows, because there is a risk of hitting the ball straight into some cranky aunty’s house, who would give you the third degree for ringing her bell and asking for it back. Due to this, a common shot played by the batsmen in our streets is one that is played by getting onto one knee and scooping it over his shoulder. Sounds like a tough and awkward shot, does it not? This shot has no real name in our slang street language, but the world today knows this shot by the name of “The Dilscoop”; yes, the shot that is supposedly invented by Tillakaratne Dilshan is a pretty common shot on our streets. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540" caption="The "Dilscoop" by Tillakaratne Dilshan. Photo: AFP"][/caption] The innovative galli cricketers of Pakistan are extremely talented. However, it is sad to notice that the upcoming talent in our cricket seems to have a bleak future. This is because of the lack of cricket played in the streets these days, due to the worsening law and order situation. The streets of Pakistan have produced legendary players like Mohammad Yousuf who was founded purely on raw talent when he made his debut. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540" caption="Legendary player Mohammad Yousuf. Photo: AFP"][/caption] Galli cricket is such a massive asset for our international cricket. One can draw parallels with street football played in Brazil, which has produced icons such as Ronaldinho and Neymar, and continues to enliven their youth. Street cricket has suffered a lot in the past two or three years and the constant reduction in the craze of playing in the streets can also be attributed to international teams boycotting playing games in Pakistan. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="543" caption="Young Pakistani cricket enthusiasts. Photo: AFP"][/caption] Playing on home turf hypes and engages the people, while an absence of it has started alienating supporters. This is why it is vital that street cricket be promoted at a higher level; it attracts the youth from every walk of life in the country. Pakistan can produce more heroes in the world of cricket and this is a platform that can provide that pathway. We have the potential and it shines on the narrow streets of our cities and on the arid playgrounds of our muhallahs. Someday street cricket talent will show on international pitches and make a name for Pakistan; the world will witness the raw talent Pakistan still produces!

Soon, we will be cheering for our national heroes as they gear up for the final edition of the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England and Wales between June 6, 2013 and June 23, 2013. Let us analyse what is in store for Pakistani fans! The squad  Pakistan’s 15 member squad includes the much anticipated pacer, Ehsan Adil along with Asad Ali - both of whom have been pretty impressive in the domestic season recently. With an impressive economy of 2.20 in 10 overs and a wicket, Asad Ali got things rolling in his debut match against Ireland in the second ODI. On the other hand, Wahab Riaz, having fired a quick 47 against Ireland is expected to deliver some worthy all-round performances this time, considering he seemed to have lost his touch since the Mohali game in 2011. There is hardly any concern with respect to spin bowling. Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez will be seen in action – although all eyes will be on Abdur Rehman who is expected to add some fuel to the fire. The slow left arm spinner grabbed four wickets in the second game against Ireland, giving us a hint of what he might have in store for us this month. Having said that, Umar Gul, and his magic with a new ball and early wicket-taking, will undoubtedly be missed on such a pitch. His techniques have been Pakistan’s trump card pretty often. In addition to those changes,  junior Akmal has been replaced with the equally procure Umar Amin in the batting line-up. The Afridi factor The biggest (or not so big) blow to the side is the absence of a certain Afridi. What can one say, ‘A champions trophy being played without Shahid Afridi?’ doesn’t really have that ring to it. Or does it? Despite being a traditional Afridi fan since the start, I’d still look at this exclusion as a plus not only for the team but for the man himself. Considering his rough, inconsistent form trailing along since quite a while now, a break from the international cricket circuit along with a string of unceasing critical remarks was well overdue. Although, the psychological impact of merely having him present in the line-up affected both Pakistan and the opponent team – unfortunately, we will have to do without that bit of excitement this time around. Group stage, competition and previous records Pakistan is set to face their first encounter against West Indies on June 7, 2013; however, the most awaited match of the tournament will take place on June 15, when Pakistan and India will battle it out at Edgbaston. One argument that wriggles-in when considering Pakistan’s chances in the group stage matches is that having just returned from a backbreaking IPL season, many West Indies, Indian and South African players might lack the rested preparedness and spark required for this tournament. However, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and Hashim Amla are some of the mighty players who have proven time and again, that rest or no rest, they are formidable on field. All things considered, the results of many of the matches will be difficult to predict - just like in the case of the West Indies versus Pakistan, as they haven’t faced each other since the ODIs in May 2011 Having lost an ODI series to South Africa earlier this year, Pakistan could potentially be seen under pressure in the group match on June 10. Players like AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla who had put some lavish batting on display, outstripping our bowling attack this March, might be the danger factor. This is where bowlers like Mohammad Irfan will be functional, having grabbed 11 wickets against the Proteas in March. Although I’m, personally not a big Farhat fan,  I believe he and Mohammad Hafeez can be considered a decent left-right combination to open with – followed by the lefty Nasir Jamshed. Another reason why I believe Imran should be played would be his knock off 93 against a seasoned bowling attack of Steyn and Tsotsobe two months back. Pakistan definitely holds positive momentum against India having beaten them 2-1 on their turf recently. Having said that, team India could be running in good form having just finished a long season of IPL. However, almost eight weeks of continuous T20 cricket might have a strenuous effect on the Dhoni XI. On an ending note, Pakistan should let go of its ‘all eggs in one basket’ stance by paying extra attention to their batting line-up, as it recently showed no signs of strength against Ireland. The biggest dilemma for Pakistan has been the upper-middle order toppling. Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq and Kamran Akmal must deliver in order to get Pakistan through the group stage. Not having a single Champions Trophy title to its name, hopes are high that the men in green will bring the last cup home. Skipper Misbahul Haq has the duty of substance to live up to and will definitely bring the best out of the boys. Eight nations, one champion and 18 days of sensational ODI cricket; it’s time to gear up! C'mon, Pakistan. Bring it home boys! Read more by Roha here, or follow her on Twitter @RohaNadym

Lately, off the field controversies have stolen the limelight and it seems as if everyone has forgotten about the IPL 6’s final that took place on Sunday. This match was played between two of the strongest sides of the tournament; Chennai versus Mumbai. There was something peculiar about these two teams playing in the final and Lalit Modi’s suspension in the previous IPL stood witness to that. Though the rowdy crowd at Eden Garden had not forgotten this, it was as crowded and boisterous as ever. For Chennai Super Kings (CSK) the match itself was nothing new; this was their fifth final appearance in the span of six years. However, this time, the shroud of controversy and pressure surrounded them due to their ‘team principal’ being arrested and this led to detailed interviews regarding fixing/betting charges. Similarly, Mumbai Indians (MI) have also been in the finals before but this time was different. They were given precedence over other teams and were made the centre of attention. Although, Mumbai chose to bat first, CSK had an upper hand immediately after the openers departed in a quick fashion. Captain Rohit Sharma could not stick around for too long either. And, with no Sachin or Ponting on their side it was up to Keiron Pollard to lift them to a competitive total of 148 finishing off the innings in style with the last two balls being launched out of the ground. Surely, with MI’s strong bowling unit this was going to be a handful even though CSK are known to bat profoundly. Chennai’s start was even more disastrous than Mumbai’s with Hussey being bowled by a wonderful Malinga yorker and Raina departing the very next ball. Soon it was three for three. Not even Chennai’s talisman, Dhoni, could stop the rot, though he fought valiantly. CSK lost by 23 runs resulting in the first IPL title for Mumbai – a well-deserved win considering the amount of money MI spends on their squad each year. Now that the final is done and dusted, all eyes once again turn towards the off field drama and to BCCI’s president, Srinivasan, to see what his next move is going to be considering he is the owner of CSK and father-in-law of Gurunath, the ‘team principal’ arrested on fixing/betting charges, as well. A very slippery slope for him to be on and a very exciting end for us! Oh and before I forget - in other related cricket news, Malik-Akmal-Riaz, the supposedly not good for international cricket but still in team trio, helped Pakistan beat Ireland in a very close finish on the same day. Read more by Dr Amyn here or follow him on Twitter @amynmalik

Cricket’s reputation has once again come under the scanner. The latest scandal to have rocked the game occurred when the Indian Premier League (IPL) was in full swing, with three players of the Rajasthan Royals’ franchise arrested for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing. That the IPL’s very survival is now under threat does not come as a surprise. Since its inception in 2008, the league has been plagued by financial irregularities, sponsorship rows and ownership issues. Lalit Modi, the man who conceived the idea of launching cricket’s version of football’s showpiece spectacle for clubs — the Champions League — has been in exile in London since 2010 after he was suspended as the IPL chairman and commissioner over impropriety charges. Modi had brought a revolution in cricket — an annual eight-week extravaganza of Twenty20 cricket replete with the best international players, Bollywood stars, cheerleaders and glamorous after-match parties. The IPL provided the perfect tonic for those, who had wished to see a refreshing alternative to the rigours of Test match and One-Day International cricket. But Modi, the brilliant entrepreneur that he is, had been under the microscope over the IPL’s dubious money-making abilities, which has fetched India’s cricket board, the BCCI, billions in revenue. Resultantly, the league became a perfect breeding ground for cricket’s most notorious group of followers — illegal bookmakers. Reaching almost everywhere, the bookies exploited the league’s lax attitude, evidenced by their easy access to the players’ hotel rooms and personal agents. The Delhi police, which inadvertently blew the lid off the latest scam while they were tracking leads on terrorism-related funding, deserve full credit for their on-going investigations into the fiasco, from which startling revelations continue to unravel. That this has all happened under the watchful eye of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is an indictment of the sport’s governing body, whose designated anti-corruption body has failed to perform its role in protecting cricket’s integrity. The ICC is unlikely to be pressing the accountability button anytime soon. This will only serve to accelerate fans’ realisation that their love affair with the IPL was nothing but a poisoned chalice.

Players are fixed, umpires are fixed, team owners are fixed, and perchance the whole Indian Premier League (IPL) has been fixed and compromised by vested interests out to subvert the beautiful game of cricket. The world has come to know of appalling corruption involving the arrest of three Indian players and a franchise owner in alleged spot-fixing and wagering. If this was not enough, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has withdrawn Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from the upcoming Champions Trophy for his alleged involvement in spot-fixing and betting being probed by the Mumbai police. Rauf abruptly left India earlier this week, forever. In all this, the biggest losers have been those millions of naive cricket fans all around the world who blindly followed the IPL, cheered every six and four hit by their favourite batsman, every wicket taken by their team, who jeered at every dropped catch and tweeted every grotesque incident taking place on the field. At the time of writing this blog, approximately more than six million tweets pertaining to the IPL have been counted. Alas, those credulous fans took it all for real. The eyes of Adam Gilchrist must have shined with delight when he saw that loose short-pitch delivery by Sreesanth coming his way in Mohali. The Aussie veteran crisply dispatched it to the boundary without knowing that it was fixed. The former Indian test player had agreed to a bookie to yield more than 13 runs in that over for Rs4 million (Indian currency). My mind today also dwells upon those several dubious decisions given by the umpire Asad Rauf in the IPL. Those questionable leg before wicket (LBW) decisions by Rauf could have been corrected by the third umpire had the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) been in place in the league. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not in favour of using the system -- why? Why is the BCCI so vehemently against a system which aims to add transparency to the game? Millions of cricket lovers and followers in India and the world at large were at their wits end at this stand taken by the BCCI on the UDRS. Now, the answer they have been seeking to this riveting question is obvious. Apparently, the BCCI headed by N Srinivasan, whose son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan has been arrested in connection with alleged spot-fixing and betting in the IPL, did not want transparency in the game. In these times when umpires can be manipulated and bought to spot-fix matches, the UDRS would have worked as a deterrent to such corrupt practices. Those in the business of fixing realised this fact and ergo, opposed it. What other reason could be behind the BCCI’s opposition to it? With the arrest of Meiyappan, the BCCI chief’s position has become untenable. He shall find it difficult to distance himself from the alleged misdeeds of his son-in-law and also some of the dubious decisions he has taken during his tenure. For instance, he subverted the BCCI’s constitution, in connivance with others, to allow his firm India Cement to buy Chennai Super Kings and thus indulged in open conflict of interest. It has also cast a shadow of doubt over Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was recently named as the vice-president of India Cement. Maybe Dhoni was not aware of all this whilst sharing team strategies with Meiyappan who allegedly used it for wagering and to fix matches. However, Dhoni’s close association with Meiyappan and Srinivasan has left him on a sticky wicket. Dhoni will have to come clean on this and the captain should know his silence is not helping his cause. Moreover, if Delhi and Mumbai police are to be believed, this is just the tip of the iceberg. More players and teams are going to be exposed. We can expect some explosive revelations in the coming days. With more and more pressure mounting on Srinivasan, ultimately he will have to go. But will that solve the grave issues that Indian cricket faces today? There’s something seriously rotten in the BCCI and it all starts from the top. When the top leadership of any organisation itself stands compromised, these kinds of things are bound to happen. The need of the hour today is to completely clean up the body and any effort to brush things under the carpet would only further damage Indian cricket. The biggest challenge before the BCCI, however, is to win back the confidence of cricket lovers who feel cheated and duped today. Needless to say it’s not going to be an easy task, for the trust once lost is hard to regain. Read more by Sapan here 

David Beckham has finally drawn curtains on his glamorous 21-year career. Notice the word “glamorous” in my opening sentence and the absence of a single word about football. I won’t shy away from saying I did that on purpose because the notion I’m going to present in my piece here is something that has divided the opinion of the footballing world throughout the glittery career of the former England captain. Have you ever wondered what would happen if Imran Khan didn’t look like he did or didn’t have a charming personality? Would he still have the crazy fan following that he has today? I think not. He obviously won the World Cup but that should have nothing to do with his political following. It’s the personality. It’s the class the man oozes. Beckham, in my opinion, is a replica case. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="410" caption="May 18, 2013 at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. It was his last home game before retiring. PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] As an icon, you cannot question the former Manchester United right winger. You’d probably see your children being narrated case studies on Beckham’s life in their public relations or marketing classes in future. But when it comes to listing down the reasons for his unbelievable popularity all over the globe, very few of them would be talking about this ability in football and hence, the tag “overrated.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="Olympic games in London on July, 27, 2012. PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] Let’s start from the beginning. Beckham emerged as one of the prodigies in the famous generation of Manchester United wonder kids that manager Alex Ferguson unleashed in the footballing arena during the mid-90s. He was part of what they called “Fergie’s Fledglings” of the 90s that included the likes of Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes among others. If this group was to line up together, it wouldn’t be difficult to pick the odd one out. Yes, the Backstreet Boys-like, blonde, handsome, young man, who’d be an instant hit if he ever acted in a movie – David Beckham. Not sure if you would describe Giggs or Scholes in the same breath as him in terms of looks. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] If you were to list down Beckham’s distinct footballing abilities, you’d instantly mention his immaculate crossing, set piece delivery and an undying appetite and work rate. He was by no means a sprinter and certainly not a prolific goal scorer. He probably also had Gary Neville to thank for the success he had at United considering the brilliant partnership both formed on the right wing. Point being and every football fan would agree that he was never a footballer of world beating ability. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="308" caption="PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] This, by no means, implies he wasn’t a good footballer, because he certainly was. However, no way was he so good that he would become a man whose current earnings stand at $46million making him the world’s eighth highest paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes. He has indeed won lots of honours – 6 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups and 1 Champions League with Manchester United, 1 La Liga title and 1 Spanish Cup with Real Madrid, 1 French league title with PSG. However, the one common factor you’ll notice with all three clubs that he has won with is that those sides were full of world beaters. He was always lucky to be in brilliant teams that ought to win major trophies with or without him! He had 115 caps for England, the most for an outfield player, only behind Peter Shilton but what did he win with them? Nothing. Zilch. And the reason was simple. England was never a great team. Similarly, during his stint at AC Milan, he managed to win nothing with an ageing, struggling team. As for MLS, I wouldn’t bother mentioning it in detail because, well, it was MLS (no offence meant here!) So why didn’t the likes of Giggs or Scholes, who were far superior in ability ever see their popularity and commercial value escalate like Beckham’s? They just didn’t have Beckham’s charismatic personality. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="311" caption="David Beckham presents his autobiography "My side." PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] His X-factor, personality, charm, kindness, gentleman nature, career moves as well as personal moves were all spot on and that lead to his unbelievable popularity. He was a golden boy for every team. He’d bring billions from shirt sales. He was a commercial jackpot for every club he was at. However, he was never an exceptionally talented footballer. He was never a world beater who gained his popularity purely based on his foot balling talent. As a footballer, he was just ridiculously overrated. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="Beckham holds his new Los Angeles Galaxy football jersey. PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] To sum up, this is not a hate post. Criticising Beckham does feel wrong as he was essentially a very nice human being but that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that he was hardly a world beating talent, who made more bucks and became more famous only because of his personality and smart marketing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="PHOTO: AFP"][/caption] For me, Beckham was to football what Andy Roddick was to tennis. Take out his serves and his personality out of the equation and he’d just be an ordinary athlete ala David Beckham. Roll on the abuse! Read more by Emad here, or follow him on Twitter @EmadZafar