What Zaheer Abbas said about Afridi's decision to retire from international cricket was absolutely amazing. Abbas faulted Afridi for claiming to play for the "people" rather than the country. Abbas needs to learn some basic truths, for instance, that people make countries, not the other way round.
Patriots don't struggle for rivers, plains or mountains; they do so for the people. Afridi is damn right when he says he plays for the people (i.e. the country). It is amazing that while players like Wasim Akram, Iqbal Qasim, Rashid Latif, Moin Khan and Salim Yousuf find PCB's treatment of Afridi's shocking, Abbas doesn't.
Shahid Afridi's decision to retire from international cricket out of sheer frustration with the way PBC is being managed, has strengthened the view that, like every other state institution, PCB needs a complete overhaul beginning with the sacking of Ijaz Butt who presides over the mess that PBC has become.
Isn't it interesting that while Yunus Khan was removed from captaincy after Pakistan won the T20 World Cup, Afridi was removed from captaincy after Pakistan won the 1-day series in West Indies. Isn't that a rare way of rewarding winners? Three cheers for PBC's team selection policy, and management of team spirit!
Afridi may have been outspoken, but to cancel his central contract and NOC for playing abroad, and withholding payment of fees for the matches he recently played for Pakistan reflect blatant vendetta for his pointing to the weaknesses, nepotism and corruption in the PBC; diseases afflicting every state office.
The PPP regime has earned an all round reputation for making a mess of everything. Besides the economy, regulation of financial, commercial and industrial markets, enforcement of law and court verdicts, foreign relations and defence of the country, it has messed up even the PBC. Isn't it time for "all change?"
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