Comitted to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 4 Num 101 Fri. September 05, 2003  
   
Sports


PAKISTAN DIARY


The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) yesterday issued a clarification rejecting the Bangladesh team's claim of discrimination in seat

distribution during their flight to Multan from Rawalpindi on September 1.

A letter signed by PCB Media general manager Samiul Hasan, claimed that there was no executive or business classes on that flight and Pakistan team travelled in economy plus class leaving Bangladesh

behind in the economy class.

The clarification also said that the only difference between economy plus and economy class was the allowance of extra baggage and a separate check-in counter.

The PCB also claimed that the statement of Bangladesh team officials including coach Dav Whatmore over the incident was in a 'bad taste'.

But it was very clear from the PCB's own statement that two teams travelled in two separate classes no matter whatever name they have given and had separate check-in counters.

Finally, the clarification also reminded the media that Bangladesh team would once again fly in economy class with Pakistan in the economy plus if the aircraft was small during the domestic flights.

Bangladesh have two more domestic flights to avail.

CONFUSING COMMENTARYRameez Raja, Aamir Sohail and Athar Ali Khan, the three Ten Sports commentators, are more concerned about each team's performance than giving a neutral view.

Whenever the umpire raises his finger on lbw decisions, the commentary team lock themselves in arguments over the merits and demerits.

In the second Test in Peshawar, the Pakistani commentators were praising the umpire when he adjudged Rajin Saleh leg before off Shoaib Akhter.

But Athar Ali said that the in-swinging yorker would have never have hit the stumps as it was going down the legside.

It happened again on Wednesday when Mohammad Ashraful was trapped leg before by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

Sohail was praising the Sri Lanka umpire Ashoka de Silva for giving a correct decision while Athar was dead against that saying the ball would have never hit the wickets.

This is making the viewers of Ten Sports very confused as to who was correct in their comments.

TOO MUCH EXPERIMENTATIONThe inclusion of three debutants in the Pakistan team for the third Test against Bangladesh has triggered the local media to hit out at the selectors.

They voiced their concern at the selectors' excessive experimentation ahead of the home series against South Africa, which begins with the first one-day international in Karachi on September 26.

The criticism focused on the stats of all the 26 cricketers were given chances to play international cricket -- 21 in Test matches and five in one-dayers -- by the present ad-hoc set up of the PCB since 1999.

The majority has disappeared without trace after getting their chances.

The critics also blamed the PCB for distributing caps among every Tom, Dick and Harry.

They cited that right-arm fast bowler Yasir Ali who made his way into the Pakistan team without having played any first-class cricket.