Pakistan spot-fixing scandal & denialistanis.

Asif, from peddling drugs to steroids to possible sell-out

Some readers, on my facebook took offence when I wrote earlier [ No match fixing in Denialistan ] about Pakistani cricketers invovlement in spot-fixing fiasco recently, perhaps they didnot understand what I was trying to say. Things have changed considerable since then, with changing stances of Pakistani players and Yasir Hameed’s hidden-cam video admitting things we didnot want to hear.

My blogpost earlier was cross-posted in Gaurdian UK requoting my words:

Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi prints what he says is the article from the Daily Jang linking Afridi’s resignation to the Majeeds on his blog although it appears to be in Urdu.Zaidi writes:From Generals to Judges, from politicians to cricketers – who hasnt been selling out in the land of pure? We need to realize our mistakes, only then can we embark on a journey towards enlightment and progress. There will no progress if ‘sell-outs’ are not punished and made an example of. There will be no betterment, if rotten eggs are not thrown out the window. Closing eyes to reality wont change reality, running away from facts wont change facts. Standing tall and confessing to errs, rethinking, revisiting and vowing never to do it again — might

Just today, Maheen Usmani wrote a wonderful blogpost on Tribune summarizing the the events and changing stance of Pakistani cricketers which again points at the very same:

The statements are getting increasingly ludicrous, the denials more strident, the twists and turns more and more dizzying, as the precarious house of cards, built on the foundation of mismanagement, nepotism and toadying, by the Pakistan Cricket Board, lurches and collapses around it’s ears.

 

Things are yet to unveil, but the recent tide of official interviews by the PCB and ICC alongwith articles published in International media give troubling news regarding the fate of Pakistani cricketers, leaving aside the disgrace and shame Pakistanis had to bear worldwide because of these ambassadors. I am pasting an email, sent to me by my uncle living in UK:

The news on all UK News Channels since yesterday evening about Pakistani cricket team betting scam is extremely devastating. Just yesterday, when I went to work in the morning (before this news broke), one of my colleagues said what’s happening in your country (target killing, bombing, floods) and to your cricket team.

Many of my colleagues have been giving donation towards flood relief and with these new development with the cricket team, I feel totally let down by our nation, and feel that I must return the money back to each contributor. Even though these are still allegations and nothing has been confirmed but the damage has been done by betting mafia. I feel bad to face up to my colleagues at work. 

Them conspiracy theorists fantasize “foreign” powers wanting to cripple Pakistani cricket, like we are the only team worth-matching on International arena. For the love of God, see our ranking in ODI’s and Test cricket [ as of Sept, 2010 Pakistan is ranked 6th & 7th in Test & ODI's ], see the players other teams like India, Australia, England, Srilanka and even West Indies have. My dear friend Asim tried convincing me that it was all a conspiracy — saying Yasir Hameed took money to say what he did, and my reply was: Eitherway, a Pakistani was sold.

The very reason to look inside for errors is to progress, to realize, to introspect, to become so strong and determined inside that no “foreign” powers buys you ; living in a state of denial makes ones ability to look inside for errs, impotent, as everything is seen a conspiracy. No one denies foreign powers hatching conspiracies, like we did, many times over — but the core reason to point at those who were sold, within us, is to make examples for the generations to come and as things get clearer in coming few days, I believe, some names would be made an example of.

Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi