From: jawad@ecst.csuchico.edu (Jawad Ali)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Dirty and rotten politics of Imran
Date: 28 Jan 93 22:25:40 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico
NNTP-Posting-Host: cscihp.ecst.csuchico.edu

In article <1993Jan28.172435.8244@walter.bellcore.com> shamim@bellcore.com (Shamim Naqvi) writes:

Shamim, you forgot to add the I_cant_believe_I'm_responding_to_this
disclaimer :)  The Punjabi/non_Punjabi debate is not worthy of any
further discussion.  I'm interested in the honest gut reaction of
those who know the inner workings of Pakistan cricket.

My own gut reaction:  Outrage!

>Get your facts straight. 
>Fact 1: Imran and Majid Khan are Pathans not Punjabis. 

To be fair to Sobhan, he was probably using a loose Punjabi/non-Punjabi
Lahore/Karachi distinction.  Imran and Majid are very much a part of
the Lahore scene and are residents of Punjab, just as Zaheer is
persumably a resedent of Karachi.  Beyond that there is not much value
in this analysis.

>Fact 2: Majid Khan until the appointment of Akram as captain was the
>Chairman of the selectors and it is he who made Miandad captain for
>the English tour. 

Fact?  Maybe.  My sources (remember my trip to the Butcher of Berkeley?)
say that Majid Khan was appointed the chairman of the national selection
comittee AFTER the England tour -- October 29, to be exact.

Former test cricketers Salahuddin and Khalid Hasan were his deputies.
Other members of the selection committee were former Test cricketers
Shafiq Ahmad and Sikender Bakht, and Maazullah Khan.

>Fact 3: Burki has repeatedly praised Miandad in his comments. If you
>Fact 4: Before the WC, Imran gave a public statement in support of
>Fact 5: Just yesterday, Imran gave a statement saying that Akram was

I tend to discount such public statements.  But, here are a few more,
for all they are worth.
Smalik:  I never want to be the captain.  [This may partialy explain
	 his getting passed over for the job, but remember this is the
	 fellow who cant make up his mind about how much he likes to
	 bat at #3]

Younis:  Public disagreements with Imran [and his entourage:)] over
	issues of domestic cricket. [In other words, no pet puppy of
	Imran, remember the roumers about his exclusion from the WC]

>Fact 6: Imran and Majid have not spoken to each other for 15 years.
>Their breach occurred when Imran dropped Majid from the test team.
>They are cousins. 

WOW!  Proverbialy speaking?  I remember seeing them both together
at my high school (Aitchison), but cannot honestly say that I remember
seeing them talk to each other. 

PETTINESS! That was the first word that came to my mind when I heard
that Miandad was sacked (and not resting on his own accord).  I am
not at all convinced that Imran and Co. have anything to do with
this shameful act, but somehow Fact #6 has brought that word back
into my consciousness.

>Fact 7: Majid resigned yesterday as selector. 

So what does this mean?
He resigned because someone else sacked Miandad behind his back, and
he is righfully outraged.  OR
He resigned because he sacked Miandad and then realized what a 
ignoble/unpopular blunder it was.  OR
He resigned because he righfully sacked Miandad, and because
people just dont appriciate a brilliant decision when they see one.

>Of course we all know that Imran ran the team totally. You have to 
>take his biases and his prejudices, if he gets the results. How many
>will argue if Gooch wins in India without Gower? Of people will
>crucify him if he looses. 

Much as I disagree with the Punjabi/non-Punjabi nonsense,
Sobhan's attitude towards this makes more sense.  Give Imran
all the credit for all the wonderful things he has done, but
dont gloss over the prejudices and injustices.  This applies
to all, including Miandad.

>Now what really did happen in the recent selection process? 

I wish someone would tell us.

>You do not know. You have a theory that does not fit the facts. 

You are right.  Lets hear a more consistant theory.

>> It was not long ago when Imran made his claim that he has finally won the 

>Yes, Imran goofed on that one. 

He even admits it.  Although, it would not be entirely unfair to see
it as more than just a "goof up."

To be continued...

j n a
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket