Quaid-e-Azam Trophy update: Controversies defeat the orange ball in the final showdown
It all started in the name of glory when the Pakistan Cricket board saw an opportunity for scoring points in order to make an impression on the world of cricket.
To make the five day version of the game more interesting, a few innovations were made, it was decided that the game would be played under lights and the ball to be used would be orange in color. It looks like an orange and smells like leather. How the idea
perpetuated in the void of the cricketing brains in Pakistan is still a mystery. It was an orange in a dull tube-lit evening that found its way into the hands of PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt.
The idea was right the execution went terribly wrong. The final of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy final started at National Stadium Karachi on the 13th of January. For the first time in the history of domestic cricket in Pakistan, a five-day match being
played under lights and with a colored ball.
It was supposed to be a match of international standards and the PCB was looking to make headlines in the international sport media, the ground was supposed to be flooded with cricket fans from all around the country and the players were supposed to show
their best behavior as ambassadors of Pakistan cricket.
The game started with the spectator stands filled with air, the gust of winds roaring in the ears of the players. The two teams, Pakistan International Airlines and Habib Bank, came into the ground determined to make a statement. What was supposed to be
a contest turned into a battle, a battle of accusations and insults.
The first day went as it was supposed to go; it seemed like a bunch of boys playing cricket in the streets of Liyari. Pakistan International Airlines failed to impress as they slumped to 228 all-out on the first day. Geo Super broadcasting the match live
on TV was looking to sensationalize the events taking place in the field but their attempts only left the audience banging their heads on the wall.
What seemed like a desperate attempt to make the proceedings interesting, the PCB it seems intervened when the umpires took it upon themselves to make the highlights interesting and give the news channels something to report about the match.
Zameer Haider and Riazuddin, two umpires with international experience made blunders that even those not gifted with the blessing of sight would not make, it was an attempt in defense of UDRS the PCB claims.
It was Shah Masood of Habib Bank first who fell victim to the blinding eye of the umpire. Trying to defeat the unfair decision by the umpire, the batsman stood his ground in what came across as an attempt to defeat the spirit of the game, on his way to the
dressing room the poor signboards took the bashing instead of the umpire.
Fahad Iqbal was faced with a similar situation when he was given out for missing a ball. Being extremely competitive he too refused to leave the field before making the umpire realize that he needs an eye-specialist. The poor signboards again found themselves
in the middle of a pounding. The PCB holds Ponting responsible for showing youngsters the way to an unexplored restricted territory.
The players of both the teams took a leaf out of Shahid Afridi’s book as well. Both the teams accused eachother of doing things with the ball that are not deemed inappropriate in the game while Najaf Shah of PIA was caught red-handed and was fined by the
Match Referee Anwer Khan.
Moin Khan, former captain of Pakistan Cricket Team and coach of PIA was reported to have been whining in the media room about the absolute injustice done to his team in the field.
Shoaib Malik also a former Captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team had his wits blown by the drama unfolding in the field and has accused his opponents of clawing the ball with their so to speak fingers.
The match is still going on in Karachi but the Match Referee pretty much summed it up claiming that he has never seen such an ugly match in Domestic Cricket before.