It was really depressing to read that Younus Khan, Pakistan cricket team's skipper , has resigned. The issue started when Pakistan was defeated in the semi-final match against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy. Khan dropped the crucial catch of Grant Elliot and this became the subject of an Indian newspaper report which claimed that “there was more to the defeat than meets the eye.” However, the report was immediately dumped by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as well as by the newspaper itself. On the other hand, a Pakistani politician took this opportunity to feed the media with his criticism by stating something “interesting” without realizing what its consequences would be. Khan quit his captaincy in anger after being summoned to defend himself against allegations of deliberately losing matches. However, his resignation has not been accepted. It will not be reasonable, if the role of the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports, Jamshed Dasti, in this disgusting drama to let down Pakistan's national cricket heroes is not held to account. He was the one who rocked the fire by baselessly claiming that Pakistan had lost to Australia deliberately in their final group game in order to end rival India's hopes of qualifying for the semifinals. The Pakistan Cricket Board rejected the allegations. I was not surprised by Dasti's baseless allegations as time and again politicians have shown irresponsible attitudes. It is indeed a dilemma that the chairman of the country's NA standing committee insults its national team in front of the whole world. And when the charge could not be proved, he withdrew his allegations as if nothing happened. This has been the nature of most politicians. They criticize without verification and they do not let anyone work peacefully. This is why we see fragile governments in Pakistan that rarely finish their period of five years. Dasti's stunt of allegations seems like a prop to achieve fame. While politics is a game for politicians, a game is also no more than politics for them. Khan preferred to resign despite being cleared of match-fixing charges by a parliamentary sports committee. Obviously, any honorable hero of the nation would do the same. Dasti's allegations gave rise to media reports that cast doubts on him, and his team's integrity. Indian media put special focus on Dasti's statement, as the team's own countrymen suspected him of match-fixing. This is actually a serious allegation. It has increased misunderstanding in the hearts of millions of Indians as well. If Indians believe that Pakistan can go to the extent of losing a match just to kill the hopes of the Indian team for the semi-finals, will they like to accept Pakistan as a friendly neighbor? As a matter of fact, one more politician has the ‘credit' of pushing the ‘Peace Process' one step back by his irresponsible statement for being noticed among the cluster of many other big-mouthed politicians. Cricket is not a mere game for India and Pakistan – people are emotionally connected with it. Khan is known to be agitated whenever he is forced to accept something. But he is a man of principles. He once stepped down from his role as the substitute captain few days before the 2006 Champions Trophy as he was unhappy with the PCB management over a number of seemingly unimportant issues. However, he took up the role again when the new management arrived. Then Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned few months later after the 2007 World Cup. At that time, Khan refused captaincy saying, “The circumstances and environment were not right for me to take it up.” After that he was appointed captain this year when the PCB removed Shoaib Malik as captain after a one-day series defeat to Sri Lanka in January. He announced his retirement from Twenty20 cricket after leading his team to the ICC World Twenty20 title by beating Sri Lanka at Lord's. With this history, it was obvious to see Khan not tolerate the disgusting and baseless allegations which were barely believable at the outset. Many captains in the past have had to suffer the similar allegations which they should not have had to tolerate. The accusers take it easy because they know they will not be asked to pay compensation for the damage. I found in a blog several Pakistani cricket fans blaming Khan's past, captaincy, and his ‘typical Pathan nature' for the controversy. They called him emotional and temperamentally ethnic. All of them voiced that he should not have resigned. I was the only cricket fan on that blog who was not a Pakistani, yet supported Khan among his own countrymen. I felt pity as to how they could forget their cricket hero's achievements so soon. Was it not he who led the country to the World Twenty20 title, and to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, making Pakistan the only country that reached the last four in both the tournaments? Pakistan's cricket team has already been criticized over several issues, including the senior players' egotist behavior. Young captains have complained about players ignoring their orders and decisions. Militants too showed no mercy for Pakistani cricket, due to which international cricket was taken away from the country this year. The rest of the crisis was the handiwork of the country's politicians. Politicians should understand that they need not interfere in cricket, which will only be a blow to the sport in a country that is already facing gloominess due to terrorism and other serious issues.
