Awards for cricket services

Players who perform well continue getting awards in the form of money, trophies, medals and unlimited media projection. It is, however, wonderful that someone has thought of recognising the services of those who have contributed to progress of the game off the field as administrators, organisers and in other capacities. It is learnt that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has sent fifty medals to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to award such persons. Since this has not been released to the media, the details of the scheme are not known. Wealth and fame being the two dominant factors in today’s cricket, players are more interested in earning money than receiving a medal. It would thus be in the fitness of things to bestow the honour of these medals on those who have spent their lives on organising and managing the game.

It is said that the PCB is busy in preparing a list of the ‘lucky ones’. I, however, consider this to be a pretty complex issue that may involve, favourtism, likings, dislikings, bribes, pressures from different quarters and undue recommendations from the high ups. As an all time lover of cricket and a well wisher of PCB chairman Ijaz Butt I feel he should not handle the issue by himself because even one wrong decision taken in this respect may put him in hot waters. Even if he considers himself to be fully competent and knowledgeable about Pakistan cricket I would not recommend it to be a ‘one man show’. I therefore suggest that a committee should be formed with a judge of the High Court as chairman and the PCB chief plus a few cricket experts as members to choose the awardees. The old timers like Imtiaz Ahmed who know everything that transpired in Pakistan cricket since independence must have a special place in the committee. 

The method should be to prepare a list of nominees highlighting persons’ deeds and achievements with regard to the promotion of cricket for the purpose of study, comparison and evaluation. Preference must be given to those who served the cause of cricket in honorary capacity for love of the game over those who served the PCB drawing fabulous salaries and high perks and privileges. This being a vital issue of awarding the medal honours to genuine persons on absolute merit, there would be no harm in calling the nominees for interview where the committee finds two persons on equal footing. This would be a wonderful course of action to provide indisputable justice to those who rendered meritorious service to the game in its real sense.