Controversy over ICC awards
Pakistan Cricket Board is thinking very rightly to boycott ICC awards over Saeed Ajmal’s omission. Off spinner Saeed Ajmal is presently one of the best bowlers of cricket. Many former and current cricketers have said that Ajmal is one of the finest bowlers. Former cricketer and commentator Tony Greig has recently said that Ajmal will be his first choice in any team.
The qualifying period for the ICC award was from Aug. 4, 2011 to Aug. 6, 2012. Look at the players’ performance who have been selected for Test Cricketer of the Year between this period:
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara has scored 1,444 runs at an average of 60.16 in 14 Test matches. (Sri Lanka won only 3 Test matches during this period, lost 5 matches, 6 matches were drawn)
Australia captain Michael Clarke has scored 1,355 runs at an average if 58.91 in 14 Test matches. (Australia won 9 matches, lost 2 matches, 3 matches were drawn)
South Africa opener Hashim Amla 915 runs at an average of 65.35 in 10 Test matches. (South Africa won 5 matches, lost 2 matches, 3 matches were drawn)
South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander who debuted in November 2011 has taken 56 wickets at an average of 16.57 in 9 Test matches. (South Africa won 5 matches, lost 1 match, 3 matches were drawn)
Now if we look at Saeed Ajmal’s record in the qualifying period he has taken 72 wickets at an average of 24.29 in 12 test matches including 24 at 14.70 as Pakistan swept aside England, the then No. 1 side in the world, 3-0 in January. (Pakistan won 7 matches, lost 1 match, 4 matches were drawn)
This shows that Ajmal’s record is much better than South African bowler Vernon Philander. Ajmal should have been added to the short list of Test Cricketer of the Year and Vernon Philander could have been selected in Emerging Player of the Year category as he made his debut in November 2011. — Mubashir Mahmood, by e-mail
Refugees’ dilemma
It’s a pity that within a span of 17 months of the Syrian uprising, number of refugees in the neighboring countries has swelled to over 1.4 million and it has triggered a humanitarian disaster. With the regime’s air attacks intensifying, millions of war-stricken Syrians have been forced to take shelters in neighboring Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon.
Turkey has voiced its displeasure over the inflow of Kurds from Syria into its land. Jordan says its resources are already overstretched and requires funds to deal with the situation. If the war continues, it will make many more Syrians homeless. The UN must step in and ensure regular supply of essential commodities living in the neighboring countries. — Shaukat Naeem Ghumman, Riyadh
No cause for alarm
Sri Lankan government has announced that the friendship between Sri Lanka and India will not be affected as a result of the activities of Tamil Nadu state government. India’s central government has already taken measures to safeguard the cordial relations between the two friendly nations. Officials in New Delhi have worked to maintain relations with Sri Lanka even as state leaders in Tamil Nadu want India to pressure Sri Lankan leaders on the post-war reconciliation process and to assure minority rights are equal to the island nation’s majority community. Former Tamil Nadu chief minister, Karunanidhi, has blamed the present chief minister Jayalalitha for the recent attacks on Lankan pilgrims.
Toeing the center’s line for cordial ties with Sri Lanka, a key UPA ally, DMK chief Karunanidhi virtually blamed Jayalalitha for the attacks on Lankan pilgrims saying her action in sending back a Sri Lankan school football team had led to the incident. He has further said “It is not acceptable that we, Tamils, who are not opposed to any race or religion, attack people on pilgrimage and cultural exchange.
It was reported that Sri Lankan pilgrims were waylaid, assaulted with slippers, brooms and humiliated by Vaiko’s MDMK activists. There were 184 pilgrims of whom a large number were women and children. The pilgrims were hurriedly flown back to Sri Lanka by a special flight arranged by the Sri Lankan president.
Newspapers in the capital Colombo has assured Indian tourists, who flock the country every day, in hundreds, that there will be no retaliation on them by the friendly people of Sri Lanka, just because of the action of a few misguided extremists in Tamil Nadu. The government of Sri Lanka has also categorically said that it will leave no room for anyone to cause any harm to the visitors from any country, including the state of Tamil Nadu. The island nation is fully geared up to host the T/20 World Cup, starting this month, and a large number of cricket fans from India are expected to flood into the country, ignoring the recent ugly incidents in Tamil Nadu. — S.H. Moulana, Riyadh
Letters: Controversy over ICC awards
