Poor arrangements for QT final

KARACHI: There is no PCB official at UBL sports complex where the final of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is being played these days, nor is the match being aired by any TV channel, writes Syed Intikhab Ali.

Former players and organisers expressed surprise at the failure of the authorities to arrange live telecast of the final. They said that this is the first time in many years that the final of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is not being telecast live by any TV channel.

The final is only being live streamed at YouTube. They said Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is the most prestigious cricket event in the country, so it should have been given importance by the authorities.

Sources said PCB had appointed Waleed Yaqoob as the third umpire for the final but he went back to Lahore when he learnt the final was not being telecast and that the equipment he needed to make decisions was not there.

Besides, not a single banner of any sponsor could be witnessed at the UBL sports complex.They said these things were shocking because the country had a former player in the Prime Minister’s Office. They said the PM made his career at international level and became most successful all-rounder and World Cup-winning captain through the same event.

They appealed to the PM, who is also the patron in chief of PCB, to take notice of this grave mistake and ask PCB chairman Ehsan Mani and the recently formed cricket committee why the event was treated in this manner.

They said it was astonishing that not a single PCB high official was present at the venue of the final. Haroon Rasheed, the director domestic, visited the venue only on the third day of the final and left after seeing the match for a while.