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Twenty20 world cup is just round the corner, but we don’t see any euphoria and thrill in the Pakistani fans. Pakistani buffs are already bruised by what’s happening at the home, and one of the reason cricket got so much popularity in the country was that it acted as a respite for the spited nation.

People of every walk of life and of every age, regardless of their differences used to take reprieve in the thrill and excitement of the game. They loved the players as they loved their families. They used to glue to the TV screens during the matches, and they were more involved in the game than the players. They used to just go crazy with joy upon the wins, and they used to weep uncontrollably over the defeats. But where that passion has gone?

After lots and lots of downs of the past couple of years coupled with the extremely dismal performance of the team, people have not that much attached with the game. Match-fixing allegations, player powers, PCB’s arrogance, Inzi’s stubbornness, doping scandal, fines on the players, South African tour, World cup insulting exit, Inzi’s departure, Woolmer’s death, attitude of players, ICL inferno, and many other depressing things which are still very much in action have just made the nation fed up of the team.

The love of the game is still there, but love for the team is not there anywhere. People are not really counting upon the team’s chances to win or even show any fighting performances in the forthcoming Twenty20 world cup in South Africa. Along with the reason, that we don’t have any lethal bowling attack, and our fielding is also very poor, the fact is that our batting is also not that reliable and flair-full. Though we have got some big hitters, but they are not really reliable and they exude glamour rather than the performance. There is also very sheer dearth of experience.

But the alarming thing is that PCB seems very oblivious to this alarming fact, and there is no vision in site. These are the times, when PCB should take some drastic and dynamic measures. They have literally got a very grand and difficult task at their hands. They have to build the team from the scratch. They have got no bench strength and there is no backup whatsoever in any field of the game. There is no talent coming from the grass root. It is not that there is no talent left in the country, but the thing is that there is no effort on the part of PCB or associations to find, groom and bring the talent at the national level. A broad-range and honest effort is required to start a massive and professional talent hunt campaign all over the country, with stringent check and balance.