Thank You Bob, Thanks Inzi!

Oh, by the way, good article, Ahmer!

A little off the subject of the article itself, but hey, guys, when favourites France and Argentina, and Portugal too, exited the 2002 FIFA WC in the very first round (which, like the present ICC WC, featured groups of four teams, two of which would qualify), I don`t think anyone looked for reasons other than bad form (on the day), maybe a little bad strategy, and a modicum of bad luck to explain these ``shockers.``

You have a bad day. That`s life. $hit happens. No one questioned Pakistan`s good performances in England (yes, in England!) and S. Africa not more than half a year or so ago. Nobody then suggested that the religiousness or religiosity of the team was hampering its performance. (And how could anyone make such an assertion, with Yusuf playing like a man... er... possessed!)

C`mon guys... give it a break already. We lost ONE match to a minnow that happened to play very well that day. There`s no shame in that. Cricket is chancy.

By all means, scrutinize the match for evidence of foul-play. (This, because of the known prevalence of match fixing). But let`s get off this high horse that seems to presume guilt until proven innocent, and sees a bogeyman in every instance of public religiousness, or even religiosity.

#2 by Love2love

I`m sure a lot of people would have called for Bob`s head, just as folks in India are calling for Greg Chappell`s. In the subcontinent, a man becomes good after he`s dead, while alive, he`s good for nothing.

Just look at the great Imran Khan. While Bob was alive, he was vociferously demanding Bob`s removal, now he says on NDTV that the coach could have only done so much and that it is the players who have to perform, you cannot expect the coach to go out on the field and play for the team.

#1 rf bismillah sahib, why blame poor injy? he is merely a spokesman for a powerful product. its the product that is inherently apealing and wins over cricket.

Re: # 3

Jang Sahib,
Problem is not with the dummy spokesman but the dumass captain. You can be religious or non-religious that sud be a private matter, nobody`s business. But when we compromise our main objective then there is a problem.

What if Bob hadn`t died? Would he still been a hero, requiring long thank yous? Just asking. us Indian and Pakistanis are a curious lot.

Re: # 2

I agree with you, I seriously doubt that if woolmer hadnt died in the process, he wouldnt be as celebrated. I would even say, if he Had indeed died, but after the world cup and not during it...He would just have been a liability best forgotten (Not that he doesnt deserve the credit he is getting)

Hussain

Dear Muzammil,

Nice attempt, but nothing tastes better than the truth. Here is what Shaharyar Khan had to say about Inzimama and Bob`s relationship:

``The second obstacle that Bob faced was control of the team. Here he found that the captain`s spiritual hold on the team prevented his holding full sway with the players, especially the senior members. Bob had some cricketing differences with Inzamam-ul-Haq but these were addressed through dialogue and mutual understanding, even though for days the captain would go into a brooding silence while Bob attempted to overcome the problem through rational discussion.

The more serious issue was that Inzamam was not only the cricketing leader but the spiritual talisman of the team who expected - and was mostly given - total obeisance by his team-mates. I recall Bob telling me, several months before the England tour, that he was severely hampered in addressing team issues because the players were constantly at joint prayers - at lunch, tea and after play. He said he never got a chance to coach the team. I advised him not to interfere in religious matters and to work round the issue. Several weeks later he came to me and said that he had appreciated my advice and added that he had found that praying together several times a day had let to bonding and a welcome team spirit in the team.``

Too much time spent on the rug when they sud have been in the nets playing cricket, the reason they were selected and paid money. Ofcourse that is missed by the bigoted Tablighees who will take the money and fame but not the blame or responsibility that comes with this position.

#1 by rf786 on March 26, 2007 3:45am PT

Yasser,

Amer is perhaps responding to Nadeem`s write-up here. I dont think Nadeem has any objection to anybody having his/her religious beliefs but as u agree is with religion being mixed with sport.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2042803,00.html

``Six months ago he (Bob) was very frustrated that the team was always at prayer, at lunch-time, at tea-time and after play and he was not able to get through to them on cricketing issues,`` confirmed Khan. ``He was worried that it may affect his ability to interact with the team and the training schedule, but eventually he said it was something he was prepared to live with because it led to bonding in the team.``

If I can share my view on Indian team, Dravid visited RSS headquartes recently. It makes me as furious as u guys are abt Inzi doing what he had been. If both of our teams are effed royally in West Indies I am not surprised. In India`s case it`s more of the case of the players clinging on like son-in-laws and politicians running the game i/o ex-players.

Oz like professional attitude wud never come to our lands.

Re: # 5
In Pakistan`s case, it has been the Tablighees who have been running the show thus the complete prostration by Pcb management. No one wants to confront these religious zealots which is very clear from the advise Shaharyar Khan gave to Woolmer, do not offend their sensibilities and try to manage your job. Well, we all know how well the job was done and its carribean performance.

Re: # 7

I wonder why not the Tableegheezies hold this game of cricket as a satanic pastime (`Lehwo-lehb` in Quranic terms) as Dr. Israr often proclaimed. But perhaps they believed more in the famous Bollywood dialogue ``Namaz meri farz he aur cricket mera pesha``.