People thronging the final one-dayer have made their presence felt by the loud, in-your-face manner in which they have supported their teams. However, certain people have made news for not being in the stadium. The Pakistan Cricket Board has a lot to answer for when it comes to the manner in which it has treated its former cricket heroes. Stalwarts such as Imtiaz Ahmed and Fazal Mahmood have been snubbed by the board.
Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the PCB, announced that tickets had been dispatched to most of the legendary Pakistan cricketers, but it has now come to light that several of these invitations and tickets never reached their destination, and even those that did have caused dissatisfaction. Fazal Mahmood and Shafqat Rana, for example, were given 500-rupee tickets in the one of the more uncomfortable and boisterous enclosures in the stadium. Ironically, one of plusher stands, and the main entrance to the stadium, is named after Mahmood. A former Pakistani player remarked: “Fazal was not considered important enough to merit a ticket in the stand named after him.”
Mahmood, 76, was understandably upset at the treatment, and decided to stay at home and watch the match on television. “This kind of treatment hurts. It has never happened before in the past, and I can’t understand why it’s happening now,” he says. “At the same time, there is very little one can do about it. It is up to the PCB to decide how they treat people. After all, they are extending a courtesy, I can’t take them to court for this, can I?”
No harm in giving visitors good treatment but shame on PCB for its snub to FM.
Maybe someone on behalf of the KK - GS community could send a soft letter to PCB pointing out this serious shortcoming and suggesting an apology to FM may go some way in rectifying the snafu.
Well, i say there should be NO FREE TICKET. Who ever has to watch the game, they have to BUY The ticket. No complementry tickets at all be it Fazal Mahmood or Musharraf!
Who ever has graced Pakistan with their services they were get PAID for that and infact they are this BIG OD A NAMES because of PAKISTAN and AWAM ! If a poor pathan who has a fruite stall at gawal mandi has to pay 150Rs (that sometimes makes around 10% of their monthly income), these big names can EASILY afford the WHATEVER ticket thay want.
I know some guppies will bash me for DISGRACING Fazal Mahmood or Pakistani STARS, let me assure them These people are my hero too and i respect them like any other Pakistani out there but i am FEDUP of the people saying "Hum nai SAREE ZINDAGEE Pakistan ki KHIDMAT ISS LEYEE tu nahi ki thee k eik FREE ticket BHEE na miley?"
These retired figures never come to the stadium for matches against Bangladesh or ZImbabwe but want royal treatment against good teams. How come we never hear from them otherwise?. How have they contributed towards the success of PCB other than their playing days?. Do they write, share their knowledge or have memberships in cricketing organizations?.
In Pakistan, the culture is 'give me give me give me more'...nobody wants to do anything but 'give me'.
And what the hell is wrong with a Rs-500 ticket in the genral enclosure?. Is his $hit better than the thousands others in those stands?
It would have been an insult had Fazal Mehmood been mistreated by the security around the stadium. But to feel insulted for not getting a free ticket of your choice is.... confusing.
Why should PCB be supplying free tickets to anyone. I read some place that even the Chief Patron of PCB (Pres Mush) bought his own tickets for his friends - if true - that should be an example that the free-rides should be over. Other dignatories should/must have bought their own tickets or had their organizations/departments/companies buy tickets for them.
On the flip side, I don't think Fazal Mehmood is very well off, financially. If I am not mistaken, he is/was employed by Punjab Police for a while. So, it was a nice gesture on the part of PCB to send him a Rs 500 ticket. That he wanted even better one, is unfortunate, but understandable.
If I was Fazal, I would have jumped on the opportunity and gone to the General Enclosure and set an example. I am sure I would have gotten a lot more press and may be invoked PCB for some kind of welfare program for the players from the gone-by era.
Funguy.. I don't think Rs 500 was a general stand ticket. It was probably not an enclosure with tv and air-conditioner and complimentary refreshments, but it would have been a nice place with chairs and all. Some one in Lahore, can correct me here.
i doubt if Rs. 500 ticket these days for an India Pakistan series would have been a good enclosure.. could be like fourth slip even gulley kinda angle.. possibly tented.. but not necessarily.. chairs .. maybe.. maybe not..
If nobody was "honored" with free tickets then nobody can complain. But if some formers are given and others are not, it can be felt as insult.
Cricketers didn't always make a lot of money. As recently as EAS Prasanna's time, the cash money they made was not much - except for two or three top most legends. No corporate sponsorship or brand ambassadorship.
We can take a hardline and say no free tickets. But you can't help feel sorry for an old man who played for the country to be not able to go to the game if he wants to.
It also becomes fertile grounds for PCB to show favoritism.
I wonder if this kind of thing goes on in all countries. Knowing India, the BCCI dudes probably have entire games for VVIPS without tellin the public
Faisal and funguy, 500 was one of the lowly priced tickets because PCB wanted to get rid of people who do hullar-baazi and stuff and they kinda succeeded in it. I cant recall any other cheaper price when the ads were out but one thing i m sure, 500 one was the enclosure exactly perpendicular to the pitch as it was given in the map.
Regarding Fazal Mahmood, i m double minded. I agree PCB is trying to set a set of rules but Fazal Mahmood is an icon and it will create quit stir in the public but oh well who is not an icon!!
