The dismal performance of the Pakistani squad in the ongoing T20 world cup tournament in India has created a furore the like of which was never seen before.

The entire nation and the media have 'gone bonkers' and are discussing the issue day and night on all TV channels as if there was nothing else better to do. All sorts of analyses, critiques and questions are being poured in by the so called experts of all hues and colours, ranks and standings, some suggesting sacking of the captain and the coach, some cutting off the dead wood in the form of senior players and yet others guillotining the PCB bigwigs.

If you ask me, why not do away with the cricket itself in Pakistan?

After all what is there so imperative about it that we can’t do without it? Does it not cost us as a nation millions and millions of man hours watching the 'idiot box' which could be utilized productively elsewhere?

How does it contribute in any way in improving the health – mental or physical – of the nation or for that matter even of the players?

It is complete waste of time and money except for the PCB and the good for nothing players who mint millions from the game and the commercials.

It is no longer a sport but hs become a commercial bonanza involving betting, match fixing and corruption. And imagine our children idolizing such characters devoid of any intellect, etiquette or good manners to the degree that most of them cannot even utter a single sensible grammatically correct sentence, which they are seen trying pathetically clearly betrayed by their body language.

After all how many nations of the world play cricket - one can count them on the fingers of one’s two hands?

Aren’t the rest of the scores of countries - some highly advanced like Germany, Japan China, Russia, most of Europe - surviving without it that we would not? So, please let’s do away with it.

Our children will not only have more time for their studies but also the option to have men like Iqbal, Drs Salam and Qadeer, Majors Raja Aziz Bhatti and Shabbir Sharif et al as their idols.

Our offices will work efficiently with much more concentration. We will save on the electricity too which is already short. A developing nation like ours cannot afford the luxury of wasting time and resources on cricket. Let’s concentrate on other healthier sports instead.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2016 Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd))