Sponsors’ affect on Pakistan team selection and approach

[TheSultan]

Something Saj said on another thread got me thinking.

He mentioned that he heard players get bonuses for specific milestones E.g. scoring centuries etc. If true, Babar and Rizwan’s refusal to come down the order or take undue risks is obvious.

The other thing that got me thinking. Shaheen is also a crucial part of Team Pakistan’s brand. Could there shades of (albeit on a much smaller scale) Ronaldo (the real one R9) being pushed to play in the 98 WC Final. Shaheen playing at the World Cup despite not fully could be due to Sponsor’s pushing of it?

If all of this is true, it is truly a disgrace and is no different to match fixing to me. Cheating the fans for non cricketing purposes.

Discuss.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Something Saj said on another thread got me thinking.

He mentioned that he heard players get bonuses for specific milestones E.g. scoring centuries etc. If true, Babar and Rizwan’s refusal to come down the order or take undue risks is obvious.

The other thing that got me thinking. Shaheen is also a crucial part of Team Pakistan’s brand. Could there shades of (albeit on a much smaller scale) Ronaldo (the real one R9) being pushed to play in the 98 WC Final. Shaheen playing at the World Cup despite not fully could be due to Sponsor’s pushing of it?

If all of this is true, it is truly a disgrace and is no different to match fixing to me. Cheating the fans for non cricketing purposes.

Discuss.

We all know that Babar / Rizwan / imam all play for their own personal records and so called legacy in LOI formats. Pakistan is only team that plays risk free cricket in PP, batsmen get to a milestone and then play aggressively. This brand of bland and uninspiring cricket is one of reasons i dont watch as many matches as i use to. current team mantra is all about individuals rather then team. Now T20s has finished you will see the next sponsors who ha with Azhar Ali being wheeled over the line for 100 tests so that PCB can have a song and dance about that.

 

[Suleiman]

Give me 3 chances as opener, even if Nike promises $10k per every 70 ball 50 I score in a t20 I will say no way as long as I get 3 chances.

 

[Saj]

Well the agent I spoke with said that these bat manufacturers etc generally offer bonuses to players based on their own performances and targets and very rarely pay out for a team win.