THE detention of paceman Mohammad Asif

THE detention of paceman Mohammad Asif in Dubai on charges of possessing contraband drugs is the latest in a series of shocks that have left Pakistan cricket reeling. With Shoaib Akhtar fighting to have a life ban lifted, the Pakistan Cricket Board chief having just retracted his defamation suit against the maverick fast bowler, the PCB getting partial with the truth in its dealings with the Senate Standing Committee on Sports, rumours of financial bungling within the board, uncertainty over the future of the national coach and, amid all this confusion, the falling standard of the team�s performance, there can be little doubt that Pakistan cricket is in bad shape both on and off the field. It would take some bravado to even attempt a denial. That a senior official has now been rushed to Dubai for damage control is yet another indication of the PCB�s tendency to be more reactive than proactive. Indeed, no one can be expected to keep a constant eye on individual players, but corrective action against Asif in November 2006 when he tested positive for nandrolone could have changed his outlook towards drugs. He was let off the hook on a pure technicality. There was no denial of the basic charge that he had indeed been using steroids, and the PCB�s portrayal of him at the time as an innocent kid who had been taking drugs without realising the seriousness of the matter was folly of the highest order. The latest national embarrassment is only an extension of that very recklessness.

With test reports still not out, back-door diplomacy still has a chance. Regardless of how it pans out, however, there is a basic lesson to be learnt. Most Pakistani players graduating to the international level come from small towns and humble backgrounds, and many struggle to come to terms with the glitzy lifestyles that money brings their way. There has to be some coaching done off the field as well. Some counselling by psychologists could help these youngsters adjust socially to their new surroundings. And of course the PCB needs to take a no-nonsense stand on discipline.