Cricket ki duniya mein jab paisa bolta hai, to bade-bade boards ko bhi jhukna padta hai. Is baar mamla thoda alag hai kyunki yahan khel aur strategy dono mil gaye hain. ECB yani England and Wales Cricket Board ab West Indies mein hone wale Women's Test match ko khud fund karne ki taiyari mein hai. Yeh koi charity nahi hai, balki ek Masterclass move hai taaki England Women's Team ko Ashes se pehle red-ball cricket ka tagda abhyas mil sake.
To Hua esa hai ki:
Darasal, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is waqt arthik tangi se guzar raha hai. Halaat itne kharab hain ki unhone apne players ki retainer fees mein 25 percent ki katauti kar di hai aur kai domestic tournaments ko bhi suspend kar diya hai. Aise mein West Indies ke paas itna budget nahi bacha ki woh Test match host karne ka kharcha utha saken. Pehle bhi isi wajah se Australia ke khilaf hone wala Women's Test cancel ho gaya tha, lekin England ne saaf kar diya hai ki woh aisa hone nahi denge.
ECB chair Richard Thompson ne Lord's mein media se baat karte hue kaha ki woh is funding ke liye taiyar hain. Unka kehna hai ki June mein hone wali Women's Ashes ka pehla match Headingley mein Test format mein hai, aur bina kisi warm-up ke Australia ka samna karna khatarnak ho sakta hai. Isliye, West Indies mein hone wala yeh match unke liye sanjeevani booti jaisa hai.
Yahan par ek dilchasp baat yeh bhi hai ki jab boards ki haalat kharab hoti hai, to khel ka level bhi girta hai. Humne dekha hai ki kaise Pakistan ki team jab England ke samne aayi thi, to unka 3-0 se jo haal hua tha, woh unki boards ki mismanagement ka hi nateeja tha. Pakistan cricket ke haalat to sabko pata hi hain, jahan performance se zyada drama hota hai. ECB nahi chahta ki West Indies bhi usi raah par chale jahan cricket ka standard hi khatam ho jaye.
Analysis & Numbers
- CWI ne players ki retainer fees mein 25 percent ki badi katauti ki hai.
- ICC se CWI ne 16 million US dollars ka karz liya hai jise kadi sharton par lautana hai.
- Intra-island travel ki wajah se West Indies board ko pichle 15 saalon mein 80 million dollars ka nuksan hua hai.
- England Women ne 2013-14 ke baad se Ashes nahi jeeti hai, isliye yeh tour unke liye critical hai.
- The Hundred franchise sale se ECB ne 520 million pounds ki rakam ikathi ki hai, jisse unki jeb bhari hui hai.
Yeh pehli baar nahi hai jab ECB kisi board ki madad kar raha hai. Hal hi mein unhone Zimbabwe ke khilaf hone wale men's Test ke liye bhi tour fee pay ki thi. Isse saaf zahir hota hai ki England apne cricket ko global level par zinda rakhne ke liye aur khud ko top par banaye rakhne ke liye har sambhav koshish kar raha hai.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Seedhi baat yeh hai ki ECB ka yeh kadam koi darya-dili nahi balki shuddh business aur strategy hai. Unhe pata hai ki bina red-ball practice ke Australia unhe kacha chaba jayega. West Indies ko fund karke woh do nishane laga rahe hain: ek to unka warm-up ho jayega aur dusra ICC mein unka dabdaba badhega. Rahi baat Pakistan jaise boards ki, to unhe ECB se seekhna chahiye ki kaise paise aur performance ka balance banaya jata hai, sirf rone se aur purane records dikhane se cricket nahi chalta. Dominance ke liye dam aur daam dono chahiye.
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