Top-flight cricket is well and truly back in Pakistan thanks to the efforts of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the law enforcement agencies and foreign cricketers who have visited the country when we needed them the most.
Quite often, the real heroes are ignored. The same is the case with cricket, where the ground staff isn’t given the due credit.
Preparing pitches and making everything ready for action takes a lot of hard work and effort on their part and it’s because of them that fans like you and me enjoy the high-octane drama on our television screens or from the grounds.
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Let’s give you an example from yesterday. A lot of fans believed that there will be no play possible due to the persistent rain throughout the day in Rawalpindi. The outfield was soaking wet and while we were praying for action from our homes and teams were waiting in hotels to leave for the stadium, the groundsmen were working their hearts out to ensure the game took place.
When it finally stopped raining late afternoon, the ground staff knew they had to pull off a massive challenge otherwise the fans would return back without getting a glimpse of their favorite cricketers. They did exactly that, led by the chief groundsman, Mohammad Ashraf.
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Ashraf is no less than a hero especially after what his team pulled off. Although it was a shortened match, it provided the fans with a sigh of relief and plenty of fun.
Tonight’s man of the match is chief groundsman Mohammad Ashraf who made the ground fit for play in no time after heavy rains in Pindi. #PSLV2020 #PSL5 #PSLV @TeamQuetta @PeshawarZalmi pic.twitter.com/5FnKQqyP7d
— Rizwan Ali (@joji_39) March 5, 2020
They all deserve a lot of appreciation especially considering the fact that Rawalpindi is not accustomed to such heavy rains in recent years. The lack of high-profile cricket in the past decade or so didn’t help either, however, they were determined to make everything work and so they did.
Note: This is an appreciation post, not just for the ground staff at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, but for everyone associated with making events like these possible. These events portray a soft image of Pakistan, which we all need as a nation so that our economy can flourish.
Here’s the updated PSL 2020 points table. You can find the complete PSL 2020 schedule here.
great job, I did see Misbah ul Haq personally meet and congratulate the goundstaff a few matches ago in Rawalpindi. Good work by groundsman. Now all the stadium needs is a good roof and possibly a better drainage system.
Khuda karey itni barish ho k psl Pakistan may ho hi na sakey. Aik cricket ki khatir aur. Chand logon k shughal jin k pa’s krney ko kuch hy ni purey shehar ka nizam barbad kr rakha hy. Bazar band, karobar band, roads band. Aik din may kitna nuksan ho raha hy logon ka kisi ka is tarf dehan ni jata. Is fazul khel khas tour py psl matches ny hazaron logon ko mushkil may daal diya hy. Ghanton log traffic may phasney rehtay hyn chahey ambulance keu na ya school vans. Akhir kab hum aur hamrey mulk chalaney waley seek hain gy. Ager itna hi shughal ka shouk hy tu stadiums un populated jaga bana dain
Aurat march aur psl ky qabil hain hum…. Akhir kitni dafa qg vs pz.. Pz vs iu bla bla… Roz chek kartay hain jaisay roti hai…