It’s high time the various sports bodies in Qatar came together to devise a proper sports calendar that would ease the troubles of the organisers, sports fans as well as the media.
Often important international tournaments are clumped together in the same week causing logistical problems, besides leading to lesser turnout of spectators at venues because they have to choose between two or three events.
A case in point is this week when the prestigious HH The Emir’s Sword horse racing and show jumping festival, the FIM Motocross World Championship and the Seamaster World Tour Platinum Qatar Open table tennis are being held.
These of course are in addition to several local tournaments, including the Qatar Stars League which is now at a crucial stage.
Fans keen on watching the multi-million dollar races on Saturday at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club as well as the thrilling motocross action at the Losail International Circuit will have to pick one of the two.
Even though the horse races are scheduled for the afternoon and the motocross late in the night, many fans, especially those planning a family outing, would prefer to watch only one. For many it could be a painful choice. The vast distance between venues also can be off-putting for some.
Had these events been spread out over a two weekends, organisers could have expected larger crowds. Foreign media are often critical of sparse spectator participation at sporting events in Qatar and it goes without saying that the authorities need to look at this aspect with utmost urgency and sincerity.
Afridi’s retirement
So Shahid Afridi has announced his retirement from international cricket, hopefully for the final time, bringing the curtains down on a chequered career.
Starting off as a 17-year-old, Afridi had an almost immediate impact on cricket fans across the world when he belted a 37-ball century against Sri Lanka in 1996 in only his second ODI match. It was a brutal exhibition of strokemaking from the teenager against an opposition that included legendary bowlers like Mutthiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas.
He hit 11 sixes during the innings and the century record stood for 17 years before New Zealander Corey Anderson bettered it in 2003, albeit by just one ball.
Afridi enjoyed playing to the gallery. Fans demanded sixes from him, and he tried his best to oblige, often losing his wicket in the process and causing his team distress. Fans lived and died with every shot he made as chants of “Boom Boom Afridi” pierced the air.
A measure of his cult following can be gauged from the fact that several hundred fans left the stadium after he was dismissed for 54 off 28 balls in Sharjah in the Pakistan Super League on Sunday. They had come to see only one man. The rest hardly mattered.
Afridi was also a controversial figure and had to be disciplined several times. He was caught chewing a cricket ball during a match, and also caused offence in Pakistan when he suggested that women should stick to their household chores like cooking.
But nobody can deny that he is a legend, especially in limited overs cricket. After all, there are not many players with more than 8,000 runs and 395 wickets against their names in ODI cricket.
