Sir: Sitting alone and watching cricket matches in the wilderness of a foreign country with the hope that our national team will rise to the moment and show some semblance of a fight was just like asking for the moon. Alas, it was not to be. The debacle was followed by analyses of the gurus (mentors) and pundits of cricket who were responsible for creating hype on the media. Fault after fault were discovered in the team, its selection, its management and anyone or anything associated with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Well, the debacle did not happen in the abstract, a void, or all of a sudden. It had started precipitating for long, culminating in defeat after defeat, because of so many factors. In a nation that considers any match with India as a World Cup final, you have as many critics and as many selectors as you can find. You could see the hanging faces all over: on TV, in streets, bazaars, homes and public places, everywhere as if gloom has taken over. Why? Because our pundits and so-called experts never told us that our team was not capable of winning, being devoid of merit. Politically and economically stable countries excel in all spheres, including sports. Decadence that starts with absence of merit permeates every field, small or big, minor or major, mini or mega; give it any name. Yes, that is what going on in our beloved Pakistan for years together, rather for decades together. We created this imbalance and now we are reaping the harvest. We have lost the vision of father of the nation: faith, unity and discipline. With the performance of Zimbabwe, Ireland and even UAE, you do not know what is coming to rub salt in the bleeding wounds of our cricket and South Africa is another Rubicon to cross. RAFIQ AHMAD CHAUDHARY Atlanta