“They do not seem to be playing the same game if you know what I mean.”

“Same game or same page?”

“Same page, same game, same thing now.”

“I disagree; a page can be turned or not by the reader, but in a game the caliber of the players, or on occasion a lucky break…”

“Yes, but no two people can be on the same place in the script – I mean we all have different reading speeds so one reader may take a lot more time than another…”

“Hey, but the page is the same, oh and so is the team by the way.”

“You are rather dense - I said the game being played is different. The Khan is clearly playing cricket and so he lets loose his batters, none of whom are opening batsmen if you know what I mean…I like Shibli Faraz but not as an opening batsman, I mean the opening batsman needs to be of a certain standing within the team, and he needs to be calm and focused and…” “Agreed, Shibli Faraz is more of a night watchman…then there are the bowlers, Ali Zaidi, Imran Ismail, Faisal Vawda, Murad Saeed – they all bowl a googly though they never get a wicket.”

“I get you - there is no score on the ball but no wicket.”

“Yes, anyway Zardari sahib has never played cricket in his life – not even friendly matches like Nawaz Sharif. I reckon plays a mean bridge, you know the card game.”

“Yep - he can bluff very well, see you can’t bluff in cricket, or hide some of your cards, playing bridge requires psychological warfare if you will and let’s be honest Father and Son know what will upset The Khan and unnerve him which Nawaz Sharif and daughter have yet to figure out…”

“True, but Zardari sahib has only been successful where the players are few however where there are many players he loses…”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“He can win in the Senate elections because the players are few, just the members of parliament and those members who will not negotiate are known…but where we come to general elections the number of players are in millions……”

“Hmmm, no comment there – anyway Murad Saeed did a Gilani bashing over the weekend…”

“Murad Saeed has a two and that too of clubs – I mean he was Gilani bashing but the electorate is not the general public…”

“Ha ha, that’s true, but what about Nawaz Sharif? What game is he playing?”

“He doesn’t play games - he just wants what he wants…”

“The Game of Thrones!”

“Yes, but I reckon Zardari sahib is way ahead – I mean if Gilani wins and becomes the Senate Chair then what is to stop him from playing the Gilani card to meet his own objectives that may diverge from the rest of the PDM.”

“Indeed.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021