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The hero that got shot

2011-03-19T11:17:00.001Z

They say your life flashes in front of your eyes as death approaches.

The good, the bad, the best moments you lived through are replayed in a short burst that makes you realise the worth, the joy and the sheer existence of it all, the reasons behind who you were, are and could have been.

The last few months of Shoaib Akhtar’s career has followed the same pattern. His early worth paved way for injuries – of various types at numerous points in his life – and age got the better of his speed. He was shot down throughout his career, at every instance he broke down with a dodgy knee or under scrutiny for breaking a curfew. The hair style kept changing but the attitude remained defiant. He missed more than he played but insisted he wanted to play more.

Shoaib last played a Test over three years ago and has a solitary wicket to show for his efforts. But wickets never defined his career. His aggression, commitment – questionable at times – to the cause, intent and the lust for living a ‘normal’ life as a cricketer aided his ascent to stardom but played its fair share in the constant tugging to pull him off it.

He hasn’t taken more than three wickets in a One-Day International (ODI) since October 2007 but in the 29 ODIs since then, he was left hoping for an ‘effort’ column next to the wickets taken. Since the Asia Cup last year that marked his comeback after more than twelve months in hibernation, Shoaib has featured in almost every ODI Pakistan has played – a testament not only to his revitalised fitness levels, but also his attitude towards the team and the sport, and the need to end on his own accord.

Shoaib said he decided to retire after the World Cup while on the surgery table. The cause towards shedding weight the attempt at increasing his stamina falls right into place now. He wanted to walk out and not be pushed, to have a chance of a final swansong and a parting statement instead of following his idols’ footsteps and being shunned by the evil world that is Pakistan cricket.

For that, the run-up was shortened but the hostility remained on par with his younger days. The ball didn’t leave his hand as fast as it did but it was fast enough. The image of a stunned Eden Gardens, a shocked Stephen Fleming and an injured Brian Lara epitomises the fast-bowler as a force, an image the various bans, doping violations, hitting his teammates, the warts, and speaking out against his ‘dearest Pakistan Cricket Board’ fell flat against in comparison.

And as he lit up and looked in the distance after one of his finest performance off the field in the press conference, with Colombo stretched out in front of him, Shoaib looked every sort the hero that walks away into the shadows, content with his effort. He gave cricket a lot and his fans a lot more.

The search for a replacement will never start for Pakistan can neither produce nor afford another Shoaib.

© Faras Ghani 2011
Published in The Express Tribune Mar 19, 2011

A stroke of patience

2010-11-27T09:59:00.000Z

Pakistanis are impatient. For us, success needs to be instant. Every time one of our teams takes centre stage, the result should go in our favour. No one cares about a transition period or gradually building a team towards eventual success.

Earlier this year knives were out for the hockey team that fared its worst in a World Cup — a dismal bottom place finish in New Delhi. Protests, retirements and new appointments followed but the results stayed the same. There were calls for the federation to undergo a revamp. Petitions were signed, press conferences organised and effigies burnt. Some players opted for a temporary break and some went into self-improvement mode, opting to rekindle the spark by turning their backs on Pakistan and participating in foreign leagues.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation insisted the Asian Games gold — and the 2012 London Olympics berth that accompanied — remained their primary target. Not many were prepared to listen, especially after fifth place at the Azlan Shah Cup and sixth at the Commonwealth Games. Worse than the results were the losses against India that complemented the humiliation. Even the hiring of a Dutch coach, with a whopping salary, failed to turn the fortunes around.

The voices still urged patience for the results that matter which, according to players and officials, were in the making. And as experience made a comeback to the squad, courtesy meek opposition, a rush of goals, and the oozing confidence that accompanied, allowed the nation to dream of the impossible. Pakistan edged past defending champions South Korea to play the final for the first time since 1990. The mighty neighbours suffered a shock defeat, presenting us with an easy ride to the podium.

With the achievement however, Pakistan hockey, similar to cricket, has set itself a dangerous precedent: to win every time they play.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune Nov 27, 2010

Shattered windows that built hope

2010-11-24T11:52:00.000Z

Drop-outs are seldom respected in any society. Spending one’s childhood, as a girl, on the streets, on the grounds, attracting the quizzed and questioning gaze and not worrying much about the complexion oppugns the very concept of our ‘conservative’ society. Confused individuals – defying the culture and its norms – running after unattainable goals, with limited backing, do not usually survive to tell the tale.

Unless, getting off a plane, you have a gold medal around your neck.

Never the one to give up on her dreams, Sana Mir, captain of Pakistan’s victorious women’s cricket team, planned to join the army, the airforce or the cricket team just to wear the uniform and a chance to represent her nation.

While the first two choices fell astray to poor timing, her intent on the streets, and the courage and confidence gained through shattered windows and scolding aplenty, ensured her crusade to make a name produced a bang.

“Everyone knew I was a bit different, never the type to sit at home and play with dolls,” said Mir.

“Even when my cousins were getting their mehndi done before Eid, I would be out playing cricket. And when I finally joined the Pakistan cricket squad, everyone thought that was the right place for me.”

Despite the elation that accompanied her inclusion in the squad, Mir’s road to glory included dropping out of university – despite being an above-average student – and opting, instead, for less greener, and less plausible, pastures: women’s cricket.

“It was a difficult choice to make, especially considering the image of women in sport at that time and the fact that I belonged to an army family.

“I didn’t even have anywhere to go at that time. I just needed practice, needed matches, time and outlet.”

The oozing determination was part courtesy Imran Khan’s efforts in 1992 with Mir praying for a chance to emulate the pathan’s feat and the podium stance. While the longing for a cup remains, the thirst for success, of a first-place finish, has been quenched for now. The route includes pooling in to buy cement as the street’s potholes became too dangerous for batting, taking up spin just to be able to play past sunset with a plastic ball, and surviving a stress fracture and the dreaded words of doctors.

With an incident-filled half decade behind her, the future, it seems, may offer much of the same.

“It’s really difficult to plan but I know that I want to pass on whatever I’ve learnt to the youngsters. Due to our culture, you play till you’re 28 and then you start your second life [get married]. We have an improved side, better facilities and a greater interest. I don’t know how long I’ll play for but when I leave, I want to leave a good team behind.”

World Cup qualification, second-round appearance in the mega event, Pakistan’s first away win, propelling the team to sixth in rankings and the Asian Games gold, Mir will leave a trail of unmatched achievements that will propel her into the ‘second life’ much satisfied.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, Nov 24 2010

'Cricket is not a gentleman's game'

2010-10-24T17:02:00.004+01:00

For a nation deemed oppressive to women, blamed of confining them to the indoors and forcing them to act out their trade with utensils and needles, the sight of eleven girls hopping around in track suits and not shalwar kamiz, and with heads covered in caps and not dupattas would certainly rob Pakistan of the unwanted titles.

While the men’s team makes headways into uncharted territories amid a spate of turmoil, their female counterparts continue to flux opposition off the field – despite its mediocrity on it. And as opponents are left dumbfounded by Pakistan’s mere participation in the events, the nation itself sits in oblivion.

“There is no dearth of interested individuals in the country,” said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Women’s Wing Chairperson Shirin Javed. “We have girls coming from Quetta, from Gilgit, from remote villages that we didn’t even know existed and with names we can’t even pronounce. They are barred from leaving their houses apart from going for training and matches.”

Arguments, conflicts and scandals have played their part in ensuring the interest in the sector develops, and grows, for the wrong reasons. However, from the days of girls playing alongside boys on roadsides, on makeshift pitches and on rented grounds, the interest has only increased.

“Times have changed,” added Javed. “No longer are the parents worried. We have girls playing in track suits. We have parents dropping their daughter for training on a bicycle. A kitchen is not the only place girls belong to now.”

Words of one, not realised and echoed by the rest, however. Critics are after their heads, labelling them budget-wasters, hopeless performers, sinners even. The marriage factor is their primary aid. Playing with boys, their bodies open to scrutiny by the onlookers, and an inferior win-loss ratio, the secondary.

“We get critics almost every day but it’s part of our duty as female cricketers to ignore those,” said Nain Abidi, a Karachi-based player forming the backbone of Pakistan’s batting line-up. “It hurts, especially after we’ve achieved so much for the country. People just don’t want to see us play.

“But I’ll still encourage individuals to come forward despite the criticism, the glare, and the condemnation. Sport, apart from physical benefits, teaches us punctuality, respect, responsibility and, in our case, how to convert negative thoughts into positive actions.”

For some, cricket is a respite before the inevitable wedding ceremonies. Some even leave everything behind – despite the limited freedom – their studies, their jobs and perhaps their future. Only to pursue dreams alien to our culture, albeit temporary, and to emulate their male counterparts. All the while aiming to go one better.

“You’re spending so much on the men’s team,” said Abidi. “They play all year round, unlike us. And look how many trophies they’re bringing us. We’re also doing our fair share. We should be treated as equals and people should realise that cricket is not just a gentleman’s game.”

© Faras Ghani 2010.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24, 2010

Newcomers will make a difference: Sana

2010-10-04T17:18:00.000+01:00

Captain Sana Mir has rested high hopes in the newcomers to end Pakistan’s dismal international run as the team left for South Africa for the Women’s Cricket Challenge following a two-week camp in Muridke.

Pakistan, ranked sixth in the world, lost all three matches in the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies – the team’s last international assignment – and will play five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and at least two Twenty20s without several key players including former captain Urooj Mumtaz and strike-bowler Qanita Jalil.

“Obviously we’ll miss the experienced individuals but we’re hopeful that the new faces, who haven’t experienced winning or losing yet, can provide us with a change in fortunes,” Mir told The Express Tribune. “The lack of exposure can actually be a good thing since our opponents are oblivious to their style and potential and we can capitalise on that.”

With the tournament comprising teams ranked fifth to 10th in the world, every match will carry points hence rewarding performing teams with an improved place in the table. Mir, aware of the Pakistan’s lack of experience and limitations, has set the team an aim of not falling below eighth when they leave South Africa.

“Right now, I won’t go big with statements and aims. If we can finish on eighth after the tournament, I’ll be really satisfied. Losing constantly can get really frustrating, especially when you’ve performed as an individual but as a player, the only thing that sport teaches us is to stand up again. And that’s what I’m telling the team.”

Pakistan will play its first match of the tour against Ireland on Wednesday.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, October 4, 2010

Aisam hopes for a medal in Delhi

2010-10-03T17:20:00.000+01:00

Following his US Open heroics, Pakistan’s top-ranked tennis player Aisamul Haq Qureshi has vowed to ensure a repeat performance as he left for New Delhi yesterday with Aqeel Khan to represent Pakistan at the Commonwealth Games.

Qureshi, who reached the finals of the mixed doubles and men’s doubles at Flushing Meadows, was involved in a training camp in Lahore with Aqeel and Pakistan’s tennis captain and coach for the Games Mohammad Khalid after his return from New York.

“The Commonwealth Games won’t be easy despite my individual performance of late,” Qureshi told The Express Tribune. “There are teams from all over the world and they’re sending four players instead of two so they have an advantage.

“Obviously after being recognised for my US Open performance, the expectations are really high and I’d ensure that they are met and I perform on the same level as I have been.”

Aqeel, who has been Qureshi’s Davis Cup partner for 12 years, acknowledged the help Pakistan’s number one provides in the absence of tough competition at home and hoped for a favourable draw in order to progress to the finals of the event.

“We have a lot of understanding and that’s come because of us playing together for a number of years,” said Aqeel. “He’s been playing international tournaments and his pace helps us get accustomed to what we’d expect abroad. We’re hoping for a good draw that’ll help us progress but if you want to win a medal or a tournament, you need to beat the best out there.”

Qureshi also ruled out fatigue as a factor that could hamper Pakistan’s chances of a medal despite being on tour for most of the year. Following his long Europe tour, Qureshi was involved in Pakistan’s relocated Davis Cup tie in New Zealand before flying out to the US for the Pan Pacific tournament as well as the US Open.

“The travels are part of being a professional tennis player. I have a slight disadvantage because being a Pakistani, the tournaments are held away from the country and that makes things a lot difficult. However, as a player you need to learn how to deal with it.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3, 2010

Give them more cricket, not camps: Rana

2010-09-27T17:22:00.000+01:00

Pakistan women’s cricket coach Mansoor Rana has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to ensure the players remain involved in the sport all year round in order to improve their performance on the international level.

The squad is currently assembled in Muridke for a training camp before it flies out to South Africa for a six-nation One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 tournament from October 6. This will be Pakistan’s first involvement on the international circuit since a poor 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies earlier this year and Rana is not expecting miracles from them.

“We’re underdogs in world cricket and I’ve told the players to use that to their advantage,” Rana told The Express Tribune at the training camp. “We have the potential to do well but we need to play more matches, get more exposure and spend enough time playing in the middle to do that.”

The absence of a full domestic season and the reluctance of foreign teams to visit Pakistan, according to the coach, has not only hampered the team’s chances of improving on their number-six ranking but also the individuals unable to make a name for themselves.

“They need to spend time in the middle as 30 runs in the middle is equal to spending ten days in the nets. We assemble for short camps and then jet off for foreign tournaments. You can’t expect miracles from the team then.

“We also need to be playing quality opposition regularly. Just holding camps is a complete waste of money if there’s no structure to follow.”

Pakistan, missing several key players due to personal commitments, will be departing on October 4 and will take on Ireland in the first match.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27, 2010

Finally, fame and recognition for a star unknown

2010-09-26T17:25:00.001+01:00

Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Shah Rukh Khan are contrasting personalities, have contrasting careers, fan-base and celebrity value remain strikingly different. One has been a global icon for decades while the other, from Lahore, has barely adjusted to the spotlight which, according to him, has taken a long time coming.

They have one thing in common though: wanting world peace. With both emphasising that on their trips to New York – at the airport and on a tennis court – Qureshi, through a speech that seemed like an after-thought as the microphone pulled away from him, left the king of Bollywood in his wake. Not because Qureshi is from Pakistan, but because the act was genuine. It was not a stunt, but an uncut, unrehearsed uttering of a tennis star unknown not only to the world, but to most of his countrymen as well.

Khan spoke for himself but Qureshi expressed the voice of millions, with a stutter, and without thinking of the consequences.

“I had no idea it was going to create such an impact,” said Qureshi. “The perception in the US is unbelievable, it’s mind-bothering. You bring out a green passport, you get raised eyebrows. Life is short, I had to take the chance and God gave me the courage and belief to say those words.”

With the win – Qureshi terms his twin losses a victory – the 30-year-old has achieved what he wanted since he started playing: recognition, fame, appreciation and being considered a role-model. The flattering scoreline, especially in the second final, was the result of 15 years of hard work that went unacknowledged. Rightly so, breeding the omnipresent desire of being famous and successful that a common man has.

“We all want to be famous. I’ve always wanted to be a role-model, a door opener for talent. I knew it’d take a long time and a huge effort. It motivates me, being a celebrity. I’m enjoying the attention. People who know nothing about tennis come and laud my efforts. For the first time in 15 years, I felt that my country was proud of me.”

But Qureshi has had doubters and critics, who have not questioned his ability and talent but his patriotism and self-interest. Hammered for pulling out of a Davis Cup tie for a doubles tournament, he managed to beat Roger Federer. Accused of not spending much time training for this year’s relocated Davis Cup tie as he travelled with doubles partner Rohan Bopanna, winning and losing, Qureshi’s US Open feat may allow Pakistan an easy passage at the Commonwealth Games.

In a year that has seen an ATP title come his way as he reached the quarters at Wimbledon and the US Open success, Qureshi is aware of the waves he has created.

“Last year I joined hands with a soft drinks manufacturer with the motto of badal do zamana (change the times). I believe, with the efforts I’ve made, times are indeed changing.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26, 2010

Trust of a nation and its fans let down

2010-08-31T17:30:00.000+01:00

The cricket that brought respite to millions of Pakistanis — from the suicide bombs, the floods and the atrocities within — has now left them distraught. The expression, the ebullience and the sweet smell of determination and audacity that belied his age — 18, as reported by the officials — now reeked of betrayal. An act menial, but with repercussions grand.

Mohammad Aamir is a smart cricketer. Too smart for his age. He talks of his bowling with a doctorate in his hand, knowing precisely how to act his trade with the accuracy, ability and the arm. At 15 he was prodigy-turned-casualty courtesy dengue fever, stress fracture and the stern demands of international cricket. Three years on, he was Pakistan cricket’s biggest thing, still just a teenager from a small village.

Bigger than that then, perhaps, was the temptation.

Over-stepping is a norm in cricket. Umar Gul has mastered the art. Suraj Randiv enacted it with perfection in Sri Lanka barely days ago. So why would a slight stretch — a vociferous extension in this case — be met with a raised eyebrow or question one’s conscientiousness. Because it negated all the preceding effort, the haul of wickets, the prize money, the heroics and the wide beam of a child gaining recognition, fame and applaud. And the trust of a nation, of its mad fans.

Money is no foreigner to Pakistan cricket. Allegations are, and have been, omnipresent. Verdicts, decisions, recommendations have been passed. Bans have been placed. Worlds have been shattered as a result. So the tangibility of the scenario was never in question. It was the innocence of those blamed, especially Aamir.

Last time Pakistan visited England they forfeited a Test match after ball-tampering accusations and subsequent on-field penalty. This year, following the thrashing — the absolute battering — it has received intermittently, it has been forced to forfeit its self-respect and dignity. And because of reasons that lay beyond the results.

It’s premature to pass a verdict while the investigations are ongoing, especially considering the U-turn following Bob Woolmer’s death and the guilt cloud that was floated over the Pakistan team. However, the dropped heads, the visible capitulation and the management’s failure to defend the individuals after Pakistan’s on-field disaster at Lord’s, have effectively told us what the verdict will be. A massive shock and a swift fold of events that not only dampened England’s almost-miraculous fightback from the depths of despair but also sunk Pakistan cricket further in the doldrums, an inconceivable thought given the tumultuous year that it has had so far.

In an interview last year, Aamir told me he wanted to “have a bit in my wallet”. Perhaps, a better lifestyle to what he had witnessed up till then was what he meant. But the words still come back to haunt.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31, 2010

Revealed: management's thumbs-up

2010-08-31T17:27:00.000+01:00

In a shocking revelation following the spot-fixing allegations, the Pakistan team management has conceded to The Express Tribune that it had no problems with the players interacting with the alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed who was arrested and later released on bail.

The confession comes just days after reports that Pakistan’s One-Day International and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi had barred his teammates from having any links with Mazhar who, along with his brother Azhar, acted as the players’ agent for club contracts and endorsements in England.

“We were fully aware that some of the players had Mazhar and Azhar as their agents and we didn’t have a problem with that,” a member of the team management told The Express Tribune from Taunton where the team arrived yesterday. “As long as they weren’t brought to the players’ rooms, we didn’t have a problem since the duo acted as their agents.”

Afridi, who announced his Test retirement after defeat in the tour’s first Test against Australia, was sceptical of the duo, an act not taken well by Mazhar who, in the video recorded by The News of the World, confirmed this stance and that the players opposed Afridi as captain for precisely this reason.

“They all want [Salman] Butt to be captain,” Mazhar had allegedly confessed before adding the players wanted Afridi to fail

While Mazhar has been released on bail by Scotland Yard, the Pakistan team’s associate manager Shafqat Rana has confirmed that no players will be suspended by the management while the police investigations were ongoing. He added that despite the magnitude of the allegations, the players remained confident and fully focussed on the job at hand.

“We have no reason to suspend anyone at the moment,” Rana told The Express Tribune. “The chairman is in London and he’s arriving here soon and we’ll wait for the police to complete their investigations.

“The players know they have a job at hand and a tour to carry on with. Despite being sad and hurt due to the allegations, they’re acting their usual selves, smiling as always and remain confident that they can do a good job on the remainder of the tour.”

Rana’s cheerfulness was in stark comparison to Pakistan’s body language on the fourth morning at Lord’s. While the batsmen were booed on the field and the post-match ceremony held indoors to avoid crowd reaction, Salman remain subdued in the post-match press conference, with a distraught look to his face, and let team manager Yawar Saeed reply to most questions.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31, 2010

Shamed

2010-08-30T10:00:00.003+01:00

The spot-fixing scandal that had rocked Pakistan cricket late Saturday evening was further fuelled by revelations that the team management had warned players not to interact with Mazhar Majeed, the London-based bookmaker arrested by London police.

On Saturday, a London-based tabloid News of the World published a report which showed Mazhar accepting money from undercover reporters posing as Arab businessmen. In this, Mazhar had promised certain players performing as per prior arrangement against payment. The paper alleges that certain members of the Pakistan team performed as per this arrangement.

This scandal has not only rocked Pakistan cricket but also put into doubt the future of the tour.

Investigations by The Express Tribune reveal that a London-based source close to the Pakistan team shared his earlier worries with regards to the Majeed brothers, Mazhar and Azhar.

He told The Express Tribune about how he, and Pakistan’s One-Day International and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, had barred the players from interacting with the duo.

“It’s a shame to see this happening to Pakistan cricket but I could see it coming for a long time,” said the entrepreneur. “I have known the duo for a very long time and Mazhar in fact had an argument with the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt prior to Pakistan’s first Test of the tour at Lord’s. But it’s a shame how, despite my and Afridi’s constant reminders, the players still chose to entertain the brothers and I see no way out for them from this.”

Azhar, Mazhar’s brother who was arrested late Saturday evening for ‘conspiring to defraud bookmakers’, pleaded innocent while speaking to The Express Tribune and confirmed that he was oblivious of his brother’s illegal activities.

“I don’t understand what has happened,” said the London-based Azhar, who has been involved with the players and often acted as their agent in England. “Until last night, I didn’t even know what spot-fixing was. It’s a complete shock for me and I’ve never indulged in such activities despite being involved with the players for a long time.”

Meanwhile, in the shocking aftermath of the spot-fixing scandal – and the crushing defeat in the fourth and final Test at Lord’s – captain Salman Butt and manager Yawar Saeed failed to defend the accused players in front of the media.

Salman, who had remained composed since taking over the captaincy last month despite heavy losses, looked downright distraught in the post-match press conference, accompanied by Saeed, and his assertive remarks gave way to meek muttering as the cricket world awaits the Scotland Yard inquiry.

“At this point in time, they’re just allegations and obviously we’re sad to hear those,” said Saeed while at no point claiming that Pakistan players were innocent. “Aamir is a young bowler who’s done very well so far in his career all over the world. He’s down because his name has come through but if he comes through clean, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

Salman, who led Pakistan to a Test win over Australia after a gap of 15 years and beat England for the first time in England since 2001, did speak of his team’s innocence but for the troubled look on his face, a first, despite losses to the magnitude of 150 runs, 354 runs and nine wickets on the tour.

“Every member in the team has given his one hundred per cent,” said Salman. “You don’t achieve what you want every time you go out but all you can do is try your best and the rest is out of your control.”

The PCB late on Sunday said it has submitted a report on the issue to the president of Pakistan. It said that it also wanted access to the accused persons alleged to have been involved in the spot-fixing. Interior minister Rehman Malik also stated that an FIA team is proceeding to London for further investigations.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, Aug 30, 2010

Hafeez unsurprised by inclusion in tour squad

2010-08-26T11:06:00.003+01:00

Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez has remained unsurprised following his shock inclusion in the side’s One-Day International and Twenty20 squads to take on England.

Hafeez, who was dropped after a poor 2010 World Twenty20 where he scored just 49 runs in six matches and took two wickets, has not scored an international half-century since December 2006. Despite his status as an allrounder, Hafeez has fared poorly with the ball as well, having not taken more than three wickets in an innings since October 2003.

“The call-up to the squad was not surprising at all,” Hafeez told The Express Tribune following an unconvincing appearance for AO Clinic in a local Twenty20 tournament. “I had served Pakistan well before the 2010 World Twenty20 and it’s wrong to write off someone after just two or three poor performances.”

Hafeez, who averages 18.6 with the bat after 48 ODIs, did express his surprise after his omission from the Test squad for the tour of England despite having a 30-plus average with two centuries. However, according to the allrounder, he utilised the break well and opted out of a club contract in England in order to maintain his fitness while working at the NCA in Lahore.

“I think this is a lucky time and chance for me and I hope I’m given a long stint in the team, similar to how some of the young guys got in the Test squad and with the World Cup looming, I hope to be in Pakistan’s squad for that tournament.”

Hafeez captained Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in their debut Quaid-e-Azam season where they went on to win the trophy, beating HBL in the final.

He also led Pakistan A on their tour of the UAE earlier this year where the side took on England Lions and despite not performing with the bat, it was his experience that led to his inclusion in the side for the World Twenty20 title-defence in the West Indies.

“I’m experienced with the English conditions and that is another reason why I’ve been chosen. I’ve been training hard during the summer and while I’m not thinking long term, the five ODIs will help me cement my place in the team.”

© Faras Ghani 2010.
Published in The Express Tribune, Aug 26, 2010

Small steps contributed to a big win

2010-08-24T08:14:00.003+01:00

The journey of a thousand steps begins with a single step. Upon completion, comprising mediocrity and exhilaration, the thousand little steps each complement its predecessor and pave way for the one to follow, with smoothness in a gentle procession and not a squalling.

Pakistan came out brimming with confidence at The Oval amid the gloom, forgetting the past annihilation and blocking out the verdicts condemning them as spectators. A show of apprehension, given Mohammad Yousuf’s return and memories of 2006, but the self-assurance, the authority and the euphonic act that is playing without fear against a team far superior and heads far experienced allowed Pakistan that bit of abatement it badly needed following scores of 80 and 72.

The small steps – contributing in every department in every session on every day – made for a changed viewing. Losing the toss after the nine-wicket humiliation meant Pakistan in the firing line first up with the morale of the individuals to be heavily tested. The flurry of wickets and the surprise package that was holding onto catches meant that England, given Pakistan’s penchant for self-destruction, would need to work extra hard for their seventh consecutive Test win.

Salman Butt put the nervy win down to a team effort. It was anything but. Newcomers shone. Old faces dazzled. Perhaps it was the fatherly figure of Yousuf (taking over Inzamam’s mantle) or perhaps it was the fear of a whitewash and the resulting clear-out that follows such calamities in Pakistan, the batsmen played for a cause.

The unprecedented sorcery with the ball had shocked and bewildered the opposition throughout the tour but the prowess with the bat, one that Yousuf effortlessly creamed into play, remained a spectator’s delight. His ill-advised moves off the field aside, Yousuf brought the visual appeal to Pakistan that the dead bats in the preceding Tests had robbed its fans of.

What he needs now, is for his side to carry on. Pakistan’s record following a Test win remains worrying. Since 2007, in 23 Tests, it has failed to win back-to-back Tests, or even two in close proximity, which shows frailty in the minds and of the body. They beat South Africa in 2007 but lost three of the next four (in three different countries). They beat New Zealand in 2009 only to lose four of the next five. After winning against Australia in Leeds, Pakistan twice came crashing down to earth.

Regardless of what happens in the final Test, with the grit, the determination and the ability to fight shown on the tour – a Twenty20 whitewash and Test win against Australia as well as the hunger that marked its riposte against England – it is not just the doubters proven wrong. It’s Pakistan’s own fears as well.

© Faras Ghani 2010

Published in The Express Tribune, Aug 23, 2010

A breath of stale air at The Oval

2010-08-18T19:23:00.000+01:00

With Pakistan desperate to record their first Test win over England since November 2005 – having lost five of the six Tests played since – the return of Mohammad Yousuf has been seen as a vital ingredient to set the record straight.

The inclusion of youngsters at number three and four for the first three Tests of the tour was widely seen by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a fresh start for Pakistan cricket. However, following a spate of low scores and continuous humiliation, the board was forced to call back the retired Yousuf to bolster the fragile batting line-up that has been severely tested in bowling-friendly conditions.

While the conditions have proved a nightmare for the batsmen, Pakistan bowlers, though, have proved their worth on the tour.

“The conditions have been overcast throughout,” said captain Salman Butt on the eve of the match. “The bowlers know how to utilise them so that has been the difficult part for the batsmen. But we can’t use it as an excuse and it has been four Test matches so far and we should come up with something better this time.”

Kamran returns as well

Injuries, too, have forced Pakistan to revamp their squad with the latest casualty being backup wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider who aggravated his finger injury in his debut match at Edgbaston. Unfortunately for Pakistan, it will be the second time this year that regular wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal returns to the playing eleven after being omitted for just one match after horrors behind the stumps.

Riaz likely to make debut

Pakistan will also be forced to make a change in the fast-bowling attack with Umar Gul having been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series. With Wahab Riaz having already played for Pakistan, his preference over Tanvir Ahmed looks likely with Saeed Ajmal, with a five-wicket haul and a half-century at Edgbaston, shouldering spinning responsibilities.

Amin faces the axe

The return of Yousuf, however, will signal the exit for one of the youngsters and with Azhar Ali looking more stable of the two at number three, Umar Amin looks the likely omission from the playing eleven to make way for the veteran. Yousuf, who scored 631 runs in the 2006 Test series in England, has not played competitive cricket since January but did feature in the two-day tour match against Worcestershire in which he scored an unbeaten 40 before rain denied Pakistan the much-needed batting practice.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2010

Malik should've been made the captain: Lawson

2010-07-18T10:30:00.002+01:00

Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson labelled out-of-favour former captain Shoaib Malik as the ideal and ‘obvious’ choice to lead the team instead of Salman Butt following Shahid Afridi’s decision to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect due to injury and ‘lack of Test temperament’.

Malik, who was omitted in favour of youth for the first Test at Lord’s, was first appointed captain in April 2007 following Pakistan’s first-round exit in the 50-over World Cup. However, after impressive results against minnows and poor show against potent opposition, Malik was eventually replaced by Younus Khan with his stained relationship with seniors deemed integral to his downfall.

Lawson, sacked as coach after only year-and-a-half into his two-year contract, reckoned that Malik was handed captaincy too early in the past and given that the current squad is full of youngsters, Pakistan has no choice but to rename Malik as captain.

“It might’ve been premature to name him captain then,” Lawson told The Express Tribune following Pakistan’s 150-run loss at Lord’s. “But three years on, he’s certainly capable of being captain again. To me, he’s the obvious choice. He’s well respected by the younger players and the seniors that had problems with him aren’t in the team.

“In 2007, he was a reluctant captain. He was young and wanted to concentrate on his cricket. Now he’s matured and given Pakistan’s penchant for changing captains regularly, I’d say you should give it to him and move forward.”

Malik led Pakistan in three Tests but was unable to win any of them. Of the 36 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) he captained Pakistan in, they won 24, including a record 12 consecutive wins. Malik was also incharge of the team in the inaugural World Twenty20 where Pakistan agonisingly fell short of the target in the final against India.

“Malik did a good job as captain and at that time he was learning how to lead a side. He was taking the right steps in the right direction and if he’s named as Afridi’s successor, I don’t think it’ll be a step backwards by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).”

Lawson also showed apprehension in the board’s decision to name Butt, Afridi’s deputy, as the Test captain. Butt, who scored 63 and 92 in the first Test, was lauded by Afridi in the post-match press conference but Lawson wanted the PCB not to appoint the opener as captain for the sake of his career.

“Butt’s a good choice as vice-captain but he’s years away from being a captain. I would’ve let him concentrate on his batting because he’s probably the best batsman they have right now. He has captaincy potential but throwing him in at this stage will crucify him.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 18, 2010

Afridi retires from Test cricket

2010-07-17T10:29:00.001+01:00

Barely over a year after Younus Khan announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals following Pakistan’s triumphant 2009 World Twenty20 campaign at Lord’s, Pakistan’s Test captain Shahid Afridi announced that the second Test against Australia next week will be his last.

The decision to end his short-lived return to the longest format of the game – after a four-year self-exile – came in the wake of Pakistan’s 13th consecutive Test defeat against Australia – a 150-run loss on the fourth day of the first Test at Lord’s.

“A captain should set an example for the youngsters and for his team and I didn’t show any of that in the Test,” said Afridi, who was dismissed for a four-ball two slogging Marcus North to midwicket. “I’m not capable of playing Test cricket and if I play cricket like this, then it’s better to leave.

“I don’t have Test temperament and you can’t play without that. It’s better to have young players, a genuine batsman or a genuine bowler to lead the team.”

Afridi also blamed a side injury, picked up during the Asia Cup last month, as another reason to walk away from Test cricket. While refusing to confirm his fitness level, it will not be surprising if Afridi is unable to take on the field at Headingley in the Test that starts on Wednesday.

“Unless you’re 100 per cent fit, you can’t perform in Test matches. I’m not 100% right now and things may become clearer in a day or two.”

Afridi was appointed captain of all three formats of the game by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) just before naming the team for the 2010 World Twenty20, Pakistan’s title-defence in the West Indies. Then, reluctant to make a Test comeback, Afridi refused to commit his long-term future to Test cricket but opting to take up the captaincy due to the lack of options the PCB had.

In the wake of the Australian whitewash earlier in the year, former captains Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik were banned by the PCB and although Malik made his comeback courtesy a change-of-heart at the board, Yousuf and Younus are still in the wilderness due to various reasons.

“I took up the captaincy because the PCB told me to go have a look and see if I still enjoy Test cricket. At that time, they had no other choice so I took the responsibility. But it’s difficult to get back into it after such a long absence. My temperament is not good enough for five-day cricket and I’m struggling with injury as well so it’s best if I step down.”

However, PCB officials have confirmed that PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt has spoken to Yousuf and requested the former captain to reconsider his decision to retire from international cricket. While Yousuf may join the team as early as the first Test against England in Nottingham, Younus, currently playing for Surrey, confirmed to The Express Tribune that he has no such plans as things stand.

According to Afridi, however, Salman Butt, who scored 63 and 92 in the match, seems a natural successor to lead the young squad.

“Butt is showing maturity, he’s batting well and playing good cricket and I think he’s good enough to lead the team but the final decision will have to be made by the board.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 17, 2010

Amir finds his feet in England

2010-07-15T10:27:00.001+01:00

Mohammad Aamer returned to the venue of his first-over burst against Sri Lanka last year which ignited Pakistan’s spirited performance in the final of the 2009 World Twenty20 and continued from where he left off.

Then, with a white ball in front of a capacity crowd on a sunny solstice afternoon, Aamer jolted the opposition with a inspired barrage of short balls resulting in Tillekaratne Dilshan’s prized scalp. On Tuesday, with drizzle, dampness and a stack of empty seats at Lord’s, Aamer dictated proceedings yet again.

Denied a wicket in the third over of the day, Aamer, mostly operating with four slips and effectively implementing the newly-acquired skill of bringing the ball back into the right-hander, finished with his second-best figures in a Test innings, four for 72.

However, Simon Katich, the Australian opener who benefited from the umpire’s decision early on in the innings, remained confident his bowlers can replicate the swing and movement Aamer and Mohammad Asif used for Pakistan’s benefit.

“It was a tough day throughout but if the conditions stay put, as they were while we were batting, Pakistan will certainly find it difficult,” said Katich following close of play on Tuesday. “Credit to Aamer as well who’s an outstanding young bowler. We were impressed with him when he played in Australia on those flat pitches as he bowled with good pace. He’s certainly a good prospect for Pakistan.”

Pakistan vice-captain Salman Butt echoed Katich’s view on Pakistan’s bowling but reminded his batsmen of the hard work ahead of they were to end their 15-year losing streak against Australia.

“Bowling first, we wanted to dismiss them for under 200 given the conditions,” said Butt. “They got a couple of good partnerships going but out third session comeback got things under control for us. We now need to ensure we bat sensibly.”

Unfortunately for Pakistan, their batsmen failed to take cue from their bowlers and finished 105 runs short of Australia’s first-innings total to hand the initiative back to the ‘tourists’.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 15, 2010

Inclusion of youngsters a good sign: Ramiz

2010-07-14T10:25:00.001+01:00

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has lauded the team management’s decision to include two debutants in the playing eleven for the first Test against Australia that started at Lord’s yesterday.

Pakistan, missing the experienced middle-order duo of Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, decided to omit allrounder Shoaib Malik and batsman Yasir Hameed while opting for Umar Amin and Azhar Ali as the 199th and 200th players to represent Pakistan in Test cricket.

“Including youngsters is a terrific sign from Pakistan for the future,” Raja told The Express Tribune. “This should’ve been done much earlier but it’s never too late to look forward to the future. Unfortunately, we’re missing the experienced batsmen but I’ve seen the duo and I think they’re strong mentally and physically to withstand the challenge.”

Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Khan had earlier expressed his concerns regarding introducing youngsters on a ‘difficult tour’ and was initially reluctant to name uncapped individuals for the series against Australia and England.

Raja, citing the example of Malik who made his Test debut as a 19-year-old, said Pakistan cricket had suffered enough with the board’s over reliance on seniors.

“There’s no harm in giving youngsters a chance no matter how difficult the tour is. You’re facing Australia in alien conditions and testing them here will test their character. Even if they can only manage half an hour at the crease, it’s an experience for them, something that will come in handy for them and for Pakistan going forward.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 14, 2010

Pakistan aim to settle score at Lord's

2010-07-13T10:24:00.000+01:00

Shahid Afridi leads a mercurial Pakistan into the first Test at Lord’s today aiming for a milestone the team has not achieved in almost 15 years: beat Australia in a Test match.

Pakistan last defeated Australia in December 1995 under Wasim Akram’s captaincy and despite returning to the ground where Afridi’s leg-bye took Pakistan to the 2009 World Twenty20 glory, the captain has opted to remain more focussed on performance rather than results.

“It’s true that we’ve not beaten them for 15 years but winning or losing doesn’t really matter at this stage,” said Afridi on the eve of the match. “We need to play good cricket and forget what has happened in the past – the series whitewash in Australia, the World Twenty20 last year. This is a totally different scenario and they’re one of the best sides in the world when it comes to Tests.”

The Test will be the first neutral Test since 1912 and both captains agreed that taking the field at Lord’s and not playing the hosts will be a weird feeling.

While the feelings remained mutual, the results coming into the two-match series have remained contrasting. Pakistan won back-to-back matches against Australia with a pleasing performance in the tour-matches. Australia, prior to the Twenty20 whitewash, lost the One-Day International series against the hosts 3-2.

“Playing at a neutral venue is definitely different and difficult but we are now getting used to it. England is a good place to play cricket and what we have watched of England playing Australia and Bangladesh, the pitches look different and batsmen-friendly. So I expect a good batting pitch at Lord’s.”

While Pakistan seem keen to introduce youngsters in the side following the forced absence of former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who has scored almost 1,500 Test runs against Pakistan at an average of 76, remained unperturbed by what the youth may offer.

“They’ve had a few changes in their side but there’s no real surprise for us in there,” said Ponting.

“None of the current players will worry us too much as they’ve lost their classiest batsman [Mohammad Yousuf], the guy who looked the most dangerous in Australia [during Pakistan’s tour]. But as with any Pakistani side, this one’s got flare and there’s a lot of excitement about them.

“We just need to ensure that we don’t give them a chance to play their best cricket.”

Keeping Australia’s recent results in mind, Afridi termed the Lord’s Test a great opportunity to turn the tables against the opposition Pakistan has not done well against in the past – winning only 11 of the 55 Tests played between the two countries.

“If we play to our potential, we can certainly beat them. They don’t have Shane Warne, Glen McGrath and Matthew Hayden. We have a really good chance to do well against them. Our bowling’s our strength and I hope if we put a good total, our bowlers will pose a lot of problems for them.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 13, 2010

Younus, Yousuf absence will help us: Hussey

2010-07-12T10:22:00.000+01:00

Australian batsman Michael Hussey has termed the absence of Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf a blessing for Australia and predicted it will be difficult for Pakistan to post big scores as a result.

Hussey, Pakistan’s destroyer-in-chief in their World Twenty20 title-defence, praised Pakistan’s bowling attack but said the opposition will be heavily tested in the first Test at Lord’s that starts tomorrow.

“I think whatever happened in Australia at the start of the year is history as both teams will start afresh come the first Test,” said Hussey following Australia’s training session at Lord’s yesterday. “They’re playing with confidence now but will be heavily tested especially given they’re without Younus and Yousuf, two outstanding and classy players.

“It’s a big loss and it’ll be very, very hard for Pakistan to find those runs that they scored, especially in Test cricket.”

Australia, following their loss in the final of the 2010 World Twenty20 to England, have not had the best of times since arriving in England. The World Champions lost the One-Day International series against the hosts 3-2 before being whitewashed in the two-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan. Hussey, however, remained confident of an improved performance in the longer format of the game.

“Traditionally, we’re slow starters in England. We’ve been a bit scratchy but now we’ve been here for a month and should be accustomed to the conditions.”

Wary of a transformed Pakistan side, Hussey labelled their bowling attack as the key to success in the series together with the confidence attained from winning the Twenty20s.

“They have the confidence and really outplayed us and seem to have that winning belief.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 12, 2010

Afridi’s approach the ingredient: Shafqat

2010-07-11T10:20:00.000+01:00

Following a run of 12 consecutive losses – and shouts of conspiracy, disharmony and infighting complemented aptly by dropped catches and missed runouts – Pakistan’s remarkable turnaround against Australia, albeit in Twenty20 internationals, is courtesy the reformed individual that is Shahid Afridi, as gallantly put forward by the team management.

A mere team member during the attrition in Australia, Afridi had no role to play in Test matches and the one-off Twenty20 but promised much with the bat and ball in hand – and ball in mouth – in the One-Day Internationals (ODI). However, according to the team’s associate manager Shafqat Rana, Afridi, now the team captain, has had a huge role in the current reversal and it has been his zealous approach that has helped the team deliver the results despite the lack of experience in the side.

“We don’t have big names in the team any more,” Rana told The Express Tribune in Birmingham following the Twenty20 series-win. “However, now is the time that we’re creating big names of the future. We’re performing, winning and keeping confident. And most of this is down to Afridi’s captaincy. His approach has made all the difference and this is the main difference from the tour of Australia to now.”

Lack of options promoted Afridi

Afridi was appointed captain of all three formats prior to the 2010 World Twenty20 where Pakistan’s title-defence faltered in the semi-final against Australia. Rana agreed that the decision was more due to lack of options but added that the board and the team management had entrusted Afridi with responsibilities that has helped him nurture his game as well.

“In school, you make the naughtiest boy the class monitor. We did the same with Afridi and given the responsibility, he’s become a changed man. You see him leading from the front, backing up his bowlers after each delivery and actually using his brains.

“The management has given him total freedom. In selection committee meetings, if he wants to play an individual and even if the rest disagree, Afridi gets to have his say since he’ll be leading the team on the field. However, he understands what is required of him and never makes unjust requests.”

With the changes at the helm, Rana believed Pakistan had the capacity to become the force they once were and flee the nadir and mediocrity of seven months ago. “Australia is the best team in the world. Our losses were a thing of the past. This is a new chapter, a new part of history that we’ve created.”

Patience key in Tests

However, in a similar manner to the captain and coach Waqar Younis, Rana remained apprehensive going into the two-match Test series, especially given the short changeover time between the two formats on the tour.

“The shorter the format becomes, the better we’ll get because we simply don’t have much patience. We’ll go out and start hitting from the third over. Six back-to-back Tests will test our patience. It’s a huge challenge ahead of us.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 11, 2010

Clarke wary of Pakistan's pace

2010-07-08T10:18:00.000+01:00

Australia may have lost back-to-back Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan but according to their Twenty20 captain and Test vice-captain Michael Clarke, his team’s worries against Pakistan’s pace attack will persist in the forthcoming two-match Test series.

While Pakistan’s fast-bowlers – Mohammad Aamer, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq and the returning Umar Gul – took 10 out of the 20 wickets to fall, it was the speed and the movement that worried the Australian batsmen at either end of their innings.

“Pakistan’s bowling has been outstanding and we can learn a lot from them from the way they bowled, especially at the death,” said Clarke after the 2-0 series-loss in Birmingham. “They are a tough opposition in the Test matches because of their bowling attack.”

Clarke singled out Gul, who returned to the squad after missing Pakistan’s defence of the World Twenty20 title they won in England last year and the Asia Cup, as a major difference between the two sides.

“Gul was simply outstanding. Pakistan’s always had a lot of talent but if you compare this team with the one that was in the West Indies, I think it’s good for them to have Gul back. Death-bowling is an art and it’s remarkable the way he bowled.”

Pakistan will go into the Test series with high hopes following the twin victories. However, with a 3-0 whitewash in Australia taking place earlier this year, and the repercussions, coach Waqar Younis met the Twenty20 wins with caution and guarded praise, reminding his players of the job ahead.

“Consecutive wins will definitely help the team and the momentum they take into the series but its still early days and Test cricket is an entirely different ball-game,” said Younis. “We’ve not lost that many series in England so that gives us confidence going into the series.”

Shahid Afridi will lead Pakistan in the Test matches after not playing in this format of the game for almost four years. Despite that, Younis remained confident of Afridi’s ability to perform.

“He’s very talented and aggressive. And that’s what you need. He hasn’t captained at this level before and hasn’t even played Test cricket for a while. It won’t be easy for him but he’s mentally very strong. And that will help him and the team.”

With these wins, Pakistan have forced Australia to take notice, despite the brutality witnessed at the start of the year. “Pakistan are a very good side in all three formats of the game,” added Clarke. “You have to be at your best when you play an opposition like that. Otherwise, you’ll simply get beaten.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 8, 2010

'Young players need time'

2010-07-07T10:16:00.000+01:00

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has refused to make tall claims for the upcoming Test series against Australia despite his team’s encouraging start to the tour of England that has seen his team win two warm-up Twenty20s and end their 12-match losing streak against Australia on Monday.

Pakistan won the first of the back-to-back Twenty20s by 23 runs after a series of losses against the same opposition with the latest being the three-wicket loss in the 2010 World Twenty20 semi-final at St Lucia.

However, with Pakistan missing several senior figures including Mohammad Yousuf, Younus Khan and out-of-form Misbahul Haq, Afridi urged the supporters not to expect miracles from the young side.

“Experience counts in these conditions and I knew I’d need Yousuf and Younus here in England but they couldn’t be part of the team for various reasons,” Afridi told The Express Tribune. “Since we don’t have them, we now need to work with the youngsters we’ve been given and I hope they put up a good show.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have enough talent when it comes to choosing players for Test matches. We have players for Twenty20s and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), they have the talent for the shorter formats but not for Test matches. However, they’ve performed on the domestic level and for the ‘A’ teams so now it’s up to them to show the team management and the selectors what they have and if we can count on them for the future.”

The squad will be joined by Zulqarnain Haider, Tanvir Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Yasir Hameed, Mohammad Asif, Imran Farhat and Danish Kaneria for the Test matches with the captain adamant that separate teams for the Test matches is the way forward for Pakistan.

“We have planned for the future keeping the schedule and the World Cup in mind. I don’t want the same teams for all formats of the game as we should have at least three to four different members for the Tests from the team that played the Twenty20s.”

With Pakistan playing six back-to-back Test matches against Australia and hosts England, there was a sense of relief in the Pakistan camp following the 23-run win in the first Twenty20.

Often, according to Afridi, the team would arrive at a winning position only to lose the grip on the match and end up second best.

“We’ve been close to beating Australia on quite a few occasions. However, it’s a huge relief and a confidence boost to finally cross that hurdle and start the tour with a win. The team wanted the win and people had been acting surprised that we lose the way this often against Australia.

“It’s a great achievement to beat one of the top teams in any competition and I think it sets the tone well for the rest of the tour.”

Pakistan will now take on English county side Leicestershire in a two-day match at Leicester before returning to London for the first Test match that starts from July 13.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 7, 2010

'Memories will not help players'

2010-07-06T10:14:00.000+01:00

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed has reminded his players not to dwell upon memories of the team’s triumphant 2009 World Twenty20 campaign in England and to take on Australia with an attacking frame of mind.

Saeed, who was Pakistan’s manager when the team, under the captaincy of Younus Khan, lifted the trophy last June, also urged his players, especially the youngsters, to forget Pakistan’s dismal record against Australia of late and ensure the team gets back to it’s winning ways.

“This is a game, someone wins and someone loses and there’s no point in keeping past wins and losses in your mind,” Saeed told The Express Tribune prior to Pakistan’s first Twenty20 match against Australia.

“You can’t keep thinking about statistics. It doesn’t help. We won the 2009 World Twenty20 right here in England and we haven’t fared that well against Australia recently. It’s useless to think about either when going into this fresh series.”

Pakistan has struggled against Australia, often striding itself into winning positions with a burst but only to end up second best as their struggle to finish off the match continues. With a whitewash in Australia and twin losses in the 2010 World Twenty20, Saeed reckons the current team has what it takes to turn the tables.

“We’re in a process of rebuilding. We have some new players, some returning players and a new captain for the Tests. The bans and the struggles are now history. We have to start afresh, start a new chapter and hopefully our performance graph will go up.

“We’re going in with a plan which is to win. We’ve come here to win and that’s how we started the tour and that’s how we want to start this series too.”

Saeed, who left the post following Pakistan’s exit at the hands of New Zealand in the Champion’s Trophy last year, was reappointed as the team’s manager following the tour of Australia.

“I know I said I wanted to stop touring but the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman brought me back. He’s a good friend of mine and I can’t say no to him.

But the important thing is that I get along with the players and they get along with me. As long as that’s happening, I’m sure the chairman will be happy too.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 6, 2010

Pakistan look for change in fortunes

2010-07-05T10:07:00.001+01:00

For a team that has been completely mauled against Australia in the last 12 months, Pakistan, unsurprisingly, look confident as they take on their nemesis in the first of the back-to-back Twenty20 internationals at Edgbaston today.

The whitewash and its repercussions, on and off the field, are still etched onto the players’ and the fans’ minds but captain Shahid Afridi, who has recovered from the minor muscle strain suffered in a tour match, knows fully well what his team is capable of.

“It’s a pressure game against Australia but I’m confident as we have always given them a tough time,” said Afridi on the eve of the match. “We’ve been playing well and with the combination that we have, I’m confident of defeating Australia. Even they’re aware of the fact that we’ve given them some difficult times and that’s why it’ll be an interesting series.”

With a 50 per cent winning ratio in Twenty20 internationals, following their 2009 World Twenty20 triumph – six wins and six losses – Pakistan will look to welcome back Umar Gul, the highest wicket-taker in the format. With Gul, Afridi will have a star-studded bowling lineup comprising Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Aamer and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.

“Bowling is definitely our main weapon. Akhtar’s here to play Twenty20 so he’s always going to play but with Gul’s return, our bowling has become stronger. We have young batsmen though but I feel we can overcome that soon.”

Pakistan has started the tour well – T20 wins against MCC XI and Essex aptly complemented by a commendable three-day outing against Northamptonshire. The batsmen, including opener Shahzaib Hasan – confined to international wilderness following a successful debut last year – have adapted to conditions quickly and Afridi’s quick-fire 13-ball 42 against Northamptonshire reminded everyone of his exploits in England last year.

However, memories of Michael Hussey effortlessly depositing Saeed Ajmal into the stands will still be fresh with both sides and Pakistan would want to take a leaf out of England’s book if they want to make an impression against the reigning One-Day International (ODI) World Champions. England, after a stuttering start to the 2010 World Twenty20, went on to beat Australia in the final and registered a 3-2 ODI series-win against the same opposition.

Despite the series-loss, Australia, courtesy its fast-bowlers, remain a potent force. And Afridi made it clear what is required of his team.

“Winning or losing is part of the game but what I want from my team is performance. If they deliver a good show and even then we lose, I’ll be satisfied despite the loss. It’s the performance that matters.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune July 5, 2010

Look beyond the goal-line

2010-06-29T07:54:00.000+01:00

While many believe that the disallowed goal proved to be the turning point of the dismal last-16 thumping, it remained a lucky incident for England.

The ball may have landed a foot, or two, behind the goal-line, but England’s defence, or midfield and attack, were left stranded miles from what their followers expected from a top-10 side in the 2010 World Cup. And that goal, briefly, bore the brunt of the supporters’ fury.

Three goals from four mat-ches from a line-up boasting Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Jermaine Defoe. All four, injuries permitting, had played a pivotal role in their clubs’ performance in the Premier League. For the global event, they failed to get started. While Lampard and Gerrard reminded Capello how there is no space in the eleven for both of them, Rooney again suffered tournament-blues and his trickery for the Red Devils became a distant memory.

As Capello termed the referee’s blunder “one of the biggest mistakes”, Robert Green’s blooper in England’s tournament-opener sparked a sorry start to a woeful campaign. Although David James restored sanity, the record-loss against Germany, was marred by deplorable defending.

Former captain John Terry, England’s wall in the absence of captain Rio Ferdinand, was simply poor. Often concerned with attacking, he regularly lost his men and was found ahead of Rooney and Gerrard as England backtracked in the event of a counter-attack.

How Capello would have wished for a fully-fit David Beckham, donning the England red and not the grey team-suit at the flanks, too, failed to deliver with pin-point accuracy and the corners fell unutilised.

A team looking shaky on arrival courtesy off-the-field controversies looked severely vulnerable and off the mark as the tournament progressed. In the end, a tearful Beckham, remonstrating with the referee, and the score-line was an apt reflection of how over-rated, lacklustre and un-penetrative England really were.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2010

Pakistan’s street cricket taken up a level

2010-06-28T19:21:00.001+01:00

Pakistan’s success, or lack of it, in the cricketing world has always been attributed to the power of the streets, their influence and the time spent on them by aspiring cricketers polishing their trade.

With a majority confined to the streets rather than prepared pitches in club surroundings, the younger years, in slippers and shalwar kamiz, with a bat and taped tennis ball, often shape the individual’s future.

Late to embrace but quick to adapt, Pakistan’s streets are as much creditworthy for the diadem as is the short duration of the format itself.

As a street cricketer, you aspire to be the fastest, the strongest and the one leading your side to victory in every match you take on the field. Bowl fast, hit hard and scramble — the key to success on the streets. But as kids, you often wonder how fast your bowling is, how that particular delivery would measure up against Shoaib Akhtar or if your winning six was hit further than Shahid Afridi’s brutal assault against Muttiah Muralitharan.

You see the pitch-map on television, be amazed at the brutality of a particular batsman or sit in awe at how Mohammad Asif can pitch the ball in the same place regularly. You dream of playing cricket just so that you could know how fast you are or to be able to grab bragging rights for the furthest hit.

As a street cricketer, such things seem a dream. With the Sprite Cricket Next challenge, they become reality.

“This is no talent hunt, we’re not promising the next Javed Miandad to come from this setup,” Bassam Qureshi, junior brand manager Sprite, told The Express Tribune. “All we know is that gali [street] cricket is what matters to these kids and we’re here to take it to the next level.”

The level has brought street crickets on par with their international counterparts with facilities even club cricketers do not witness at home or abroad. To have your bowling speed measured, to check how far that last hit was, speed off the bat, where each delivery pitched, how fast it was and to win cricket bats at the end, is a level unprecedented for individuals still in their early teens.

“Gali cricket is a form of cricket that is often neither recognised nor supported despite being the most played form,” said Rizwan Khan, Coca-Cola’s Country Manager. “With this effort, we’re giving the raw talent present in neighbourhoods, schools and grounds across Pakistan an opportunity to showcase their talent.”

The programme will visit seven cities across Pakistan and will culminate in a grand finale in Dubai where Pakistan’s fastest and strongest street cricketers will showcase their talent.

For some, it will be a dream come true. For the rest, the street-mad cricketers, being part of the programme and to be able to say “I’m faster than Abdul Razzaq” is prize enough.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2010

Hussey leads the great revival

2010-05-16T19:17:00.001+01:00

With 48 required off the last 18 balls of the match, the entire Australian dug-out gave a resigned look, one that is seldom – almost never – associated with the masters of the game and has not been seen on their faces for a long, long time.

The dejection clearly showed, the gloom omnipresent and the heads in their hands. It seemed almost destined, unbelievable even, that Pakistan will go through to their third successive World Twenty20 final – after becoming the only team to have featured in the semi-finals of all four ICC events since World Cup 2007. The earlier humiliation against Australia was forgotten, the spills against England forgiven and the complacency against New Zealand overlooked. The nation was sitting planning their Sunday evening.In a similar manner to last year, the men in green had saved their best for the best, had performed on the day and the resemblance to the cornered tigers of 1992 was being relived. Undeserving, underperforming and terribly lucky, Pakistan had both feet in the final, even a hand on the winning trophy which was touted as their excess baggage on the way home yet again.

This, according to all but Michael Hussey.

An innings with a subdued start, playing second fiddle to Cameron White via innocuous singles and bland nudges, did not have the legs to last but end in a whimper for a side that should have ended second best.

However, the innings first annoyed Pakistan, it then alarmed them and as the winning hit was deposited over long-on, it left the defending champions aghast, and out of the competition.

No change of angles, no disguised doosras and certainly no rocketing asking-rate managed to hold Hussey back or even drag his cause down. Pakistan’s complacency in the second half of the innings, where singles and doubles were gifted and boundaries were gladly met with a smile by Shahid Afridi, came back to bite them and confine them to bystanders’ status as 53 came off the last 17 deliveries.

By the time Pakistan, and its millions of fans and followers, realised what had hit them, the Australian dug-out gave a deserted look – they were all celebrating in the middle.

Saeed Ajmal, Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament, and often Australia’s nemesis in the past, presented a traumatised look, mauled by the Hussey aggression in a show of brutality that probably surpasses numerous, if not all, cameos witnessed in the shortest format of international cricket.

Twenty-four deliveries – nine of those bringing 48 runs – was all that Hussey took to shatter Pakistan’s hopes but in the space of the 38 minutes that he spent at the crease, he, defying odds and predictions, stamped Australia’s authority over mankind.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2010

Title-defence riding on history

2010-05-08T19:15:00.000+01:00

A sense of déjà vu prevails as Pakistan finds itself in exactly the same situation at the World Twenty20, as June 2009.

Needing to win four matches on the trot to lift the 2009 World Twenty20 following a miserable tournament courtesy dropped catches and poor fielding, Pakistan face New Zealand today in a must-win situation for both sides. England’s first win of the tournament, and Pakistan’s second consecutive defeat, has the defending champions fighting for survival, knowing fully well that a repeat of the dismal show against England will be curtains for their title-defence.

Stats favour Pakistan

While the head-to-head certainly favours Pakistan, having won all four Twenty20 internationals played between the two sides, the defending champions are missing their star performer from the rout of New Zealand at The Oval last year. On that day, the Kiwis were bundled out for 99 with Umar Gul taking a world-record five for six in his three overs.

Worrying sight for Pakistan

Today, Pakistan has no Gul and no worthy replacements. Mohammad Sami, who started the tournament well, was hammered by the Australians. Mohammad Asif, who was surprisingly overlooked for the first two matches, looked out of sorts and was duly thrashed as well. With Abdul Razzaq, who made his international comeback in the corresponding fixture last year, faring no better against England, lack of support for Mohammad Aamer poses a huge worry.

New Zealand’s new hero

While the Kiwis have had troubles at the top of the order with Brendon McCullum, the recalled Jessie Ryder has proved his worth as his partner with knocks of 42 and 33. However, the younger McCullum, Nathan, has stolen his older brother’s limelight with consecutive man-of-the-match awards in New Zealand’s opening two matches. A timely maximum off the penultimate ball in the tournament- opener sealed the result in favour of New Zealand against last year’s finalists and regular breakthroughs while opening the bowling ensured the Kiwis’ progress.

The missing captain

While much hype and promise followed Shahid Afridi’s appointment as Pakistan Twenty20 captain, the man himself has been quiet ever since the team’s arrival in the West Indies. Bar a quickfire 33 in a losing cause against Australia, Afridi only has a slight tan to show for his efforts in the West Indies. A single wicket in three matches is not what Afridi would have hoped for in his first tournament as captain. Nor was his suicidal dismissal against England. Needless to say, Afridi, like the team itself, needs to play video tapes from their triumphant journey through England.

Styris substitutes for Bond

Shane Bond missed last year’s tournament due to his involvement with the now-defunct Indian Cricket League. His inclusion in this year’s tournament, at the back of fiery spells against all oppositions carried the Kiwis’ hopes. However, two wickets from four matches, the fast-bowler is already behind medium pacer Scott Styris whose handy cameos with the bat have proved useful.

All-round performance

With five wickets opening the bowling for New Zealand and knocks of 16* and 26*, Nathan McCullum has moulded into a handy allrounder in the tournament. Daniel Vettori, the side’s premier spinner, has only picked up two wickets thus making Nathan’s feat all the more remarkable.

Under-pressure captain

The captaincy, it seems, has gotten to Shahid Afridi. Eager to lead his side from the front, Afridi has not just adapted bizarre tactics on the field but has been unable to cope with the demands of performing as a captain. A hurricane 33 is the highlight of his tournament which has brought him a solitary wicket so far.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8, 2010

Southerners aim to break monopoly

2010-04-28T19:13:00.001+01:00

While the Asian trio of Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka pose a decent threat of mauling their opponents en route to glory, the southern hemisphere trio of the formidable ‘chokers’ South Africa, the ‘nearly-there’ New Zealand and the ‘undeniable’ Australia remain a huge obstacle.

New Zealand and South Africa made it past the first hurdle last year but the duo had their title-dreams shattered by eventual champions Pakistan. The Australians, however, have barely had time to dream so quick was their exit from the tournament.

The golden boys remain a potent threat

Despite its poor record in the shortest form of international cricket – winning just 15 of their 29 Twenty20 internationals – Australia remains one team that cannot be ruled out of walking away with a trophy every time they enter a tournament.

The current world champions and the Champions Trophy holders, Australia have won four of their last five T20s and with the likes of the hardhitting David Warner, the irrefutable Shane Watson and the dangerous Shaun Tait, the warning bells are already ringing for the opposition. Led by Michael Clarke, the side will also see Dirk Nannes in yellow instead of orange – he represented Netherlands last year in England and was instrumental in his side’s shock win over the hosts in the tournament-opener.

And with no Ashes to divert their attention, the Australians may well put their 110 per cent into the four-hour format to bear fruit, one that is missing from their trophy cabinet.

‘Chokers’ may well become the kings

South Africa may well be thanking the Indian Premier League in two weeks for instilling the attacking mentality into its players.

Albie Morkle was part of the winning unit, the Chennai Super Kings, while Dale Steyn proved his worth with the ball for Bangalore. Jaques Kallis, opening for the same outfit, scored at will while captain Graeme Smith got the much needed break courtesy a broken thumb.

The South Africans remained favourites in England until they faced a rejuvenated and inspired Shahid Afridi who handed them a ticket home – sealed with a kiss. The addition of Loots Bosman will provide the flair up the order but the exciting talent that is the 19-year-old Wayne Parnell, who was South Africa’s star finding of the 2009 World Twenty20, will be sorely missed.

Providing South Africa take time getting acclimatised to the conditions, their second match – against Afghanistan – may well prove to be more than just a stroll that the whole world expects.

Vettori desperate for onfield support

New Zealand have always been a nearly-there side. It gathers support, momentum and wins.

However, as things start heating up and wins become a necessity rather than a bonus, the team falls flat, more so due to lack of support for captain Daniel Vettori than due to lack of talent. Vettori, apart from being the chairman of New Zealand Cricket, is everything to New Zealand’s cricket: scoring runs, taking wickets, plotting other teams’ downfalls, restricting runs, inflicting run-outs and stroking the bristled chin.

However, with the oftenmisfiring Brendon McCullum promising glimpses of useful, and regular, contribution, and the availability of Shane Bond, Vettori may well find time to relax on and off the field. And with the slow and turning pitches in the Caribbean, Vettori will also get to enjoy his primary role in the team —as a spinner.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 28, 2010

Asians remain contenders

2010-04-27T19:12:00.000+01:00

International cricket’s shortest format has been aptly adapted by the South-Asian nations as a much-loved one and where they have made a huge impact since its inception.

Only India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan (twice) have reached the final of the two World Twenty20 tournaments taken place so far and much of the same looks on the cards as the teams arrive in the West Indies. Pakistan and India are missing key players but, according to the team managements, credible backup exists to make up for the loss.b

Defending champions remain strong

Suited to the ‘crash-and-bang’ format that the youngsters grow up breathing on the streets, Pakistan are once again strong favourites to reach the final of the third edition.

Despite the forced absence of Umer Gul Pakistan’s fast-bowling remains a potent force with Mohammad Aamir, the debutant who impressed all in England, as well as Mohammad Asif, bowling with the unerring accuracy that continues to annoy batsmen. The batting remains strong enough to disrupt the oppositions’ plans. Opening remains a cause for concern but Kamran Akmal looks set to resume duties at the top with Shahid Afridi promoting himself to number three in order to cause as much destruction as possible.

Pakistan’s middle-order remains weak in the absence of Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik but the attacking tendency instilled in Umar Akmal and Hammad Azam can ensure plenty of fireworks even in the middle overs.

India vow to improve on last year

The defending champions arrived in England last year with heads held high (that went higher following a warm-up thrashing of Pakistan). However, the strongest batting line-up in the tournament faltered, especially as short deliveries grew tall and before the semi-finals were even finalised, the Indian team were sitting across the Atlantic training to take on the West Indies.

The IPL was blamed for the exhaustion last year but this time it may prove a blessing for them. MS Dhoni lifted the trophy for Chennai, Yusuf Pathan scored a blistering 37-ball century and Zaheer Khan refused to fade away. Harbajhan Singh carried on his wicket-taking ways and with Murali Vijay in death-mode, a repeat of last year looks highly unlikely for a team that remains strong even without Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

Sri Lanka desperate to go one better

The Sri Lankans were surprise but worthy finalists last year and it was not Sanath Jayasuria or Chaminda Vaas that got them there but the unorthodox stroke-play – if Dil-Scoops and paddles can be labelled that – off the bat of Tillekaratne Dilshan. He remained the tournament’s highest scorer by a distance and was voted the player of the tournament as well. Although teams will be wary of his extended handle, Dilshan will no doubt continue his merry ways.

Mahela Jayawardene, in astonishing form with the bat during the IPL, may even move up the order to free up an all-rounder’s slot with captain Kumar Sangakkara’s versatility ensuring Sri Lanka will be likely to post competitive totals every time they take the field. Ajantha Mendis does not remain the force he once was but the spinning tracks in the Caribbean may prove ideal location for him to revive his and the team’s fortunes.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 27, 2010

Sindh romp to four-wicket win

2010-04-24T19:09:00.000+01:00

Shahzaib Hasan and Khurram Manzoor are disappointed at being overlooked for Pakistan’s World Twenty20 squad.

But that did not stop them from leading Sindh Dolphins to a convincing four-wicket win over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers in the Pentangular One Day Cup at the National Stadium in Karachi. Hasan cracked seven fours and three sixes in his 81-ball innings and shared a 100-run opening partnership with Manzoor, who scored an equally-aggressive 44 off 49 balls laced with eight boundaries.

The duo utilised the field restrictions aptly as they flayed the Panthers bowlers to all parts of the ground and brought up the century partnership in the 16th over. As Manzoor was picked up by leg-spinner Yasir Shah, Hasan found another able partner in the form of Asad Shafiq and carried on scoring at will.

The procession continued even after Hasan’s departure, with just over 100 runs needed, as Shafiq scored a 60-ball 59 to lead the Dolphins to their second win in as many days. Sohail Khan, included in the Panthers’ line-up, remained the pick of the bowlers with two for 59 as Shah also bagged a brace but Sindh owed the win to a disciplined bowling attack earlier in the day that restricted the Panthers to a modest 250 on a batting track.

Imran Nazir was dismissed without scoring and captain Yasir Hameed, too, failed to last long as Anwar Ali had the opposition reeling at 30 for two. Rafatullah Mohmand, however, steadied the slide and shared a useful third-wicket partnership of 86 with Adnan Raees as the duo looked towards a big total. However, a middleorder collapse meant Panthers lost three wickets for 14 runs, including that of Mohmand for a 115-ball 90, and meant the 300 that looked possible at one point was not to be achieved.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribun e, Apr 24, 2010

Dazed PCB select Rehman

2010-04-19T19:07:00.000+01:00

The omnipresent confusion in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) rose to new heights yesterday as, barely 24 hours after including Mohammad Irfan in the 15-man squad for the World Twenty20, the board decided to omit the tall fast-bowler and include left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman in his place.

Irfan, who is reportedly seven feet tall, has only played ten first-class matches and three Twenty20s but was surprisingly ‘selected’ by chief selector Mohsin Khan, coach Waqar Younis and captain Shahid Afridi following injuries to Umer Gul and Yasir Arafat. The PCB media spokesperson Nadeem Sarwar was also present at the occasion but later produced a press release saying Irfan’s inclusion was not confirmed since the decision was not authorised by the chairman.

Rehman’s inclusion means Pakistan will now go into the tournament with four spinners – Saeed Ajmal, Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Rehman. Another member of the squad, Fawad Alam, too, bowls left-arm spin and Rehman’s inclusion – over-ruling the team management’s request in the form of Shahzaib Hasan – means that the entire squad now comprises players selected without the consent of the captain and the coach with neither happy over the snub.

However, according to the PCB Chairman, the decision was not taken to over-rule Afridi and Younis but was forced due to ICC’s rules and regulations.

“It wasn’t to hurt anyone’s egos or self-esteem,” Butt told The Express Tribune. “The decision was taken while considering ICC’s rule that no player outside of the initial 30-man squad could be selected for the tournament. “The change wasn’t made because it was assumed that Irfan was chosen without my permission. The ICC is very strict with its rule and it was essential to make the necessary replacement.”

In a similar circumstance last year, Abdul Razzaq was sent to England after Arafat’s injury in Pakistan’s first match of the tournament. Razzaq, who had severed ties with the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) then, was fast-tracked into the national side without having being named in the 30-man squad.

The chief selector, too, backed Butt’s decision, saying Rehman was a good choice considering the type of pitches in the West Indies, while forgetting the moment of madness that he went through a day earlier.

“Rehman has been selected with the chairman’s approval,” said Khan. “Irfan was not selected by me but by the coach and the captain. I wanted to select Rehman in the first place considering how spinnerfriendly the pitches are in the West Indies and how successful he can be.”

According to sources in the PCB, Younis called up the chairman apologising for the act that led to the confusing scenario, citing unawareness of the ICC rules about replacing an injured player.

Khan also lauded Gul’s honesty and how the fast-bowler came out with the injury without hiding it and heading to the tournament half-fit. Gul, whose absence will be a massive blow for the defending champions, is the highest wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals as well as being the top wicket-taker in the World Twenty20s in 2007 and 2009.

His accuracy and speed with the ball was a major component in Pakistan’s success at last year’s event. The services of Arafat, too, will be missed by Pakistan as he is the country’s most experienced Twenty20 international following his country and county commitments. Pakistan are due to launch their title-defence on May 1 against Bangladesh.

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 19, 2010

ICC wants resumption of Pak-India cricketing ties

2010-04-17T19:04:00.000+01:00

The International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat has renewed hopes of a Pakistan-India series in the near future by confirming that while political differences between the two countries do not allow a home series for either team, the postponed tour can take place at a neutral venue.

Lorgat, while speaking exclusively to The Express Tribune during his World Twenty20 trophy tour of Karachi, also assured Pakistani fans that the ICC was taking up the issue of lack of international cricket in Pakistan, instead of isolating the country. “India was due to tour Pakistan in early 2009 but they cancelled that series because of political reasons,” said Lorgat.

“But they have to fulfil the obligation before the next FTP that begins in 2012. We can’t force any country to play if political or security reasons prompt their government to instruct them not to play in a country but such a series can be held at a neutral venue.”

Security woes

The Pakistani fans have been feeling isolated of late as, together with the foreign teams’ reluctance to tour the troubled land, the ICC has also been forced to move tournaments away from the country. The Champions Trophy 2008 was first postponed and then moved to South Africa and Pakistan was removed as co-host of the 2011 World Cup that led to its cricket board filing a legal case against the ICC.

The case was later withdrawn and the PCB was awarded ‘significant compensation’. The forced and justified move on the ICC’s part led to a negative perception of the organisation but Lorgat confirmed that they were practical moves and taken considering the betterment of the sport in general.

“We took the decision for the right reason. There wasn’t anything funny about it and we didn’t intend to hurt Pakistan cricket or its fans. It was purely a practical and cricketing reason and the negative perception of the ICC was, indeed, unfortunate. At the back of our minds we know that the Pakistani people feel as if they’ve been let down but that’s not something we wanted to do.”

The legal case, according to Lorgat, was a case of the “Pakistan board being mis-informed” as opposed to it being unhappy over the decision. “The 50-over World Cup is the ICC’s flag-ship event. It takes a long time to prepare and we have no option but to deliver it successfully.

We learnt from the Champions Trophy postponement and acted upon the advice to remove Pakistan as co-hosts early as no teams were willing to play there.” While Pakistan longed to play international cricket last year, the willingness to host matches at a neutral venue has increased its international commitments significantly. Lorgat, however, reminded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to neglect domestic cricket to ensure the players remain competitive and fresh for matches the fans remain interested.”

© Faras Ghani 2010

Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 17, 2010

'Cricket will soon flourish in Pakistan'

2010-04-16T19:01:00.000+01:00

The International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat has termed Pakistan as one of the favourites for the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20 2010 that takes place in the West Indies from April 30.

Lorgat held a press conference in Karachi yesterday – a month before the final of the third version takes place in Antigua – thus becoming the first high-ranking ICC official to visit Pakistan following the Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan team last March. He was joined by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt and Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi at the event that also featured the World Twenty20 trophy that Pakistan won in England last year.

“I’m sitting next to the captain of the defending champions and I know when you’re the top seed, there is an added responsibility and greater pressure but this is a very experience Pakistan team that is going across to defend the title,” said Lorgat. “They’re a very competent side and there’s no reason why this team can’t bring this trophy back to Pakistan.”

Afridi, who has seen various injuries in the three-week training camp currently being held in Lahore, seemed confident that his side not only had the right players needed to lift the trophy but also the team morale and confidence levels that complement the physical talent.

“Going into the tournament as defending champions will add to the pressure but we’re all confident,” said Afridi. “We’ll be playing as a unit, supporting each other and there’s not reason why we can’t win again.”

Pakistan went into last year’s tournament severely under-prepared as following the Lahore attack, foreign teams have refused to tour Pakistan. Lorgat ruled out the notion that foreign teams had acted in a ‘racist manner’ and termed it a ‘sophisticated and complex’ issue.

“The security issue is very complex and complicated. It is untrue to suggest that the reluctance is on racist grounds but, simply put, it is the lack of confidence the visiting teams have in visiting Pakistan in a safe environment.”

The ICC CEO compared Pakistan’s case to South Africa’s when the latter were barred from international participation until 1991. “It is an unfortunate situation cricket is facing in Pakistan but the nation has the resolve and patience to work itself through the difficult period and I’m sure cricket will flourish in Pakistan very soon.”

© Faras Ghani 2010

Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 16, 2010

Pakistan cricket in familiar territory

2010-04-14T18:57:00.000+01:00

Inadequate and rocky preparation for a major tournament, a cliché when it comes to the Pakistan cricket team and its ‘tried and tested’ method of going into yet another global event with the run-in marred by injuries, controversies and surprise inclusions.

Prior to the 2009 World Twenty20, Pakistan were termed mere participant, courtesy humiliation against an under-strength Australia, a new captain and an unwilling chief selector.

New faces were included for the gruelling trip and as the warm-ups were conceded without even a whimper, it all seemed dusted in still air. What followed, however, was a case of captivating resurgence and all was forgotten amid the hurrah.

Despite the promises and the omnipresent assurances, the boat rocks again for Pakistan cricket, weeks before their title defence. Eyebrows were raised when the newly-appointed selector gave his verdict early.

Salman Butt, awful with the bat and even worse in the field last year, keeps his place. Misbahul Haq, out of form and out of favour lately should have been out of reckoning.

Changes are likely only days prior to the team’s departure. Injuries have rocked Pakistan’s training camp as Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat look set to miss out. And if that was not enough to shake the camp, off-field worries have played a vital role in diverting undue attention from the preparations.

Shoaib Malik has been utilising his ‘time off’ aptly by claiming headlines while Mohammad Asif’s self inflicted headache, and a legal case against him, has given the team management an unwanted dilemma as the training camp gathers momentum.

Seven players from the squad that toured Australia were recently fined and banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The board, in a move that defies logic, also put an appeal process in place and as a consequence, the players – who alongwith their captain are currently involved in preparation for the World Twenty20 – are now also engulfed in an off-the-field battle with their own board.

Punishments, weddings, appeals, injuries and legal cases – Pakistan cricket sits in familiar territory.

There have been calls of using a psychologist to prepare the players mentally – a successful ploy introduced by former captain Younus Khan prior to the team’s departure last year.

The focus and the level of concentration needed for a global event is surely missing. And with the path the individuals have been taking lately, it seems that the dismal performance the team will take into the tournament in April is what they will be coming out with in May.

Published in The Express Tribune, Apr 14, 2010

Umar Akmal - The shining star

2010-04-04T18:53:00.000+01:00

In the humiliation that the Pakistan cricket team has been on the receiving end since their World Twenty20 triumph last June, there has not been much to cherish and look at with a smile. Apart from a diving effort here, a brief cameo there and a win against India in South Africa, the smile has always been upside down.

There have been embarrassing losses, comic dismissals, flurry of dropped catches, ball-biting antics and a mortifying run of losses. However, amid the chaos, the disarray and the sense of abasement instilled into the team, a 19-year-old ray of light shone brightly from within the ruins since his debut against Sri Lanka last year.

It is hard to believe that Umar Akmal is still only 19 and carries so much responsibility within the team. His performance on the field — and antics off it — have been admired, questioned, scrutinised and lauded effortlessly. And it comes as no surprise that Umar was a talent identified ever since his first-class debut. Calls for prompt maturity triggered a premature death for his childhood. On the field, a 17-year-old had just scored 248 in only his sixth first-class match. In the dressing room, he was chased around after pouring water over a colleague and pinching another’s butt repeatedly. His talent, embellished aptly by his aggressive nature, was on show. But so was his refusal to mend his slashing ways. A Test century on debut, a coming of age against the West Indies and a duck against India, the youngest of the playing Akmals launched his cricket career in awe of his older brother Kamran.

“I started liking cricket after watching Kami bhai play,” he said. “Although I played for my school, my college and then a local club (Model Town Cricket Centre, one of the best clubs in Lahore according to Akmal) I was more than happy carrying drinks for my seniors for a couple of years just for the sake of watching them and learning the skills.”

His love for cricket resulted in Umar getting a lot of stick — verbally and physically — from Kamran but after repeated promises to his father, he was finally granted permission to play openly as opposed to sneaking out after school with Kamran forcing him to study and stay away from the sport. Lucky for him, help and support was always available.

“Apart from my brothers (Kamran and Adnan), my early mentors included Majeed bhai, my school coach Nadeem Zafar, Noshi, Khurram and Khalid; all of whom supported me at club level. As things moved on swiftly, and as Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) offered me a contract, I owed much to Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq who ensured I learnt as each day progressed. They treated me like their brother in Kamran’s absence and I owe them a lot for my success.”

First-class debuts seldom come sweeter than Umar’s. Becoming the second-highest scorer in a title-winning debut season with SNGPL, his ascent was sharp and enviable. His 855 first-class runs included a 258 and 186 and “for a 17-year-old, that was as much joy as you can get”. After an encouraging tour of Sri Lanka, the under-19 World Cup presented Umar his first real challenge; one he was tipped to blast to all parts. However, life in the middle took a turn for the worse…

“The World Cup turned out to be fairly disappointing. There was a lot of expectation but I performed horribly and let the team down. I had learnt to handle pressure but I felt guilty. And when I was left out of the Pakistan Academy team following the World Cup, I was shattered but vowed to work harder, improve my cricket and make a comeback. I wanted to have a shot at the next under-19 World Cup, to show the world what I can do but thankfully, I got a chance at the senior level before that.”

His call-up to the national side, following success at the lower tier, did come as a huge shock to the teenager. The thought of playing alongside not only his brother but his idols — Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi — did bring tears to his eyes but not a bout of nervousness. “A huge honour for me, an indescribable feeling, I must say”. Smiles became beams and the little-known became a national star after stroking a stunning ODI century against Sri Lanka — setting the tone for what we were to be treated to in the coming weeks. A change in attitude — on and off the field — saw Umar go from strength to strength. No longer the spoilt brat in the domestic dressing room, Umar now carried hopes of millions. Written about in match previews before Afridi, spoken of during lunch breaks and waited for with impatience during the match, Umar has realised his worth, and what is expected of him.

“International cricket is never easy. There is a lot of pressure from everywhere: media, crowd and the need to carry the team with you. But I have learnt a lot from my short time in international cricket. Obviously, I’d like to play more for Pakistan, perhaps even move up the order like I do for SNGPL. I’ve been lucky to stay injury-free till now and am training in the off-season to ensure it stays that way. Cricket has been a fun ride for me so far and hopefully, things will only go up from here.”

© Faras Ghani 2010
Published in Dawn newspaper, Apr 4, 2010

Enter 2010 - Gaming

2010-01-03T08:03:00.001Z

Not much stood still in 2009, not the economy, not the exchange rates and not the unemployment graph. Much of the same, in sectors far and wide, will be the case as the new decade begins. Of the more exciting of sectors, the continuously revolutionising, improving and breathtaking world of gaming will follow suit.

The rise of RPGs, of virtual worlds and of motion controls allowed the new generation gamers to be light years ahead of their last-decade predecessors. However, 2010 promises a journey far and beyond, a journey where controllers will become obsolete (ever imagined that?) and a journey, despite the slow-down in the games production industry, that will move away from the annoyance that is music-related titles.

Project Natal, the controller-free gaming plan by Microsoft for the Xbox 360, will arguably be the biggest wait of the year. It will enable users to control and interact with the console by using gestures, spoken commands, or presented objects and images—a worthy move up from the revolutionary Wii's controls.

Revolutions aside, the economic gloom engulfing the world will also take its toll on the gaming industry. Quantity will increase, paving way for quality, a move that will set the gamers aside from the thrill-seekers. Talks of new consoles are far and wide, especially given the fact that it will be five years since the launch of the Xbox 360, a new console coinciding with the launch of Project Natal perhaps?

Social networking sites witnessed the rise of games like Farmville and Mafia Wars. The trend promises to continue and despite the economy, producers are more likely to spend on those in the coming twelve months, especially given the fact that the two titles brought in $3billion last year.

To end it all, the Nintendo DS is poised to become the best selling handheld system ever. Nintendo software regularly features in the monthly Top 10 charts and Wii is still the talk of the town. While Microsoft will make inroads via Project Natal, it surely will not be enough to topple Nintendo's dominance this year.

© Faras Ghani 2010.

Published in Sci-Tech World (Dawn), Jan 3, 2010.

SA’s Nashua Dolphins keen on signing Afridi

2009-10-07T22:01:00.000+01:00

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, has been approached by South Africa’s Nashua Dolphins for the Pro20 series scheduled to take place in February.

While the franchise administration refused to confirm the signing, sources said that the contract has been signed and Afridi will join the Dolphins after Pakistan’s tour of Australia that finishes with a one-off Twenty20 on Feb 3, 2010.

“I can confirm that we have shown interest in availing the services of Afridi who we believe will be available from February,” Jesse Chellan, CEO of KwaZulu-Natal franchise that owns the Dolphins, told Dawn. “Nothing has been signed yet and the negotiations are on-going. We hope to confirm things by the end of the week after discussions with the board and stakeholders but the arrival of Afridi is sure to be a big attraction.”

Afridi, who was declared Man of the Match in the semi-final and final of the World Twenty20 held in England earlier this year, will join the likes of Loot Bosman, Hashim Amla and Yusuf Abdulla in the Dolphins squad, all of whom have represented South Africa. Having scored 421 runs in 24 Twenty20 Internationals, Afridi has also taken 34 wickets that places him second on the all-time highest wicket-takers’ list — three behind compatriot Umar Gul.

Dolphins, who lost out to Cape Cobras in a Super Over in the third leg of the Pro20 semi-finals last season, kick-off the new series with a home match against the Warriors on Feb 7, 2010.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 7, 2009.

Yawar predicts bright future for team despite semi-final loss

2009-10-07T22:00:00.001+01:00

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed rued his batsmen’s lack of planning during the semi-final against New Zealand which saw his team’s shock ouster from the ICC Champions Trophy but still predicted a bright future for the team in presence of some talented players in the ranks.

Speaking exclusively to Dawn following the five-wicket loss at The Wanderers that sealed Pakistan’s exit, Yawar, who confirmed it was his last tour with the team, was also shocked by some of the on-field decisions but refused to comment owing to strict ICC regulations.

“I shouldn’t be saying this but we should’ve planned this match slightly better,” Saeed said. “It’s not my job, it’s the coach’s but batting first, we should’ve made at least 260 or 270. We got bogged down in the middle and were lucky with the tail-enders who got us to the score that we managed. In this sort of game, you need to plan your scoring rate every ten overs. We failed and we went down.

“There are a few other things that also affected the match but I’m not allowed to comment on those. Everybody saw how things went along. Overall, it was very disappointing for me and the team as we didn’t make it to the final, something that we should’ve.”

Yawar, who has been involved in the team’s managerial role on-and-off for the last 26 years, predicted a bright future for the team, having witnessed the younger members outshine their senior team-mates.

Reserving special praise for Umar Akmal, who top-scored for Pakistan in the semi-final with a 62-ball 55, and Mohammad Aamir, with six wickets in three Champions Trophy matches, Yawar also lauded the team spirit and confidence, especially as Pakistan came into the tournament having lost the Test and ODI series against Sri Lanka.

“The Sri Lanka tour was poor for us since we lost matches we should’ve won. However, we made a strong start in South Africa and after we beat India, coupled with the elimination of South Africa and Sri Lanka, we thought we had a very good chance.

“Apart from the low score, we dropped a few catches and that’s the beauty of the game, you take an eye off it and you lose. It was satisfying in the sense that Pakistan doesn’t feature in semi-finals of ICC tournaments frequently so to do that in back-to-back tournaments is praiseworthy.

“We also had wonderful performances from the youngsters, especially Umar and Aamir. We currently have an under-19 team playing in Zimbabwe and I know that there are three to four players in that squad who can walk into the national side during the next six months.

“This is good for Pakistan cricket as well as our squad as it provides competition to both seniors and younger members. And it was because of the healthy competition that when we sat down to select playing elevens, for the first time ever we thought about who to drop and not who to play.

“With the World Cup under two years away, I hope the selectors take note of the youngsters and give them enough run in the senior squad for them to be able to perform in the tournament when it arrives.”

Yawar also confirmed he was leaving the manager’s post in the team with Shafqat Rana, the Associate Manager, widely tipped to take over for the series against New Zealand.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 7, 2009

Luck deserted us against New Zealand: Younis

2009-10-05T21:58:00.000+01:00

Unlucky was the word that Pakistan captain Younis Khan used to describe his side’s status following the defeat to New Zealand in the second semi-final at The Wanderers — the five-wicket loss dumping his side out of the Champions Trophy on Saturday night.

The disappointing end, after an equally poor start, aptly complemented Pakistan’s display in all three departments of the game with a dropped catch that would initiate many conversations for weeks to follow.

“Once you reach the semi-final or final, you need a bit of luck to progress,” Younis said. “Although we batted poorly at the start and our bowling was below par, we were unlucky and if we had been lucky with some umpiring decisions, or inflicted some run-outs or even taken our catches cleanly, the result might have been different.”

Refusing to comment on the dubious umpiring decisions – especially that of Umar Akmal who was adjudged lbw as the ball hit his pad off the face the bat – Younis also rued his dropped catch, blaming his fractured right-hand finger for the spill.

“I dropped a simple catch that I will remember for a long time. However, there was a time in the tournament when I ran out Gautam Gambhir with the same hand and took a difficult catch in the next match. While people will blame me for the dropped catch and playing with the injury, they should also remember the earlier incidents and how that helped the team.

“This is life. It’s a matter of playing for the nation with a broken finger and that same finger, unfortunately, dropped the catch. Other than the drop, we also made a few other mistakes that contributed to the loss and things like these happen in game. I’m not worried about my mistake.”

The skipper went on to add: “We batted poorly, especially in the powerplays. Our batsmen did manage a few decent starts but they couldn’t capitalise on them and looked under pressure. At one stage it looked we’ll be dismissed for 160 but the partnership between Umar Akmal and Mohammad Yousuf helped us recover. But even the duo, after being set, failed to go on and play a long innings and had they stayed on till the final Powerplay, we might’ve scored 260 or 270.”

Pakistan’s failure in the five-over gap was on stark contrast to New Zealand who, requiring over seven runs an over prior to the powerplay, blasted 55 runs off theirs. Vettori, who promoted himself above Neil Broom and James Franklin, shared a 104-run partnership and capped off a remarkable day for himself, having taken three for 43 earlier.

“It was a very satisfying win as we lost critical players prior to the match,” Vettori, who was labelled the difference between the two teams by Younis, said. “Even Elliot, who scored a wonderful 75 and showed a lot of character, was in doubt but he managed to play such an impressive innings with a broken thumb. We bowled well early on, put a lot of pressure on them and whenever we needed a bit of impetus in our batting, our players provided that.”

With a few days to recover before heading to Dubai and Abu Dhabi for an ODI and Twenty20 series against the same opponents, Younis, despite Pakistan’s mediocre performance in the tournament, remained impressed with his side’s show in the tournament and how reaching the semi-finals would silence the critics.

“We were labelled as a Twenty20 team and written off before the tournament started. Despite the loss, it has been a fantastic tournament for us and reaching the last four has been an impressive job. I’ve always wanted Pakistan to finish in the top four of a tournament – obviously reaching the final would have been extra special – and it was great teamwork that led us this far.”

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 5, 2009

Pakistan wary of unpredictable Kiwis in semi-final

2009-10-03T21:56:00.000+01:00

Rewriting history books is Pakistan’s aim and need today as they take on New Zealand in the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy at The Wanderers. A win will place them in the final of tournament, an unprecedented act for the team, and will also be a first for Younis Khan’s men against the Kiwis in the tournament since its inception — having lost twice before.

Pakistan lost their final group match in a final-ball thriller against Australia thus blemishing their perfect record on the tour so far. The two-wicket loss, however, has failed to disturb Pakistan’s momentum, according to Younis, who was already hoping to meet England in the final on Monday.

“New Zealand is a very good team, especially when it comes to fielding,” Younis said before Pakistan’s training session at The Wanderers. “It will be really good to play against them as they have very good options in bowling and have capable all-rounders. Their captain, too, has become a very good bowler and is now batting well as well.

“We don’t want anything special. It’s a matter of playing our natural game to stop them and hopefully we have a tough game, because that’s what we need, and meet England in the final.”

Selecting the playing eleven for the day-night match will prove to be a headache for the team management, especially given Asif’s effective international comeback after spending almost 16 months. His two for 34 against Australia, and an apt display of movement off the pitch, may force Younis into a lot of thinking.

However, it looks almost certain that the playing eleven that beat India earlier in the tournament will take the field today thus omitting Misbah-ul-Haq, who came in for the injured Imran Nazir, and Asif, in for the rested Mohammad Aamer.

“Luckily we have a fit 15-man squad to choose from but we will wait before the toss to name our playing eleven. It all depends on what conditions we’re faced with [scattered showers are expected during the semi-final] and having in-form batsmen and bowlers on the bench is a good sign for us.”

With Pakistan spinners creating a stranglehold over the opposition batsmen in the middle overs, Daniel Vettori, New Zealand’s captain, labelled Pakistan’s inconsistency as something his team could capitalise on. Having come off back-to-back wins over South Africa and England, Vettori remained confident of making it three in a row. “The momentum is definitely with us, going into a semi-final with two big wins,” he said.

“Qualifying top of the group also made a welcome changes from the past where we have scraped through. They have a very impressive spin attack coupled with a very good seam attack and no obvious weakness in their batting line-up. But we are hoping to catch them on an off day as they are a bit consistent like us.”

Vettori was a bit critical of the pitches used in the tournament so far but admitted there were a lot of runs in the offering, providing the senior players step up and accept the challenge from the Pakistani bowlers. “There’s no secret to playing well here. The pitches have been a bit different to what we expected — a bit like Sri Lankan pitches — but we have the ability to adapt to conditions. I also want to do well for personal reasons as leading my team into the final could be the most satisfying thing I have achieved in my career.”

With the Pakistani bowlers having a great opening spell in the tournament at The Wanderers against the West Indies — restricting them to 47-7 before a late-order fightback allowed them to post 133. Hoping for a repeat performance by his bowlers, Younis looked forward to adding another important win the year that would aid Pakistan’s upward movement in world cricket.

“We have been unable to reach the final of this tournament and as Pakistan’s captain, I hope we wipe that off our record books. We need two more good matches and wins in both should be nice for me and the nation. It may look silly but we really need big wins against big countries in order to not only improve our cricket but also help the country.

“Cricket is the only game that unites the whole nation and I sincerely hope we make it tot he final and then win it to give Pakistan another gift this year.”

Attending a local mosque on Islamabad Drive in Johannesburg for the Friday prayers, the team were met with hundreds of well-wishers. While the followers prayed for Pakistan’s success against New Zealand, Younis, who accompanied the team to the mosque, assured them that the squad had what it takes to come up to their expectations.

With New Zealand picking up the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award on Thursday evening, Vettori hopes to add the Champions Trophy to the excess baggage his team takes home. Judging by the ability to spring up surprises — and their run in the current tournament — Pakistan may well have their hands full this afternoon.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 3, 2009

Aussies spoiled our bid to stay unbeaten: Younis

2009-10-01T21:52:00.000+01:00

Pakistan’s hopes of finishing top of Group A and reaching the semi-finals of the Champion’s Trophy unbeaten were ended by a resolute ninth-wicket partnership that led Australia to a final-ball victory at the Centurion. However, despite the loss, Younis Khan, Pakistan’s captain, chose to laud his team’s remarkable comeback after being restricted for only 206.

At 140 for 2, and with Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey having added 81, the reigning champions looked on-course for an easy win. However, with Shoaib Malik and Saeed Ajmal, followed by the fast bowlers, getting quick wickets, the unimaginable last-ball finish was then witnessed.

“Sometimes you stay unbeaten throughout the tournament and then suddenly lose an important game,” Younis said in his post-match press conference. “However, with my players showing the fighting spirit, the loss does not matter much as we’re already through to the last-four having learnt so much from the defeat by Australia. It was a close game and either side had a chance to win it and it became really tough out in the middle.

“Australia showed why they are world champions by holding their nerves and scraping through at the end when another team would’ve played rash strokes and thrown it away.”

Younis, on the eve of the match, had said the two spinners Shahid Afridi and Ajmal held the key to Pakistan’s success against Australia. With Afridi dismissing Tim Paine early on and the duo of Ajmal and Malik causing problems while chipping in with three wickets impressed both captains.

“We knew we had a chance with two spinners,” Younis added. “All they needed was two or three quick wickets and that’s exactly what they delivered and made a huge difference in the match.”

Ponting, too, lauded the spinner’s effort in giving Australia a huge scare following a reasonable start. “It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on and Pakistan’s spinners made things worse for us,” he said. “We knew their spinners would play a huge role in the match and being the dangerous side that Pakistan is, we’re happy to get through to the last four and that’s the stage we want to be at.”

Making his return after almost 16 months out due to a drugs ban, Mohammad Asif looked largely ineffective at the start but returned to take two vital wickets in an over. Finishing with two for 34 from his eight overs, Asif’s comeback has given the team management a healthy dilemma while selecting the team for the semi-final.

“I’ve always said Asif is a match-winner and he should be playing for us. However, he was unlucky to have missed out in the last two games due to our combination but he got his chance today and it gave him a lot of confidence to be performing this well after being out for so long. With all our fast bowlers having had terrific display under their belts, we will have a difficult time selecting who plays against New Zealand.”

With India exiting the tournament courtesy Australia’s win, Younis now hopes of a Pakistan-Australia final next Monday. He said his side needed wins against top teams in international cricket in order to improve and show the world how good they are. With a win against India earlier in the tournament and coming this close to beating Australia, Younis reckoned the omens looked good.

“If you win against top sides and world champions, it helps the players and the team. With India out of the tournament, I now hope we meet Australia again in the final and beat them. Reaching the semi-final even has been a tremendous performance by us given that Pakistan had never achieved this feat in the past. And it doesn’t really matter who you play in the semi-final or where you play since the pressure will be on both teams given the occasion.”

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 1, 2009

ICC Hall of Fame induction thrills Wasim Akram

2009-10-01T21:50:00.000+01:00

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was one of the five new inductees into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame when the additional list of players to the original 55 was released here on Tuesday. Representing Pakistan in 104 Tests and 356 ODIs for Pakistan after making his debut in 1984, Wasim was delighted by the induction into the list that includes the likes of Don Bradman, Imran Khan, Ian Chappell, Javed Miandad and Hanif Mohammad.

‘It’s a dream come true to be honest and I never thought I’d reach this far,’ Wasim, who has 414 Test wickets and became the first bowler to reach the 500-wicket mark in ODIs, told Dawn. ‘It’s also a great honour for me, means a lot to be part of such an elite list and shows I have done something worthwhile in my life and worked hard to achieve what I did.’

Wasim, Man of the Match in the 1992 World Cup final that Pakistan won by beating England, also captained Pakistan in 25 Tests and 109 ODIs, including the 1999 World Cup final that Australia won by eight wickets. Recalling the defeat at Lord’s, Wasim labelled it one of the lowest moments in his 19-year career but was quick to point out the highlights that allowed him to enter the Cricket Hall of Fame.

‘My whole career was a rollercoaster. Though the loss in the 1999 final was the lowest point in my career, I’m a person who believes in positives and forgetting the negatives. Thankfully, I’ve had more positives than negatives including the 1992 World Cup final, winning in India in 1987, the Test-series win against England in 1992 and the West Indies whitewash in 1997.

‘I will also cherish the ten-wicket haul against Australia in 1989 and my first century that made me realise I can bat and that I should work hard on my batting though I never did.’

Not forgetting his mammoth nine-hour stay at the crease while scoring 257 against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura, Wasim labelled it ‘something out of the ordinary’ and reckoned that innings showed he had the potential to become a better batsman than his figures showed. ‘That innings was no fluke because you can only score a century as a fluke, not a 250-plus score. I batted for nine hours and realised that in order to score runs, you need to stay at the crease and at that time the cricket ball seemed as a big as a football and if Saqlain [Mushtaq] hadn’t been dismissed, I may have even scored 300.’

‘While the award is more of a personal satisfaction, a gesture that says I’ve done well in the field of cricket, it should also motivate our team and youngsters who are either involved with cricket right now or will play in the future. It tells them that if you do well consistently, you will be rewarded one day.’

The four other new inductees include Herbert Sutcliffe (England) and the Australian trio of Clarrie Grimmett, Victor Trumper and Steve Waugh.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Oct 1, 2009.

We have a great chance of beating Aussies: Younis

2009-09-30T21:48:00.000+01:00

Pakistan go into today’s round match against Australia placed in unfamiliar territory: A place in the last-four already sealed and the added luxury of testing bench strength.

Back-to-back, convincing wins over West Indies and India — preceded by wins against Sri Lanka and the Warriors in the warm-up matches — have produced the healthy bout of momentum and confidence that Younis Khan, Pakistan’s captain, will hope to carry forward into the semi-finals.

However, with Australia’s simplest route to the semi-finals resting in Pakistan’s loss, the onus is on Younis’ team to carry on the winning form, perform to their potential to ensure a hundred per cent record going into the knock-out round.

“Even with our last-four place confirmed, I’d still like to tell my players to play good cricket to our potential because we’re a top side when we do that and ensure the winning momentum is not lost,” Younis said in his pre-match press conference.

“We have improved considerably over the last few months and Australia is a very strong side, fresh from their recent win in England, so I would not label any favourites for the game. We have a great chance of winning and are very lucky to be in the situation where we only need two more wins to lift the trophy and we’ll be looking to do just that.”

While Younis is still nursing the fractured finger on the right hand — a direct throw from the same hand effected Gautam Gambhir’s runout on Saturday — Imran Nazir, with stitches on his right hand due to injury suffered early in the Indian innings, looks certain to miss out. Out of form Misbah-ul-Haq will replace him.

The forced absence of Imran, the only specialist opener in the squad, will mean promotion for either Shoaib Malik or Fawad Alam who looks set to feature for the first time in the tournament.

Mohammad Asif also looks certain to cash in on the situation and will most likely replace Mohammad Aamir with Umar Gul hoping to recover from a horror show against India.

The loss of Imran Nazir has left Younis unperturbed as he emphasised the importance of flexibility in the batting order and doing away with the need for specialist openers in the side.

“Imran is a useful batsman for us and I know there is an innings left in him for us in the tournament. His stitches aren’t serious and we might play him against Australia or may decide to rest him. Even if he’s omitted, it won’t be a problem for us since we have experienced players who have played in that position before. Also, in Twenty20 and ODIs, you don’t need specialist openers anymore as we’re able to adapt to situations.”

“In today’s cricket, your performance on the day matters the most and not past results. We won against a top nation [India] recently and are pitted against another now. There are no guarantees on who will take wickets or score runs but both teams go into the match equal.”

Pakistani spinning duo of Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi caused problems for the Australians in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. With decent performances under their belt on the tour already, both Afridi and Ajmal are hoping for a repeat show. Ponting, though, shrugged aside any concerns and lauded his batsmen’s show against the Indian spinners.

“I’m obviously disappointed with the result against India as we were in a really good position,” Ponting said. “However, the positive out of that abandoned game was our batting, especially the show against spinners since we expect more of the same from Pakistan as well.

“It will be very disappointing if we lose to Pakistan and fail to progress,’ Ponting added. ‘However, it all depends on how we play knowing how dangerous Pakistan can be, especially with the kind of cricket they’ve been playing recently. We had a good result in the UAE and we’re hoping the lessons learnt there are utlised here as well.”

Younis was also wary of the fact that progress for India depended on Pakistan’s win at the Centurion today. With MS Dhoni, India’s captain, making it clear who he will be supporting — “We want Pakistan to win” were the words in his pre-match press conference — Younis has downplayed speculations that fielding a weakened team will undermine India’s effort.

“We wanted to be in a situation where we don’t need to depend on other teams for our progress. We have been lucky to be in this situation. Everyone knows the number of followers India has in Pakistan and vice versa. It’s cricket and life shouldn’t depend on winning or losing and we will give it our best to carry forward the winning momentum for our sake.”

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 30, 2009.

Malik firm to carry form into remaining games

2009-09-29T21:45:00.000+01:00

Shoaib Malik, the architect of Pakistan’s superb win over India on Saturday, remains confident that his match-winning knock was not a one-off spectacle and hopes to carry his form through to the next crucial matches of the Champions Trophy.

“When a team puts up a 300-plus total, the opposition is always under pressure even with aggressive starts,” said Malik during a chat with the media. “It was tough chasing under lights and the fact that we put up 300, it also added to the psychological pressure.”

I was quite content with my performance. It was difficult at the start and I had to adopt a defensive approach to my batting because stability was what the team needed. I blocked and blocked since the team had lost quick wickets that added to the pressure on me,” explained the all-rounder. “However, there came a point where I could play my natural game and could afford to attack. The resulting century was a joyous occasion for me, Pakistan’s win against India putting it into a different context. I’m very happy we won and I want to carry my form [second century on the tour so far] into the remaining matches.”

Meanwhile, Indian captain MS Dhoni was candid about his team’s shortcomings in the crucial game. “Pakistan bowlers exploited the conditions well, they had fielders in the right places and batted knowing fully well what was required,” said Dhoni. “We failed at that, lost too many wickets, gave away too many runs, bowled too short and a safe line and there were chances we could’ve created but we weren’t consistent with out line. In conditions like these, you have to change and adjust accordingly. We had to be smart but we weren’t and in the end, we could’ve done a lot better in the match.”

“At one point I thought we were short on three bowlers. It was an off day for Harbhajan and I didn’t know who to turn to, who to bowl, where to bowl and what field to place. The shots went into the gaps and it became really tough in the middle.”

While the Indian captain felt the heat, Younis, with the fractured right-hand finger, was happy with his side’s performance and looked forward to the match against Australia.

“I’m glad we made our own way to the semi-finals instead of relying on other teams. I’m also happy since I decided to play this match despite the injury as I would’ve definitely missed being out in the middle if I had opted to sit out. Even if we had lost, my risk would’ve been worth taking and people would’ve agreed that I tried instead of hiding. I’m glad with what we achieved and how the players responded in all three departments of the game and it was a great feeling to beat the top-ranked ODI team in the world by 50-plus runs.”

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 29, 2009

Bowlers’ generosity with extras worries Intikhab

2009-09-29T21:40:00.000+01:00

Despite a convincing win against arch-rivals India at the Centurion on Saturday, Pakistan’s coach Intikhab Alam remained wary of his side’s generosity with extras and reminded his bowlers not to repeat the mistakes against Australia on Wednesday.

Pakistan, who restricted the top-ranked ODI team India to 248 who were chasing 303, gave away 22 extras that included 11 wides and seven no-balls. Umar Gul, who was taken apart by the Indian batsmen while going wicketless, was guilty of over-stepping three times with the resulting freehits costing Pakistan 14 runs.

Intikhab, Pakistan’s coach, braved sunny and warm conditions during Pakistan’s three-hour long training session on Monday to ensure his bowlers did not cross the line. “In today’s cricket, it is a crime to bowl no-balls,” Intikhab said after the training session. “It’s not just the extra run and the ball, but also the freehit that the batsmen get which can cause problems. We are very strict about it and I position myself at the bowler’s end in the nets to make sure we limit over-stepping.

“At times, it’s the pressure on the bowler as well. Against India, for example, the bowlers stretched a little extra to deliver what was required off them but that’s not an excuse. There won’t be as much pressure on them against Australia so I hope we don’t make such mistakes again.”

Apart from the extras situation, Intikhab was content with his team’s performance that has seen them win all four matches on the tour so far. Playing back-to-back matches against the world’s top-ranked ODI team and reigning world champions, according to Intikhab, will help the players improve their skills.

“We are fully prepared for the Australians and will go into the match with a different strategy to the Indians. It’s always a challenge to play a better side and gives our players a chance to learn. Our team has tremendous potential as well as definite plan for every individual so that if things don’t go in our favour, there is a back-up that we can fall on in the field. The good thing, for us, is that we are peaking at the right time and the winning momentum is doing wonders to the players’ confidence levels.”

Intikhab also termed the availability of Mohammad Asif, eligible for selection after completing his 12-month ban last Wednesday, a healthy dilemma for the team management but admitted it was difficult to accommodate him in the starting eleven.

Asif, who could have made his comeback in Pakistan’s opening game against the West Indies, last represented Pakistan almost 18 months ago and was unable to participate in international or domestic cricket due to the ban. “His omission is actually a good thing for Pakistan cricket. It does give us a headache selecting teams but it’s difficult to omit someone who has been performing in order to accommodate him. Our selection policy is simple: you perform and you’ll make it to the final eleven and that, itself, is a challenge and incentive for our players to perform in every single match.”

Pakistan’s match against Australia at Centurion may be of significance depending on India’s performance against the same opponents. Pakistan lost a five-match ODI series against the world champions in the UAE earlier this year. With Australia hosting Pakistan for a Test and ODI series starting in December, Intikhab wants a clinical show on the field and has backed his spinners to cause plenty of problems.

“I won’t say they are vulnerable to spin but we do have two world-class spinners in our squad who gave the Australians plenty of problems in the UAE. They are very professional but playing Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi will be a challenge for them as well. We did well against them earlier, in a series we should’ve won. But we beat them in the Twenty20 and that was the start of good things for us.”

Saeed, with four wickets in the tournament so far, caused a few problems in April, an act he is hoping to repeat when the two sides meet again.

“The Australians don’t play spin particularly well which was obvious in the UAE,” Saeed said. “It was a good series for me and I was successful against them and that is exactly what I will be aiming to repeat on Wednesday. I’m particularly looking forward to bowling against Ricky Ponting, who I’ve never bowled to before, and am targeting his wicket more than anyone else’s.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 29, 2009

Hardworking Rana Naved unperturbed by omission talk

2009-09-26T21:37:00.000+01:00

As the Pakistan team management ponder over the inclusion of Mohammad Asif for the match against arch-rivals India, Rana Naved seems the likeliest omission despite a sound performance at The Wanderers.

A wicket in his second over and movement throughout the innings, Naved remained a threat to the under-strength West Indies line-up before Umar Gul and the spinners brought about a speedy end to the innings.

Naved, who made his comeback to the national side after quitting the ICL, was faced with a similar situation at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. A shock loss at the hands of the hosts in the tournament opener left Pakistan facing an uphill task to make it past the first round.

Naved returned with unimpressive figures of 0 for 49 in nine overs and was then overlooked for the rest of the tournament that Pakistan exited early following shock defeat at the hands of Ireland.

Giving a confident look despite the axe looming, Naved, having taken 101 wickets in 66 ODIs, termed it part and parcel of the game and remained unperturbed by the return of Mohammad Asif who looks likely to take over his place in the starting line-up.

“I’m actually happy for Asif and his comeback following the ban,” Naved told Dawn. “It’s a good thing for Pakistan cricket and will help the team immensely. I’m not worried about him being included in the side at my expense as he is not only my club-mate but is also from the same city as me and I can only wish him well. I’m a strong believer in the team consisting of performers who will help achieve victory be it Asif or me.”

Asif, who underwent a surprise dope test on the first day back with the squad, shrugged aside apprehensions of match fitness and physical health. “Although I haven’t played international cricket for a long time now, I have been involved in training at the NCA as well as with club teams in Pakistan. I’ve never felt I’ve been away from the game itself and my fitness levels can be judged by my performance in the nets and the fact that the selectors chose me in the squad.”

Younis, fully aware of the stakes which a Pakistan-India match offers, and considering how a bad performance can jeopardise Pakistan’s stay in the tournament, remained adamant that Asif’s inclusion in the playing eleven was a risk worth taking. Refraining from naming the final eleven until the toss on Saturday afternoon, Younis, after viewing Asif’s performance during training on Thursday, hinted while taking to Dawn that the lanky pacer may make his return to international cricket sooner rather than later.

Whatever the playing eleven today, Rana Naved was content with his own performance after making his comeback to international cricket. Terming the ICL a good learning curve and event that helped Indian cricket immensely, he did emphasis on the difference in the level of cricket in the league to what an international opposition offers. However, part of the Lahore Badhshahs squad that won the final 50-over tournament, it was not only his bowling but his batting — and sledging at times — that helped his team lift the trophy.

“ICL was a wonderful experience as we had ex-Pakistan players in the Badshahs squad. We all had good seasons and that helped a lot of us make successful returns to the Pakistan squad as well. It also helped the Indian youngsters who got a chance to play with the experienced internationals and learn a lot by just sharing the playing field with them.”

Following a successful county stint with Yorkshire, Naved could only manage one wicket in the first two matches of his comeback. However, Naved’s 4 for 44 in his third matches silenced the critics and assured the selectors into handing him a place in the 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy.

“It was difficult making a comeback for Pakistan after being out for so long. The first match was specially difficult as is always the case when you come back after an injury or omission. However, my fitness levels remained high throughout and so was the morale so thankfully I didn’t have a reason to be worried and it showed in my performance in the following matches.”

However, with the team management desperate for Asif to get into form prior to the Test series in New Zealand and Australia, Naved, with an impressive 31 wickets in 15 matches against India, may well carry drinks against India. For Pakistan’s sake, the change, if it happens, must pay immediate dividends for the risk not to pay off may have severe consequences on Pakistan’s future in the tournament.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN, Sep 26, 2009

I want to emulate Sachin’s 2003 feat in today’s clash: Younis

2009-09-26T21:32:00.000+01:00

If wins could be traded for enthusiasm and courage, Younis Khan should collect the winner’s cheque following Pakistan’s crunch encounter against arch-rivals India at the Centurion today.

Younis confirmed his participation in today’s match after missing his side’s opening win against the West Indies due to a fractured finger. Advised four weeks’ rest, Younis remains adamant to play through the pain and hopes to emulate Sachin Tendulkar’s innings against Pakistan at the World Cup 2003 while leading his side to victory.

Pakistan come into the match following three consecutive wins on the tour, a feat alien to the team on tours. India, who claimed number one ranking in the ODI table following South Africa’s defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, were handed a 103-run loss by New Zealand in their only warm-up match. Younis, labelling the opposition the best team in the tournament, remains wary of the fightback India is capable of and opted to make himself available for the encounter despite the injury.

“If the opposition wasn’t India, I might have rested the fractured finger slightly longer,” Younis said in his pre-match conference after Pakistan’s training session. “It’s easy for me to run away from this and avoid the crunch match but I prefer to look at the bigger picture. I want to play, score a century, get the man-of-the-match award or just have a hand in leading Pakistan to victory. Not playing is not an option for me. I want to perform like Sachin did in 2003 against us so that people remember my innings just like they do his, especially given my fractured finger.”

Younis’ return is likely to mark the exit for Imran Nazir, the solitary specialist opener in the 15-man squad with Shoaib Malik likely to be promoted to open the innings with Kamran Akmal.

With Younis forming a formidable middle-order with Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq, with the in-form duo of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s vice-captain, to follow. The return from the 12-month ban of Mohammad Asif also poses a tricky dilemma for the team management, with the captain keen on drafting the lanky pacer into the side to face India. While shying away from naming the playing eleven, Younis, in an exclusive interview with Dawn, realised that playing Asif would be a huge risk given the stakes but a risk he was willing to take.

“Asif’s return is a welcome sign for us. He looked in good form during the training sessions and, despite his inclusion being a total gamble, it is a risk I’m willing to take. He may turn out to be our trump card and help us beat India or it may backfire badly. But in life, you need to take risks and I’d rather face the consequences in the worst-case scenario than regret not having gambled on him.”

The likely omission, if Pakistan were to include Asif in the squad, will be Rana Naved who had figures of 1 for 26 in the opening match.

Whatever the team combination, Younis has emphasised the need for his players to perform and enable Pakistan to come out on top — a win that, according to Younis, the nation badly Centurion: Pakistan captain Younis Khan (R) and fast bowler Mohammad Asif wait for their turn during a training session at SuperSport Park on Friday. Both will be key

needs. “We all know it’s a crunch match but there is no need to take any pressure. I have told my players the same thing to help motivate them and not take any unnecessary pressure which sometimes directly contributes to a side’s collapse.”

Younis reserved special praise for the younger Akmal, terming his calculated innings against West Indies (and unbeaten 41 off 51 balls) a great sign for the future. “He is a very energetic player and uses his brain well despite being very new to first-class cricket. He adapted well to conditions at the Wanderers, took his time settling in and then launched into his natural game.”

While India will be missing Virendar Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, much emphasis will be on Sachin Tendulkar who took Pakistan apart with a 75-ball 98 in 2003 and if he will be able to repeat his performance from six years ago at this ground.

The Pakistan captain, in awe of that innings and cherishing the chance to see Tendulkar in action once again, remained confident that it was the Indian batsman and not the Pakistan side that will be under pressure.

“As we know India will be without their key players and because of that, the onus will be on Sachin to perform and deliver. There’s nothing scary about him as he’s not a ghost and I’m actually happy when he scores

against us. It gives me pleasure to watch him bat and score and there’s a lot you can learn by watching him do just that. However, we’re playing against eleven men and not an individual so we need to look out for the whole team and not just a single batsman.”

While much will depend on the toss, with the lack of sunshine coming into the match likely to keep the pitch soft and difficult for batting, bowlers are still expected to be the underdogs with both teams fielding strong batting line-ups.

For India, it will be a case of carrying on from their Twenty20 win against Pakistan at The Oval in June. Pakistan, however, will be hoping for a lesson learnt, restricting the run-flow and hoping the wall crumbles against an unnerving and energetic bowling attack and an individual hoping to make amends for his actions just over twelve months ago.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 26, 2009

I was given a free hand at the crease: Umar Akmal

2009-09-25T21:25:00.001+01:00

A fine unbeaten, match-winning innings on Wednesday against the West Indies further cemented dashing Umar Akmal’s place in the Pakistan one day side as the young batsman once again showed maturity beyond his age in his team’s opening game at the ICC Champions Trophy.

Countering a seemingly-innocuous bowling attack that had threaded through Pakistan’s strong batting line-up chasing a small total, Umar, playing only his fifth ODI, blended caution and aggression aptly and even left his captain, Shahid Afridi, subdued and in admiration.

“I was delighted to be part of the team and playing my first match in an ICC tournament,” Umar, who already has a century and a half-century in ODIs to his name, said after his 51-ball 41. “Our bowlers did a very good job but we struggled slightly with the bat. However, I must thank the team management for all the support as even before coming into bat, I was given a free hand and told to play my natural game.”

Umar, with a career strike-rate of almost 100, did curb his natural ways initially with Pakistan reeling at 61 for 4, Gavin Tonge having taken a career-best four wickets. Easing into his stay onto the pitch gradually, lofted, drove and flicked Pakistan towards the target, hitting six boundaries and carrying on the scintillating start to his international career.

“It was a difficult pitch with uneven bounce and light grass and the batsmen couldn’t hit freely,” Intikhab Alam, Pakistan’s coach, said. “We created problems for ourselves. Most of our dismissals were due to reckless strokeplay as you had to wait for the ball to come onto you and play in the gaps. However, we bowled a good line after losing the toss and that ensured we were not chasing a mammoth total.

“I was impressed with the way Afridi captained the side too. It was a good decision by the board to appoint him captain following Younis Khan’s resignation after the World Twenty20 and that decision was part of future planning. Afridi showed a lot of maturity and responsibility and I’m sure he will get more chances in the future to show more of the same.”

Intikhab also reserved praise for Umar, who got hit on his finger by a beamer from Tino Best, while reminding the youngster of bigger tests that await — Pakistan’s next match at Centurion on Saturday which is against India. “Umar has done a great deal of work and performed well in a very short space of time. We expect great deal from him as he has a great future. However, we must not get complacent since we have a very important match coming up against India.”

While Younis looks all set to return from injury to play that crucial game — India’s opening match of the tournament — their opponents have injury concerns of their own. Already without the services of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, India also lost Yuvraj Singh to a finger injury thus tilting the balance slightly in favour of Pakistan.

“Yuvraj has done wonders for Indian cricket and his services will be severely missed by the team,” Intikhab said. “However, these things happen in cricket and for it to matter in the end, we must ensure we don’t have hiccups as this is a great chance to beat India in an ICC tournament.”

Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif trained with the squad for the first time on Wednesday following the completion of a twelve-month ban for doping offence. Asif, despite the competitive-cricket drought, is match-fit and in contention of a place in the starting line-up for Saturday, according to Intikhab.

“Asif is completely match-fit as he has been training with the academy and club sides in Pakistan. It’s good to have him back and it will provide us with a welcome dilemma whether to include him or not in the team since our bowlers performed really well against West Indies.”

While the initial jitters and poor-starters tag was put to place in a flimsy manner, three points ensure Pakistan go to Centurion on Saturday beaming with confidence. A win will ensure Pakistan make it to the last four of the Champions Trophy for only the first time. A loss, however, will not only need a win against Australia in their final group match but also incur the fans’ wrath, especially with the support both teams are expected to have in the stands on Saturday.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, Sep 25, 2009.

Afridi, Younis confident of good show

2009-08-20T00:10:00.001+01:00

Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, has opposed Shane Warne’s suggestion of scrapping the 50-over format of cricket and urged the ICC to carry on with all three formats in order to promote the game.

Warne, the former Australian leg-spinner who captained Rajasthan Royals to the inaugural IPL title, was convinced that one-day cricket had past its ‘sell-by date’ and that, going forward, Tests and Twenty20 cricket should be adopted by the ICC as the two recognised formats.

Afridi, who holds the record for the fastest century in ODIs while scoring over five-and-a-half-thousand runs, remained confident that 50-over cricket still had a lot to offer and scrapping the format would rob cricket of some glamour and not achieve the desired results.

“One-day cricket is still very popular among fans and players and I see no reason to do away with this format,” Afridi, who is in England to raise money for the Swat victims, told Dawn on Tuesday. “If the authorities feel that the game drags on, they can reduce the overs to 40, with the required adjustments to the playing conditions. But I don’t believe it has gone past it’s sell-by date and they should definitely not do away with it.”

Pakistan’s next ODI assignment is the Champions Trophy which will be held in South Africa from Sept 22.

Confident of the team performing well despite the recent series-loss against Sri Lanka, Younis Khan, Pakistan’s ODI and Test captain, hoped the three-match winning streak will ensure his team starts well. Losing the Test series 2-0 and the first three ODIs, Pakistan came back strongly to register wins in the final two ODIs as well as the one-off Twenty20.

“Everybody knows how the Pakistan team functions: They start slow and gather momentum as they progress,” Younis, who is also in London for the fund-raising event, said. “We managed to sort things out quickly when they were going wrong in the World Cup and we managed that again in Sri Lanka. The last three wins have given the team the bout of confidence they required for the Champions Trophy. The amazing wins will enable us to do well in the big tournament.”

Afridi also urged the cricketing world, especially the subcontinent teams, to resume tours to Pakistan. Reminding India and Sri Lanka of the visits that Pakistan made when situation in those countries was adverse to foreign teams touring, he hoped for the favour would be returned for the sake of Pakistan cricket.

“In Pakistan, cricket is everything after religion. Winning the World Cup served as an eye-opener for the rest of the world, reminding them that we aren’t bad people and playing cricket is what we want to do. And although our fans in England gave us the support that we would’ve gotten back home, we still need to play in Pakistan for us, for the fans and for the revival of Pakistan cricket.”

While playing at home remains a distant prospect, a hectic schedule awaits Pakistan after the three-month rest following the World Twenty20. Following the Champions Trophy, Pakistan is due to take on New Zealand — location of the series is yet to be confirmed — towards the end of the year before flying to Australia for three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN Aug 20, 2009

Winning partnership

2009-07-28T10:56:00.001+01:00

For someone not keen on large business development from a young age, it comes as a surprise that Jayesh Patel now has a group of 12 pharmacies and winner of The Pharmacy Business of the Year Award 2008. Faras Ghani traces Jayesh's humble beginnings, travels across the world in order to pursue a pharmacy career and how support from family has played a key part in his route to success...

From being the first independent pharmacists to win a private contract in an NHS hospital to receiving his second Pharmacy Business Award in three years – The Pharmacy Business of the Year Award 2008 – Jayesh Patel has vehemently labelled it a result of hard work, dedication and teamwork.

While he travelled from his native Kenya to India in order to pursue his love for the pharmacy world – where he not only completed his pharmacy degree but also met his wife, Illa – it was not until the completion of his pre-reg year from Sunderland that Jayesh thought about owning a pharmacy himself.

'I always had an interest in science and I wanted to pursue a career in medicine hence the trip to India following my O'Levels in Kenya,' Jayesh said. 'However, such was the competition for medical courses in India that I failed to achieve the required grades and took up the next best option: Pharmacy. And it just happened that I got a chance to pursue that degree in India.'

Following that, Jayesh made a trip across the continents to England, where his parents were residing and with a helpful qualifying procedure for overseas pharmacists in the 1980s, Jayesh qualified in 1982. 'We had to go through a procedure and couldn't just practise as an overseas pharmacist. We also had to apply to the Society to ensure that they were happy with the pharmacy degree while meeting various criteria. Thankfully, both me and my fiancé met that criteria and it was after qualifying that I realised I had aspiration to go into business but never imagined I'd develop such a successful group.'

The group, Delmergate Limited, now has 12 pharmacies scattered across Kent and employs around 70 full-time and part-time staff. And it all began, following his three-year stint as a locum, in 1986 withb Jayesh's first pharmacy, situated next to a Tesco superstore. Due to Jayesh's conscientiousness and continuous efforts to community service, it built up a good reputation and things went uphill from there.

'I was at the pharmacy all the time thus being able to answer questions whenever people had them. This allowed the trust between the pharmacy and the community to grow and we never looked back.'

With business running successfully, more and more pharmacies came as a result of recommendation by local GPs. Jayesh opened his first healthcare pharmacy in 1988 – by sheer coincidence, as he put it – and then decided they wanted to be 'very, very specific'.

'We thought that rather than open pharmacies here, there and everywhere, maybe our forte was in developing health-centre pharmacies. And now that we look back, in the 14 years that Delmergate has been in business, all 12 of our pharmacies are very specifically linked to health centres.'

Much of the success is owed to his supporting family, especially his wife and elder brother, as well as an accomplished senior team.

'Following my pre-reg in Sunderland, I lived as a joint family with my brother in south-east London. My wife, too, was in England following her degree as her parents lived here as well.

'I had never thought I had the business acumen. Even if I did, it never transpired I would own more than one shop. My first pharmacy [next to Tesco's] was a very large pharmacy, especially for a first shop. But we ensured it became a complete shop as we had an extensive range of products, including fragrances and even had a photo-lab.

'Following that successful venture, my outlook broadened with tremendous support from elder brother and colleagues who have been with me for 20-odd years. We worked very well as a team and felt that if we could do a fantastic job in one unit, why not go further afield.

'That is why I became a bit bold and by chance and recommendation from one doctor to another that we got interested, we got invited to join other health-centres as well.'

With a tremendous and hard-working team complementing a successful group of pharmacies, the only thing that remained was recognition from a wider audience. Jayesh did win the Pharmacy Business Enterprise Award 2006 but the team felt that the group needed something bigger given the determination and discipline that is on offer in every single Delmergate pharmacy.

'I tend to shy away from publicity but my team felt we deserved the award and they insisted they want to go for it. They felt that the business as a whole had everything in place that would possibly give us the edge over others in order to win the award. The simple reason being the work ethics right from the top. The directors pass it onto senior managers who then pass it onto the staff. Thus the entire group benefits from it and works like a family. Since it was the business of the year award, the whole group had to be involved including staff, people who we deal with, doctors, suppliers. I owe it to the whole team.'

Jayesh had not realised the true worth of the award he had won, the biggest award of the night. But he confirmed that he was ecstatic after receiving it. 'To win the award in front of good and the great in the pharma industry was very special, a moment we'll always cherish.

'We're tucked away in the part of the world where maybe people don't know of us. We quietly develop our own business so it was nice to be acknowledged.'

Jayesh's staff turnover is 'next to nothing' and that helps his business move forward. 'My staff is extremely proud to be working with a company like ours. I have staff who has been with me for a number of year purely because we pride ourselves for the kind of services that we provide.'

Looking after 12 pharmacies, Jayesh has an eye out on the future as well, both in terms of his own business and the future of the pharmacy world. He has welcomed the de-merger of the Society, labelling it a 'welcome move' and one that 'couldn't have come any sooner' and has ensured that recent graduates are drafted into his business so Delmergate can benefit from fresh ideas.

'With new services coming in, we also have a new breed of pharmacists coming in as well. They don't want to be termed mere dispensers and are keen to undertake a bigger role. Fortunately for me, I have a lot of new pharmacists..training up and joining up as the older ones retire and make way.'

Jayesh also lends his support to the Medway School of Pharmacy whereby first and second year students from the School have been training in his pharmacies for the last three years. He also has one of his pharmacists visiting the School and giving a lecture to first-year students every year.

'We not only train students but also our own staff. We have our own pharmacy training, dispensing training and counter training that we pay for but get an outsider to deliver. We normally hold three to four of such events every year and we've asked a law company from London to provide training to our staff regarding the Responsible Pharmacist regulation coming up later this year.'

Despite improved performance complementing the growth, Jayesh has adopted a cautious approach for the future. We try not to acquire new pharmacies but see if we can get new contracts. We've not rapidly expanded into a group of 30 to 40 pharmacies and rack up huge debts but waited for opportunities and rather than paying someone for the goodwill, we create our own.'

A goodwill that has landed awards, recognition and acknowledgement and by the looks of things, it may well carry on for quite some time.

Jayesh's advice to all..
A lot of my colleagues, even with single pharmacies, have embraced the change really well and are adopting to it really well as well. Therefore, if you don't follow suit, your income will drop, you won't earn as much as you used to and you'll be left behind. There might come a time when you'll be forced to do these services and if you don't, the PCTs may decide to withdraw your contract in the future.

This is a forward-looking contract. I see now reason why pharmacists can't adapt. You have to find time and do all the services the PCTs have asked you to do. You also need to delegate to a senior staff. Carry out MURs as they can now be done online. Most of the paperwork can now be done online as well so you have no excuse not to do it.

Be very prudent in your business relationship and cases as the current economy should make you think think twice before going into business. The current economic climate doesn't give anyone any confidence, especially when it comes to newly-qualified pharmacists. Therefore, it is quite risky to invest in a new venture. Everyone is cutting back and the best advice would be to work as hard as possible for now. You should save as much as you can, get enough cash behind you so if you have a very strong biz plan and you went to the bank or a financial institution, first thing they look at is how much of your own capital are you willing to risk. The more you have the better your case becomes.

Then you have a better chance of fighting the nationals as well.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business July 2009

Steadying the ship

2009-07-28T10:54:00.002+01:00

In a time of tumultuous change, pharmacists are repeatedly advised by industry experts to adapt the change into their businesses in order to stay afloat. Pharmacy Business reports a similar message that was delivered at the CAMRx Convention 2009 as it eased the growing concerns and reminded individuals to watch out for the 'ice-berg'...

In times when the profession is moving forward with more and more responsibilities handed over to a pharmacist – with customers more inclined to showing up at pharmacies rather than GP surgeries – industry experts are worried at a lack of planning on the individuals' part.

According to Rajni Hindocha, managing director of CAMRx, goals that pharmacists set themselves are not clear enough; Progress, by the looks of it, is not measured or specific; The fun element of work is missing. And as attendees at the CAMRx Convention 2009, held in Southampton last month, found out that knowing what to do was not enough and it was important to do what is known by remembering that a small effort can end up in giant results.

Apart from Hindocha, speakers at the convention included Jonathan Mason, national clinical director for Primary Care and Community Pharmacy DoH; Rob Darracott, chief executive of Company Chemists' Association; Mike Holden, chief officer of Isle of Wight Pharmaceutical Committee; Stuart Ward, clinical director of NHS Hampshire; Fin McCaul, chairman of Independent Pharmacy Federation; Arthur Daines, associate director CAMRx.

With the conference adapting a Titanic theme, Daines aptly launched the event by reminding delegates, and the greater pharmacy profession in general, that it is easy to sit back and laud the strengths while forgetting weaknesses and the 'invisible' factors that are hurting businesses.

'While pharmacists are easily accessible – at the heart of the community – and offer fast and efficient service, they are affected by internal problems such as poor delegation of work and reluctance to change that, ultimately, affects the business in general,' Daines said. 'We also offer instant and friendly service, without the customer having to book an appointment, poor marketing and time management as well as lack of training and development within the business may bring all the good work down quite easily.'

Echoing the message, McCaul spoke about how pharmacists need to realise the objective and harness the opportunity. Passing on his pointers for survival, he stressed that pharmacists need to accept that change was inevitable and rather than opposing it, they must adapt it and share paths.

'The other thing to remember is the current economic situation,'McCaul said. 'The financial roller-coaster is here to stay and we need to prepare and maintain an adaptable business plan that takes into account how the financial world is shaping up.

'While keeping one eye on the market situation, we also need to ensure that we introduce budgeting and forecasts into the business plan and prepare something that impresses the funding banks and wholesalers. In the end, you must ensure that you measure what you do, measure the progress you've made and list the drawbacks in order to be successful.'

Citing the iceberg example, McCaul reminded pharmacists that it was only known issues that were visible on the surface and easy to tackle. The 'hidden part of the iceberg, one that causes most damage' is generally invisible to the naked eye and cause the most damage if not countered.

'Personalities, emotions, hidden issues from the past, interests, needs and desires are all issues that can damage the business if not tackled. There is also the hidden expectation, self perception and self esteem that needs to be looked at for the business to be successful,' he added.

Highlighting the strength and popularity of community pharmacy in the recent years, Darracott said that the number of prescriptions dispensed in community pharmacy has increased by 53 per cent in the last nine years. The value of the prescriptions dispensed has increased considerably as well; 91.7 per cent rise in the last ten years to just over £8,000m.

Alluding to the strengths of community pharmacies, Darracott highlighted its position to reach healthy and well people as well as adding value to existing patient interaction that involves medication something pharmacists need to utilise effectively.

'With that in mind, we need to work together with practitioners, our partners in delivery,' Darracott said. 'Working together on shared goals and shared vision will only help the profession move forward. Pharmacy bodies' work on the White Paper is an example but others need to be engaged. It's a welcome first step in the right direction.'

The idea of collaborative working was explained further by Ward, a GP himself who started with the reminder that primary care is not restricted to GPs alone as it covers a number of trusted professions, namely dentists, optometrists and pharmacists since these professions have the first contact with the population.

'The number of patients is increasing and they are becoming more demanding,' Ward said. 'In order to manage this, healthcare messages need to be aligned. Working as a team will reduce workload, stress and improve your life as well as the patients'.

'The simplest way of improving standards is to utilise the MURs and use them imaginatively, minimise waste, maximise efficiency of repeat prescribing and ensure safe prescribing.' Ward added.

By following the basic guidelines and working together, according to him, the profession can provide better healthcare, develop new services, reduce hassle and annoyance and make life easier for all parties concerned.

As the word 'fun' echoed around the business session, used repeatedly by Hindocha to emphasise its need in a pharmacy, it was deemed important show delegates a glimpse of that. And as the business session terminated with the message of enjoying work, ensuring it does not become a burden, a Titanic-themed gala dinner followed with attendees urged to spark a moment of change in their respective pharmacies the next time they enter them.

Adapting to the change
Since we are surrounded by a huge amount of change, it is essential to provide this kind of support otherwise people are set in their habits. We do this by ensuring that they adopt to the new direction of travel. The major shift from supply to service function means that you need to change your behaviour as well as how you are going to work with the whole team, the interaction, especially, has to change.

We have been getting feedback from our members with regards to our conventions and roadshows and they have been excellent. We are glad to be of help to our members by providing this interaction that helps them to understand that it is just not their problem, it exists across the boards. Since these pharmacists work in silence, they think it's their problem only. Interaction and an event such as this helps break the ice teaches them how to work smartly. They talk to to each other, they talk to us, and they get a full message of interdependency between multiples, independents and the professionals.

Although we compete with each other, we have to learn to work in partnership and while we compete, we should be able to create our own USPs. That's also the overall message — to work in partnership because we have a backdrop of monopoly purchase of services. If we can't be united then we will end up as the biggest losers. We only have one purchaser, if we're united then we will be seen to be one provider and therefore the profession needs to unite.

CAMRx itself is in a very strong position. We are not about numbers but about quality and support. There exists passion in the centre, a quality service that we provide and how best we can support our members' businesses.

R Hindocha
Managing director, CAMRx

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business July 2009

The travel bug

2009-07-28T10:49:00.002+01:00

With international travels increasing considerably, there exists a worrying lack of awareness within travellers with regards to vaccinations. As swine flu grows from a few worrying cases into a pandemic, a recent briefing into travel vaccines passed on the experts' concerns...

The ease of travel in the current age has been blamed as a significant reason behind the spread of swine flu (H1N1) as it moved from the first reported cases to pandemic in just five weeks. Despite the global recession that has seemed to affect businesses and individuals globally, and in the UK, there were 68 million trips made abroad by UK residents in the last 12 months.

Worryingly, however, are the results of a TNS survey, showcased in a travel health briefing held in part with Novartis Vaccines, that one in four travellers questioned had no vaccination at all despite travelling to locations where it was required. Of the 334 questioned – of which 110 had visited Asia, 110 had visited Africa and 111 had visited Middle East – 63 per cent spent only half and hour thinking about protecting their health while travelling.

Commenting on the findings, Carol Fraser, representing TNS who carried out the survey, said it was worrying how only one in ten would leave their luggage unprotected but one in four were leaving their health unprotected. She also added that 25 per cent of travellers failed to seek any health advice prior to their travels, thus making themselves more vulnerable to falling ill when abroad.

'What was more surprising that of the 75 per cent that sough medical advice, 7.5 per cent did have the vaccinations that they were advised and a third of those said they were prepared to take the risk,' Fraser added.

According to Dr Richard Dawood, medical director of the Fleet Street Clinic, people were taking advantage of the economic climate and travelling while between jobs or a career change.

'There is a lot of travelling going on right now, especially to exotic locations in Asia and Africa,' Dawood said. 'Travel to Asia has increased three folds in the last 18 years while travel to Africa has doubled in the same period and travel times are less than the incubation period of most diseases.

'Holiday-makers will spend hours choosing their swim-wear or their beach bags or even their flip-flops, but barely minutes thinking about the viruses, bacteria, or other health information and advice that could ruin their trip, or even kill or cripple them. It is therefore advisable for travellers to obtain good health information and advice for each trip from a reliable source.'

The briefing carried a general consensus that a lot more was required by all concerned parties in order to increase public awareness.

The figures speak...
Nearly two-thirds (62%) were holiday-makers while 23% were visiting friends and relatives and 15% were travelling on business.
63% spent less than half and hour thinking about protecting their health and only 3% spent half a day.
25% were no vaccinated against any disease
25% fail to seek any medical advice prior to their travels
Of those that sought advice, 7.5% vaccination that they were advised
Despite 98% being aware of Meningitis, only 16% of those travelling to Africa – known as the Meningitis Belt – were immunised against Meningitis
51% of those visiting Asia were travelling to its rural areas but 34% were unaware of the vaccinations recommended for those areas
TNS survey, 334 respondents

Novartis' H1N1 vaccine production
Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A(H1N1) vaccine. This vaccine monobulk will be used for pre-clinical evaluation and testing and is also being considered for use in clinical trials. More than 30 governments have made requests to Novartis to supply them with influenza vaccine ingredients.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business July 2009

Focus on the pharmacist

2009-06-28T10:46:00.002+01:00

The ninth annual Avicenna Conference in April reminded pharmacists to provide increased, and relevant, services to the patients. In addition to our coverage in the last issue, Pharmacy Business revisits two key presentations from Las Vegas focussing on PIS, Generics and the need for delegation...

Pharmacists are control freaks, Trevor Gore, sales development controller at Reckitt Benckiser, claimed during his presentation in Las Vegas. According to Gore, the urge to undertake every task themselves, and not trusting colleagues and staff, is something that pharmacists need to consider and work on immediately in order to be more productive, both individually and financially for the business.

Presenting the changing face of pharmacy – comparing the trends in 1999 to how things stand in 2009 – Gore stated that ten years ago, majority of pharmacies were independent, had a single GB contract and had central funding. While the contracts were based on supply, location was the key for pharmacies back then.

However, according to Gore, since the turn of the century, not only are majority of pharmacies multiple-owned, but the focus has shifted drastically towards services of relevance to the community. He also added that there now exists local funding, devolved contracts and the contract is based on service provision.

'Judging by the changing face of pharmacy, it is important that pharmacists provide the services that are relevant to the locality and are financially beneficial for the business,' Gore said. 'However, what we see now is pharmacists providing services that have no value in the eyes of customers. They provide those services because they think it's good for the customers but in reality, you're not catering to the audience.

'Don't sell what you've got. Instead, sell what they want,' was the services-related message sent out by Gore to not only the 100-plus attendees at the Conference but also the pharmacy world in general. He also urged pharmacists to 'drop the admin tasks', something that the professionals are keen on performing in their pharmacies, as that was not why they took up the profession in the first place.

'Pharmacists did not become pharmacists to be a book-keeper, or even a dispenser. Robots can do all that and there is no need to qualified pharmacists, entrepreneurs, to be delving so much time into book-keeping and dispensing as there are far better things they need to be involved in.'

With regards to efficient time-management, Gore emphasised on the great role staff training and delegation plays in improving the overall standard of the pharmacy, in terms of customer service as well as improving the financial side of the business.

'You need good staff. They are your biggest asset. You also need to spot business patterns and act accordingly. In order to achieve that, you need to define the task, select the individual or the team, depending on the task, and asses the ability and training needs before assigning the task.

'When dealing with staff, you need to define success and measurements and what resources are required and will be utilised for the tasks to be carried out. It is important that adequate planning is done beforehand otherwise the time and resources spent on delivering on time will be wasted in the end.'

There is also a great need to ensure pharmacists provide the support and have a thorough communication process while staff is busy undertaking the tasks, according to Gore.

Gore also cited the Pareto Principle to encourage pharmacists to invest time wisely and where it is needed the most.

'As, according to the Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, eight per cent of your time spent working on something produces twenty per cent of your results. Looking at that closely, it would simply mean that twenty per cent of your time therefore delivers eight per cent of your work. It is imperative to look closely at that twenty per cent of time that you spend working on tasks.

'You need to put the right things in the right order in the right amount of time, basically. And moving forward, it would also hold true for the services you offer. There is no need to offer an array of services that you might think are relevant to the community.'

Earlier, Bharat Shah, managing director of Sigma Pharmaceuticals, delivered a timely reminder into the need and benefits of parallel distribution.

'Parallel distribution allows original, innovative medicines to be available at a lower cost to the patient,' he said. 'Parallel distribution also enhances competition, ensures internal supply chain assurances and external regulatory checks for patient safety and gives pharmacists and patients a choice.

'Adding to that, parallel distribution supports existing medicines distribution systems and the distribution creates new businesses and new jobs and improves margins for pharmacies.'

Bharat Shah also touched upon Parallel Imports (PIs) and assured one and all that PIs are a completely legal economic activity, re-affirmed many times both by the European Commission and by the European Courts.

'The PIs are exclusively limited to the borders of the EEA (27 member states of European Union plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) as regards both source and destination and it is where the parallel distributors hold wholesaling and manufacturing authorisations and deal in authorised medicines only with other parties holding wholesaling and/or manufacturing authorisations.'

Detailing the basic principles behind parallel imports, he said that each and every parallel-distributed medicine is tightly controlled by national and European regulatory authorities (either under a national marketing authorisation, or under European parallel distribution notice).

'In the UK, BAEPD represents a trade association representing 12 of the largest and longest-established parallel distributors of EU imported medicines in UK. There exist seven major legal basis of Parallel distribution – major and foremost Treaty of Rome: ‘free movement’ principle/exhaustion of IP rights.'

Shah also took time out to introduce and explain the basics of SigXchange, where the seller lists item and/or responds to a requested item. Once the enquiry is made, Sigma contacts seller and buyer before collecting goods from seller and delivering to the buyer. The lead time, according to Shah, was usually 24 to 48 hours and the fee the seller is charged depends upon the seller's monthly spend on SigXchange. For example, a seller with a monthly spend of less than £2,500 will be charged a handling fee of 12.5 per cent whereas a handling fee of ten per cent will be charged is the seller's monthly spend exceeds £2,500

'It is astonishing that an average pharmacy has approximately ten per cent dead stock lying within the premises. Therefore, SigXchange provides an opportunity for pharmacies to get rid of that dead stock and make money on it rather than leaving it there.'

Shah also summarised the world of generics and the issues surrounding the industry.

'Approximately £1.4bn taken out in last four years and almost a billion pounds directed to services which means the balance is lost forever. It started with 478 products and now stands at 515 with the minimum price of generic being 80p (subject to revision). Approximately 110 Category M product above brands. Cat M, in fact, is three to six months behind market prices and there is no way we can have a generic product less than 80p after Cat M.'

The concluding message given out by both presenters was to encourage pharmacists to take time out of their routine tasks and see what is really happening in the world of pharmacy. With pharmacists stuck dispensing and undertaking admin tasks, it will not be possible for them to undertake all that.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business June 2009

The love affair

2009-06-28T10:43:00.002+01:00

Prakash Patel fell in love with pharmacy as a young customer. Moving from Zambia to England to pursue his love further, Patel now owns four east London pharmacies. From a youngster to the Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year 2008, he shares all with Faras Ghani...

Owning his own pharmacy at the age of 21, that was the top entry on Prakash Patel's to-do list as a pre-reg. Not many aim for such heights in early days and the ones that do are not taken seriously by sellers. Fortunately for Patel – aided in part by his determination and conscientiousness – one seller did, albeit for an east-London pharmacy, and Patel has not looked back since.

'I was still young at that time and based in north London so when I spoke to people about this opportunity in east London, I had cold water poured over it and I was advised to stay away from it,' Patel said. 'However, pharmacy is a patient-oriented profession and east London was poorly supplied. The prices were much lower compared to the north and since I did not have a huge capital base, I wanted to buy something that I could effectively build up.'

Building up his dreams from a young age, Patel was particularly influenced by the clean and professional image a pharmacy had. Visiting several pharmacies in his native Zambia, Patel was impressed the pharmacist wearing a white coat and decided on a 'career that was well-respected and something that the public looked up to'.

It was not easy fulfilling his dreams though, as Patel explained. Following his move to the UK in 1974, the school he attended did not offer GCSEs and despite continued insistence, Patel, together with five other adamant individuals, would need at least 75 per cent in their mock exams to be put forward for GCSEs by the head-teacher.

'I knew that I had a very slim chance of achieving what I wanted without GCSEs but luckily that all went through fine until my pre-reg year when I was quite short on funds. The fact that I also wanted to buy my own pharmacy within six months of qualifying, I worked at another pharmacy till midnight, saving as I earned.

'You had to put down 30 to 40 per cent of equity down to buy a pharmacy and even at that age, I was quite committed. I would go through listings to pick out interesting ventures in the areas I was looking at but at times had to clarify my genuine interest to the sellers due to my age.'

With a keen eye for business from a young age as well, Patel knew early on that in order to reach the goals, he would need a lot of capital and would have to put aside majority of his earnings. 'Luckily, I was a single person at that time and did not have many expenses so was quite easily able to put away a chunk of what I was earning at that time. '

The helpful interest rates at that time also helped Patel and when he turned up for his appointment with the bank manager with his business projections ready, his 75 per cent loan application was approved. 'I told him I had done my projection and by that the business will definitely be able to support the loan . And all the hard work paid off then.'

Although his first acquisition, and the following three later on, was based in East London, Patel was convinced that he had what it would take for the business to flourish – an interest in caring for the patients. Which is probably the reason why Patel now owns four pharmacies, all based in east London. While he runs around taking care of all four, he has ensured effective delegation while keeping his clinical knowledge in constant use.

'I have managers at all four of my pharmacies but since they do five days a week, I'm on the shopfloor during their time off. I get to stay in touch with what I learn at pharmacy school while also planning ahead for the businesses. I actively actively participate on the PCT and am also the vice chair for the Propharm group. So all in all, I keep myself busy and am quite excited in the direction this profession is taking.'

Excited and confident, which is why Patel has got his family involved in the pharmacy profession. His eldest daughter and her fiancé are both pharmacists. The second daughter is currently studying at pharmacy school and his nephew, niece, and nephew's wife are all in the same profession. 'It probably has become a family business,' Patel joked.

But he is also quite excited at how pharmacy is progressing through the current climate, from the talks of a new body to all the other changes taking place.

'The profession is moving forward as a service-based profession. The ones able to lock into services will be successful. Pharmacists one of the most trusted professionals according to a recent survey and If we believe in that, that is our biggest asset. To achieve success, it is important that pharmacists go out and be the face of pharmacy, not be stuck dispensing but be in the front where patients can see them.'

It is perhaps the inclination towards being seen that led Patel towards applying for, and winning, the Pharmacy Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008.

'Our pharmacy won an award for our stop-smoking service as we were putting up consistent figures in the area. One of the PCT members nominated us for the Awards and I didn't know I was going to win as the competition was really healthy. However, upon receiving the Award I was really chuffed as it was a pleasant surprise, something I really treasure quite a lot and it did put a big cherry on top of what I've achieved so far.'

Patel offers free MURs and prescription collection and drop-services at all his pharmacies, and have been providing the latter since the 1970s. 'From a person on a bicycle, we now have three delivery drivers and provide free drop-offs. The patient can either phone us or tell us what surgery the prescription is at, we pick it up..get it delivered in a radius of five miles. It's mostly for eldery patients who can't venture out to pharmacies regularly or for the working ones, who are at work till late in the evening.'

Offering free MURs not only helps us achieve the target of 400, but also allows us to interact with customers and offer the best advice and guidance. The PCT has given some sort of criteria: Those on medical conditions, long-term conditions, where pharmacists intervention would be good. Those are the ones we concentrate on and last year we achieved target of 400 at all our pharmacies.

'We have also included an incentive for our pharmacists as well which obviously helps the whole process. It orks well with counter staff as well and the patient benefits in the end too.'

'While our pharmacists are really busy, we've allocated different tasks to different staff so that frees up the pharmacists' time and that allows them to undertake the MURs.'

Despite having the business, its development, training and staff to look after, Patel still gets time to look into how the profession is shaping up, and support Arsenal in their home games as well.

Speaking of the new professional body, Patel agreed that it had caused 'a lot of uncertainty in the profession and has brought a lot of worry.'

'I think whatever happens, it's important that leaders in the pharmacy field get behind the people who are in the know. There is some apathy in the profession as well and voting was quite poor in the last elections. It's imp that each pharmacist takes responsibility in the profession if they want to take the profession forward. We need right leaders with the right vision, to steer the profession forward.'

Confident and in love with his profession? Most definitely. 'It's a profession I'm absolutely keen for. In another life I'd probably come back as a pharmacist as well.'

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business June 2009

Change of guards

2009-06-28T10:41:00.001+01:00

Tony Mottram joined Numark last November as its commercial director, a new role created by the interim managing director John D'arcy as he thought the business needed a 'second role for it to be effectively operational'. Not a pharmacist by profession, Mottram joined the pharmaceutical industry as a sales representative for Pfizer at the age of 22 and has spent the last 18 years working his way up at Ivax, Ashbourne Pharmaceuticals and Napp Pharmaceuticals, where he spent ten years.

Trained as a medic after joining the forces, it seemed a natural fit to follow a pharmaceutical path, according to Mottram. Wanting to go into a sales role, he also spent a few months at a bank, coming up to grasp with the requirements of the finance world before joining Pfizer.

Appointed commercial director at Numark – to ensure that the business operated the right way commercially, as he put it – Mottram answers questions related to the Nucare takeover, Numark's business model, how life will change following his promotion and the benefits pharmacists can obtain by joining hands with him.

The Adolf Merckle suicide made headlines soon after you joined Numark. Was that a difficult period for you and the business and was Numark as a business affected greatly?
The loss of anybody will have an impact on certain parts of the business at a senior level. However, we are a credible business in the UK as well as being sustainable. Phoenix might change ownership in the future, nobody can say yes or no at this point in time but I can confirm that it's a solid business as things stand.

Following your appointment as the managing director, how will your job change on a day-to-day basis?
It's a bit difficult to say what changes will be made right now. John D'arcy and myself, we worked closely and he gave me a brief of what he wanted. My job is in the title: managing director. I need to manage the business and ensure it heads in the right director and making sure people are directed in order to deliver what is required. As we move forward, I'll be working with the Numark board to ensure we head in the right direction.

When I joined, the team at Numark underwent a review of where we're at. We have clear aims, what is it that we're about and what we want to do. Each department has tactics that seem to be working well. I don't think I need to change anything if we're going in the right direction. There are a few things to develop and that is all work-in-progress. Our aim to create a profitable and sustainable independent pharmacy. But, as before, I won't be making any changes in the way this business is run as I believe we're heading in the right direction, aptly depicted by our membership numbers which are at its peak right now.

Phoenix took over Nucare in 2007. How easy was the transition for Nucare members and what percentage of members did you manage to bring into Numark?
We managed to retain 33 per cent of Nucare membership into Numark. For me it's irrelevant whether you're a Nucare member or a Numark member. You need to belong to an organisation which is going to lead and support you in the delivery of your business model. If you can't have a commercial deal with the wholesaler and if you're not prepared to move the wholesaler, then it is what it is.

A lot of pharmacists cited high membership fee as a reason for not joining Numark. How would you justify the £100 per month fee?
The £100 membership fee has been in existence for a long time. Nucare member wishing to join Numark were given discount but that was through a rebate. This fee is paid by 2,067 members and the members who access a range of services will get about £1,400 in rebate. You need to access what we offer in order to justify the fee. If you merely pay the fee and not engage and utilise what we can do for your business then you're not going to benefit.

How would you then convince pharmacists to join Numark?
The answer's quite straightforward. Independent pharmacy is in a massive place of change. It is very difficult at times to see the opportunity in front of you and develop your business locally to make it happen for you.

Numark offers a range of services and solutions which you need to engage in to maximise benefits. The more you access Numark, the fitter you and your team will become. It's a difficult time for pharmacy and we provide strategies that you can implement locally in order to be successful.

Our USP is the pedigree of delivery. We have sustainability in the business and have delivered to our members Some members leave because they don't see value in being a member. That is because they do not access what we do and provide. On the other hand, we get new members because they see a potential of what we can do for them.

Is there assistance provided to members when it comes to tendering for services?
We have provided assistance with a number of members on an individual basis, and with success. Our professional services team does a lot to support members who are in a position to commission for positions. It's something that as a model we're developing to offer to a broader base of the membership. Tender assistance includes key therapy areas such as vascular checks, diabetes care and weight management.

We will support individual members with individual service submission or tenders. The key thing is that we have members who understand how to develop a service and we have members who have a will to develop services but don't know how to do it. So we can help both types.

Merchandising has been cited as a key issue for pharmacists, something they don't pay much attention it. Does Numark offer support in that area as well?
Merchandising is indeed a key area. Pharmacists need to make themselves appealing on the high street and that is what will attract customers inside the shop. Once inside, whether it's consumer or around prescription side, the merchandising has to be spot on as providing relevant products in the right areas will increase basket spend. That is part of our role, to help improve the OTC element.

You mentioned appealing to customers on the high street. Has re-branding from a chemist to a Numark store helped increase sales?
Yes, it has. We collect data for re-branding and it not only increases the OTC sales but also affects prescription side of things as well. The model would suggest that the change has attracted new customers that have turned into patients. We have a team of pharmacy development managers whose job is to do a full business review for any member who wants to pay for that service. Out of that review, they'll get an action plan which will be marketing commercial and services. We analyse the complete pharmacy environment to competitors, surgeries and how the existing customers perceive the business to be. This business review is like a ten-step plan to improve their overall profitability and sustainability.

Do you get regular feedback from members and do you get time to visit them personally?
I have undertaken 64 member visits in the last three months. One thing I said when I joined Numark was that I'd be accessible as I work for the members. I don't sit in office and become unapproachable. I will see them and sit down with them and help them and my team make their business work for them. I need to be visible to members and I am. However, I also have a responsibility to direct the business in the right way so there might be a change in the number of visits undertaken as I am only one man. Having said that, I have a very strong and professional team with a very strong skill-set. Pharmacists aren't scared to approach me, and they shouldn't be. They pay a membership fee and if they knock on our doors and ask for help, we will do our best to provide that.

Does staff training come as part of Numark membership?
Training has been part of Numark's pedigree for years and years. We have always been a strong organisation in leading, training and developing people. We hold 32 training events per year which are free to members and their teams. The focus of these events lies on relevant skill-set and business needs. We give the owners some skills and knowledge to effect changes. They know how to dispense. Where they need help is being a manager, a coach and a leader. Sometimes they need help stepping back, refuse the urge to fix all the problems themselves.

Do members have a choice to buy from other places or are they restricted by a membership contract?
Membership is about choice. Our job commercially is to negotiate preferred deals with suppliers and source those deals. The member always has a choice where to buy their products from. But if we've done the right thing by negotiating a good commercial deal that gives profitability to members and business growth to manufacturers and suppliers, then it's a no-brainer they should be buying form our deal. If they choose not to then it goes back to what do I get from my £100.

We have compliant members who make in excess of £8, 500 per month in terms of rebate. They understand the model and deals we have and they lock into it. We negotiate on behalf of the members and we work for them.

What advice then would you give to pharmacists having problems in the current economic conditions?
Have a plan. If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere else. You need to find time to make a plan. Make sure you have the right staff, you train them well and develop them in the right way.

You don't need to constantly change plans. Have one eye on the climate and acclimatise to it. Only engage with new services if they are relevant to you, for example there is no point jumping on a bandwagon for diabetic service if you don't have diabetic patients. You need to asses whether it's relevant or not to your locality.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Pharmacy Business June 2009

Younis Khan’s men — poor starters, great finalists

2009-06-26T23:33:00.001+01:00

Second chances are rare in sports. Unimaginable, especially in the shortest form of international cricket. Seldom is a poor performance overturned by sparks of brilliance to win matches. Rarely is an array of poor fielding displays — that continuously let opposition off the hook — followed by shattered stumps that pulls them right back. It simply belies all cricket ethos and sits against the norm.

But the Pakistan team was never the one to bow to ethos and adhere to norm. It seemed an eternity to wake them from the Bhurban conditioning camp and the many Selfridges’ trips. The load-shedding, it seemed, had tampered with the veins and an early exit loomed as the team took to the field in their first warm-up.

As the team progressed unconvincingly, temperament went astray with the bat in hand. Until Younis Khan, followed by Kamran Akmal, came of age. Accuracy seemed a lost art with the ball and overstepping was adopted as norm. Until Umar Gul treated opposition with swinging spaghetti. The fielding display went from poor to wretched. Until Shahid Afridi galloped towards long-on boundary, clutching onto his prize from the heavens.

And out of nowhere, against expectations and predictions, it all seemed to fall in place. Just like that. Younis had issued repeated reminders that Pakistan have always been slow starters and will pick up pace with each victory. Never had that statement been more aptly illustrated on the field as the men in green saved their best for the best, South Africa at Trent Bridge, in an attempt to appear in their second successive final. Pakistan’s route to the semi-final is as much courtesy a favourable draw as spurts of brilliance. Skipper Younis and Intikhab Alam, the team’s coach, shared plans that contradicted, and fouled any hopes the fans had of a decent performance by their idols. While Younis wanted stability at the top, Intikhab preferred aggression. Neither seemed to work and the experiments that the team management vociferously pointed out would lead to an improved performance landed flat, failing to make an impression.

Not so much the cornered tigers, but cornered nevertheless.

And out of nowhere, as Salman Butt was put out of his misery by the team management, Akmal repaid Younis’ trust and gamble in him. Shahzaib Hassan deposited a few in the stands but it looked as if the injury to all-rounder Yasir Arafat, and the subsequent arrival of Abdul Razzaq, brought with it a change of fortunes and a bag of miracles.

Gul seemed to realise he still had it in him to bowl fast and swing the ball. Young Aamir was the surprise packet while Saeed Ajmal left doubts about the legality of his action behind and continued to flux batsmen.

Afridi, first-ball slogs and rash stroke-play aside, remembered he has improved as a bowler of late. Then came his batting which was, indeed, a revelation with a renewed vigour to occupy the crease and accumulate runs for his team. And Akmal, as a wicket-keeper with no Danish Kaneria in the side, held onto catches and created world records.

Younis, who had up until the semis shouldered batting responsibilities, sat back concentrating and scripting the perfect plot. Tweaking Shakespeare, with mirth and laughter let the greatest prize come, hoped the captain.

The route to success, surprisingly, was smooth off the field as well. With Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in a different time-zone, the team rather became a damp squib as far as the sniffing paparazzi were concerned. No curfew-breaking clubbing nights, no training scuffles, no bat-fencing at team-mates, no blazing-up to speak of.

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain who was sidelined for much of the tournament due to injury, did try and help matters by blurting out desperate excuses to justify the humiliation received at the hands of Umar Gul. To no avail, unfortunately as his ‘informal inquiry’ for the match referee to look into the state of the magic white ball was shooed away and buried forever.

There were also reports of a rift in the camp, as Abdul Qadir, post-resignation, decided to reveal all. But rifts have been omnipresent in the dressing room since time began and that, on most occasions, failed to affect the combined performance on the field. Beffiting, perhaps, was the presence of Shoaib Malik, who Qadir would have omitted from the squad had he been able to ‘do things his own way’, in the middle as the winning run was scored.

Younis on the eve of the tournament made it clear that he wanted to face India in the final and beat them this time. That changed as short balls grew tall on the Indian batsmen. He then wanted it to be South Africa but in the end, it did not really matter to him.

As the light training sessions failed to replicate the growing tension among fans, the players, especially the youngsters, had realised destiny was a tiger tamed.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper, June 26, 2009

Players repaid the trust and confidence I reposed in them: Younis

2009-06-26T23:31:00.001+01:00

It was a script that bellowed splendour as the victorious captain sat down to answer questions for one last time. Perhaps God had given Younis Khan a sneak preview on how the World Cup would curtail on the sun-drenched afternoon when the script was crafted, for he gave a look of a man who knew the ending even before the directors had started casting.

There was no fits of laughter, no continued references to his favourite word ‘fun’, the eyes were not popping out, he termed the sport cricket and not WWF and as he sat draped in the green flag, he wore a calm expression that merely said ‘I told you so’. And as the world stood dumbfounded by the revival that led to the final victory, Younis alluded to the confidence he had in his team from the start and how the win was not a complete surprise.

“Before the start of the tournament, I had labelled ourselves and West Indies as semi-finalists and people laughed at me when I said it,” Younis said. “Even when we failed to perform in the warm-up match, I had complete faith in my players and I knew that we have special something that would take us through.

“Everybody knows we are slow starters but my players knew we needed to win this tournament to lift our nation. It is indeed a huge achievement for us and I’m glad to have given this gift to our troubled nation.”

The win, as Younis pointed out, carried extra meaning as Pakistan had lost the last two finals played on this ground: World Cup 1999 and Natwest Series 2001, both against Australia. Pakistan also lost the inaugural World Twenty20 final against India and with survivors from each of those matches present in the squad, the captain’s plea not to succumb to pressure and apply the finishing touch was heard.

“I chatted to Razzaq and Afridi prior to the final and asked them to hold their nerves and apply the final touch. And I think it worked as Afridi batted sensibly — he even took singles and twos! — and the senior guys performed.’

As he talked of the senior players — adding his own name to the list repeatedly — Younis also took time out to remember Bob Woolmer, the former Pakistan coach who died following Pakistan’s early exist in World Cup 2007, and dedicated the win to the ‘father figure of the team who I owe this trophy and captaincy to’.

“He did well for the team whole incharge, especially me as an individual. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have been the captain of Pakistan so credit must go to him for our achievement. I can just see how happy he would’ve been had he been sitting here right next to me.”

Not forgetting the performing youngsters in the team, Younis sent out a plea to nations to resume playing in Pakistan. It will, according to Younis, not only provide a distraction for the terror-struck nation but will also promote the sport among the Pakistani youth.

“Everybody is following Twenty20 cricket and since we are the champions now, I request all the countries to come to Pakistan. The law and order situation is not good but that’s not our fault and we need international cricket in Pakistan to motivate youngsters, especially at school and college level and I believe this will help build new cricket structure in Pakistan.” While that plea is not the one to be answered in the foreseeable future, by lifting the trophy Younis not only ensured a temporary grin on the Pakistan faces, but also fulfilled his personal dream of following in the steps of Imran Khan as a world-cup winning captain but issued a warning that there exists a world outside Twenty20.

“Imran Khan was my hero and I had dreamt of lifting the World Cup and being remembered as a world-cup-winning captain after I leave the sport. Although it brings me a lot of pleasure to have accomplished that, we must perform well in the coming series and ensure all the hard work does not go to waste.

“I still believe Twenty20 is a fun game and a great entertainment factor and we came out emphatic winners [by eight wickets]. However, if we promote it too much then there will be no Test matches and therefore we must do something about this [Twenty20].”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 23, 2009

Pakistan fans

2009-06-26T23:28:00.001+01:00

Writing cricket

2009-06-26T23:23:00.002+01:00

Mihir Bose’s areas of expertise reach far and wide into accountancy, engineering, football, Bollywood and, surprisingly, Memons. Born in Kolkata in the year of the Partition but raised in Mumbai — the city he calls his hometown — Mihir, author of over 20 books and winner of many awards, shares his thoughts with Books & Authors on cricket, the history of the subcontinent, his desire to be a ‘great writer’ and becoming the first sports editor at the BBC.

How did an interest in journalism and writing develop?
MB: Despite belonging to a business-minded family, I’d always wanted to be a writer even though my father thought there was no money in it. I was growing up in an independent India which was heavily influenced by Nehru, so it had to produce engineers and scientists. I came to England to become one too, but switched to accountancy since it would give me time to write a novel that would make me famous. It didn’t quite work out that way but I broke into journalism via commercial radio after qualifying as an accountant.

I went back to India a couple of times, worked as a stringer for the Sunday Times and even got commissioned to write a book on Keith Miller. However, there came a time when I decided that if I wanted to become a writer — and I couldn’t become one in India — I had to resign from my job as an accountant. By then, I had also gotten a contract on a biography on Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian nationalist who was termed a traitor. That was that. I’ve never looked back and I’ve been a full-time writer since October 1978.

What problems did you face in England while pursuing your dream?
MB: Though I was very aware of my colour and race, it took me a long time to get used to standing out. I came from quite a well-off background, but suddenly found myself not only doing my own dishes but made aware that I was different. Despite that — and the fact that I felt India was imprisoning me — England was a liberating place for me.

It was the place where I thought of becoming a great writer and where I would go to Soho and proclaim my genius. However, I realised that nobody wants to know me and to them I had come from a poor country and had a terrible name. I got assaulted while reporting on football and was chased down a train by a gang of hooligans. Even with all that, England gave me opportunities and the world we live in is a western world, which I’m very happy to be a part of. I prefer living here and am quite comfortable as the country has been very good to me.

Why the interest in sports, especially cricket?
MB: I read a lot about cricket. I’ve loved it as a kid and my father would let me practice as a radio commentator in front of guests so I grew up living cricket. Though I went to the same school as Sunil Gavaskar, I never played the game that well and wasn’t encouraged either. Because of my interest, I have written three books on cricket, including the only history of Indian cricket, as well as Maidan View, which examines the influence of cricket on Indian society. I’ve never seen a distinction between sports and writing.

If you write about sports, you’re not writing about kindergarten, you’re writing about life.

What books and authors have managed to influence you?
MB: I wanted to be a writer like V.S. Naipaul or Graham Greene, people like that were my heroes. I also wanted to be like Neville Cardus, a cricket writer. I was also influenced by books like C.L.R. James’ Beyond the Boundary in which cricket is used to describe West Indian society. I’m also fascinated by biographies and history books. I believe they take a certain thing about society and use it to explain the society itself.

You mentioned your love for history. What is your take on the history of subcontinent and why there exist major gaps and discrepancies in the scripts?
MB: The history of the subcontinent motivates me as it is the history of my people. You pick up a book on the great events of the world and you’ll find that they are all western events. It’s a fact that conquerors write history and hence there is no mention of any battles of Panipat.

There’s a dearth of great biographies, especially ones written by locals. For instance, most of the biographies of Gandhi are by non-Indians, and the only well-known biography of Jinnah is written by an American professor. The subcontinent retreats into fiction because it doesn’t want to confront reality. We either love people or hate them. An assessment of Jinnah can’t take into account that he was the most unlikely Muslim who drank whiskey and ate pork. However, he was a great leader, in fact one of the greatest leaders of the subcontinent, the man who created a country.

There is a fear of recognising, it’s an irrelevant way of thinking. It shows a lack of maturity, an almost-adolescent behaviour that your heroes have got to be gods. This is saying that all you write about the great man is the speeches he delivered and great letters he wrote, but not the man who lived his life.

India and Pakistan are like two Siamese twins trying to separate themselves but not quite managing to. Pakistan needs to stop comparing itself to India and thinking that India can’t go ahead of them. Pakistan has a greatness that the Indians don’t have and that is not accepting defeat. In cricket, Pakistan won a Test in England in 1954. It took India 17 more years to match that.

What projects would like to do in the future?
I would like to write a couple of novels and a major book about the subcontinent, particularly about India. I’d also like to write a book tracing my father’s journey which started as a young man in a village in Ramchandrapur (West Bengal) who gave up his job to join the freedom struggle and moved to Mumbai.

I also want to write a biography of Gandhi and Jinnah, especially as I was brought up to hate Jinnah but have come to admire him as a politician. We need more books on the communities living in the subcontinent and how they are progressing.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in Books & Authors (DAWN newspaper) June 21, 2009

We want to win World T20 for the nation: Younis

2009-06-20T00:21:00.000+01:00

Skipper Younis Khan has made it crystal clear how badly Pakistan wants to win the World Twenty20 on Sunday with reasons ranging from the dearth of silveware in the last decade to his team getting labelled serious contenders in major tournaments once again. But most of all, he wants to win it for the terror-struck nation facing a bleak future.

Speaking after defeating tournament favourites South Africa in a pulsating semi-final at Trent Bridge, Younis lauded Shahid Afridi’s match-winning all-round performance but made sure the audience were reminded of the sufferings in Pakistan.

“The World Cup is everything for us,” Younis said. “I want to win it for the team, the nation and the millions suffering back at home, especially in the northern areas where I’m from. There are fights going on on a daily basis and I believe that winning the trophy will bring some smiles on their faces for a change.”

While the captain and team are unable to affect changes on the war-field, they ensured that they left the playing field at Trent Bridge with their best performance in the tournament so far, something Graeme Smith, South Africa’s captain, agreed with.

“Although we played great cricket throughout the tournament and today as well, credit must go to Pakistan as they played their best game of the tournament today,” Smith said. “Afridi had a great game with the bat and then the ball and he basically was the difference between the two sides.” We lost to a better team and that is something we’ll have to deal with.’

Afridi, consistent performer with the ball, repaid Younis’ trust and decision to promote him to number three. While he had shown glimpses of sensible batting, albeit in patches, as the tournament progressed, a significant contribution was surely missing.

He had told Dawn in an earlier interview how he was available, and prepared, to be promoted up the order to prove his worth with the bat. And although his aptly-timed first half-century in international cricket since January 2008 resembled one of a changed, and matured, cricketer, Afridi was adamant he was still as aggressive as ever.

“I was given a huge responsibility and told to play my natural game,’ Afridi said. “The captain really supported me and that’s always a benefit for any player. Playing aggressive cricket is my nature and I always enter the ground with the aim to win as I firmly believe it is my right to win and I have to fight for it.”

Credit must also go to the team effort, according to Afridi, as it was the self-belief in the playing eleven that got Pakistan through their toughest opponents thus-far. While marked improvements are constantly witnessed by the bowlers, Pakistan’s fielding — two dropped catches — and batting in the death overs — no boundaries in the last five overs — has become a cause for concern. Younis, with his customary light-hearted jokes and laughs, shrugged aside the concerns and said the plan for the final was simple: “Just go out there, do your best in all departments of the game and the cup is ours.”

Pakistan’s earlier experiments of juggling the batting line-up and playing elevens seemed to backfire at will, resulting in an inconsistent show on the tour. Keeping with his trend of parting with humorous and straight-forward remarks, Younis reckoned it was impossible for his side to be consistent. “We’re from Pakistan, nothing is stable there so how can we be stable,’ he said before adding that the slow-starters tag is something his team seems to carry into every series but it was the ‘momentum that we carry with every win that enables a strong performance in the following match’ was what mattered most.”

“It is important that we deliver the right thing at the right time and going into the final, I expect a strong performance from our match-winners namely Misbah-ul-Haq, Afridi, Umar Gul and Kamran Akmal. South Africa is the toughest team in world cricket right now and now that we have beaten them, I believe we can go and win the cup.”

While Pakistan await the winner’s of the second semi-final that took place at The Oval last night, Jacque Kallis, the South African allrounder, must be ruing the barrage of short balls that faced Afridi’s wrath and, in turn, delivered a damning verdict on the outcome of the match, sealed with a kiss.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 20, 2009

Razzaq, Shahzaib delighted with contributions in T20 wins

2009-06-17T09:18:00.000+01:00

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan all-rounder, has branded ICL as ‘low standard cricket’ and breathed a sigh of relief after quitting the ‘rebel’ league last month and being fast-tracked into the international side for the ICC World Twenty20.

Making his comeback for Pakistan against New Zealand at The Oval, Razzaq was handed the new ball, under pressure to perform straight away following a poor opening over. What followed seemed an effortless transition, after a two-year absence from international cricket, but even an impressive return of two for 17 failed to come up to the standards he had set himself.

“It wasn’t easy to get back into international cricket after a long absence,” Razzaq told Dawn. “This is the highest standards of cricket being played in the world and playing in ICL and its low standard cricket, it needs a great deal of mental adjustment. Even after the performance against New Zealand, I believe I still need another two to three weeks to get up to grips with international cricket.”

Fresh from topping the wicket-takers’ chart in Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20, Razzaq barely had 24 hours to adjust to conditions. While his team-mates took much longer to get acclimatised, the all-rounder started as if it was Lahore. His first ball almost capped off a memorable comeback if not for an inside edge off Aaron Redmond’s bat. However, he did not have to wait too long though for a lofted drive off Brendon Mccullum’s bat landed safely in the fielder’s hands and Pakistan were off to a great start.

Not surprised at being rewarded so early in his comeback match, Razzaq owed much to his spell with Surrey who have The Oval as their home ground. He also spent a season as Middlesex’s overseas player and thus the pitch and conditions were not alien to him. “I have played at this ground before and that helped me immensely. I was also able to provide input in the team meeting on the type of pitch, the outfield and the conditions and I think it helped me a great deal to have that background information.”

He also welcomed the inclusion of youngsters in the team, while commending a great effort by Mohammad Aamer and Shahzaib Hassan, but stressed the need for individual improvement in order to succeed at the highest level. “It’s basically a survival of the fittest. They [the youngsters] need to work hard on their fitness, get the experience and gradually, in about two to three months, they’ll constantly deliver the goods.”

Shahzaib, making his international debut in a must-win match for Pakistan, also showed no signs of nervousness with the bat or when questioned about his 27-ball 35.

Shahzaib was confident he had shone glimpses of the talent he possesses and will get more chances despite the opener failing to match his debut performance in the second match. “Although I scored against New Zealand, I wasn’t totally satisfied with my performance,’ Shahzaib told Dawn. ‘It was a chance for me to do well for myself and for my team and I was really thankful for the opportunity given. However, I’m sure I’ll get another chance to prove my worth and improve on what you saw on Saturday.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 17, 2009

We can’t afford to relax despite good show: Younis

2009-06-16T09:45:00.000+01:00

Demons were buried convincingly. Worried faces breathed a sigh of relief. A repeat of the 2007 Jamaican debacle was too much to ask for from the Irish as a convincing 39-run win at The Oval confirmed Pakistan's place in the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 2009.

Younis Khan, Pakistan's captain, had earlier asked his team to 'crush Ireland and march on'. Although the darker shade of green did not quite crush their opponents, Younis was adamant his side, who were hammered in the first two games at this ground, had what it takes to go all the way.

“We've always been slow starters,” Younis said at the post-match press conference. “It's not necessarily a good thing but what matters most is that we peak at the right time and carry forward the momentum that we have gained from the wins.”

Admitting his side fell short by twenty runs, Younis had complete trust in his bowlers – comprising three of the top six bowlers in this tournament – to carry Pakistan through.

“Opting to bat, I wanted to post at least 180 as it was a good batting pitch and the conditions were suitable for batting. However, despite the team falling short, I had complete faith in our bowlers and in the end, they kept my faith and, as you can see, we are through to the semis.”

Of the bowlers, Gul, once again, proved deadly with the ball. Younis, while complimenting his fast-bowler, was not pleased with New Zealand making an informal inquiry about the condition of the ball following their dismissal for 99.

“Reverse swing is an art, not cheating. Gul has a perfect action for reverse swing and he has pace so he doesn't need to get involved with cheating. Although we weren't really upset at the comments and inquiry, It's really disappointing to hear what happens. But then they got out really cheaply so maybe they inquired because of that.” Laughing off the Daniel Vettori's comments, Younis reminded all that Pakistan was surrounded by enough controversies and did not really need another one. “We need to forget these things and concentrate on cricket. That's what we do best.”

With Pakistan carrying the momentum, Younis shrugged aside signs of complacency as “bigger things and teams were to follow.” While Pakistan's passage through to the semi-finals has been confirmed, their position in the group will depend on the result of the New Zealand and Sri Lanka match taking place at Trent Bridge today and could see them up against South Africa in the last-four.

“We're through to the semi-final but we can't relax. The beauty of the Twenty20 format is such that it can change very quickly and you need to do the right things at the right time in order to come out on top. It's all about how you turn up on the day.”

Now that the team has acclimatised to the conditions, and have a chance to lift the trophy, Younis assured fans of his team's, and his, commitment on the field, promising a hundred per cent in all three departments of the game. “Although this game is good entertainment for the fans, with lots of boundaries being hit and bowlers like Gul hitting the stumps, I can assure everyone that we still take it very seriously. When we take the field for a match, we play with dedication and commitment that is expected, and asked of, by our fans.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 16, 2009

We feel let down by Qadir’s comments: Intikhab

2009-06-15T18:17:00.001+01:00

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has brushed aside comments of ‘too much interference’ made by the former chief selector Abdul Qadir.

Sharing his disappointment at the timing of the comments – in the middle of Pakistan’s ICC World Twenty20 campaign – Intikhab told Dawn that the squad was selected in agreement with all parties concerned and it was shocking to hear Qadir’s comments given that he, himself, had agreed to the name beforehand.

“Comments regarding our interference is Qadir’s own opinion,” Intikhab said. “Whenever the team is selected, everybody, including the selectors, coach, and captain, and it is only then the piece of paper with everyone’s signatures if forwarded to the PCB chairman.”

“If he [Qadir] had issues with our interference or had problems with the selection, why did he sign those papers? He should’ve come out there and then and shared his thought instead of waiting until after tendering his resignation before making such statements,” quipped Intikhab.

Following his resignation last week, Qadir blamed Intikhab and Yawar Saeed, the team manager, for interference in selection matters, tendering his team of selectors as a ‘dummy committee’.

According to Qadir, he would have also stripped Younis Khan of the team’s captaincy in the Twenty20 format of the game while omitting Shoaib Malik, Younis’ predecessor as captain, from the side altogether for conspiring against the current captain.

Denying a rift in the current squad, Intikhab termed the allegations baseless and felt let down by the former chief selector making such statements when the team could do without them.

Meanwhile, Intikhab praised the stunning performance of Umar Gul and comeback guy Abdul Razzaq with the ball against New Zealand here on Saturday that won a key match for them in the Super Eights.

“He’s [Umar Gul] a fantastic bowler,” he said. “He’s disciplined, trains hard and is always thinking about his bowling. No wondered he achieved that feat [world record].”

Intikhab admitted Razzaq’s inclusion has strengthened the squad.

Highest wicket-taker in the recently-concluded domestic Twenty20 tournament, Razzaq shone with the bat too and scored the only century of the tournament. Judging by his performance on Saturday, he did not look short on confidence.

The coach said that Pakistan has hit form at the right moment.

“’It’s important to peak at the right time and this is what the team is doing right now,” he said. “Our batting clicked, our bowlers performed and our fielders took their catches. Special emphasis on Afridi’s brilliant catch and it’s moments like these that life the team’s moral on the field and turns players into match-winners.

“His [Afridi’s] batting was a bit of a concern prior to Saturday but it was due to circumstances [not many overs left in the innings] rather than anything else. He’s a match-winner and despite his lack of form with the bat, his bowling been brilliant as he’s shown how a leg-spinner can be so effective in Twenty20 cricket.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 15, 2009

Poor start spoiled our act: Younus

2009-06-12T23:47:00.002+01:00

Pakistan captain Younus Khan blamed poor starts with both bat and ball as the main reason for his team’s loss to Sri Lanka in the Super Eights match here at Lord’s on Friday.

Good starts, by the looks of things is what Pakistan is dearly missing, an absence of which throughout the tournament seems to worry the Pakistan camp as well.

‘We have the potential but our players seem to miss out on good starts, both while bowling and batting,’ Younus Khan, Pakistan’s captain, said after the 19-run loss.

‘In this match, for example, we had a poor first over by Sohail Tanvir who gave away 18 runs including a few extras. Then again with the bat we lost Salman Butt in the very first over. So obviously that is something we need to work on.’

The horrendous first over by Tanvir — labelled a match-winner by Younus — provided an ideal platform for Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillekaratne Dilshan to latch onto. They did so for the first nine overs and prior to Shahid Afridi’s timely intrusion, Sri Lanka looked oncourse for a healthy total.

‘I was quite happy to have restricted them for 150. At one point it looked as if they would easily reach 200. Our spinners once again put in a good performance and we looked comfortable chasing that target if not for the regular wickets we kept losing.’

Afridi, shining once again with the ball, took two for 23 while briefly overtaking Umer Gul as international Twenty20’s leading wicket-taker. As a bowler, he has been Pakistan’s saviour and go-to guy of late.

With the bat, however, he poses a huge worry. A first-ball slog today failed to help Pakistan’s cause but Younus refused to show much concern.

‘We have all seen Afridi in the past. All he needs is one innings to get back into form but unfortunately for us it didn’t come today.

However, he still is a very important member of the side and his contribution with the ball and in the field has been tremendous.’

‘Though our fielding wasn’t that bad today, we gave away too many runs where we should not have [extras]. In a match like this, where the total is in front of you, we needed to form partnerships, perhaps someone who could’ve batted for 20 overs. We failed to do that and hence lost,’ said Younus.

In the end, it was Sri Lanka’s commitment to the task at hand, and pin-point accuracy with the ball by Lasith Malinga, that has left Pakistan with lot of thinking before Saturday’s late match against New Zealand at The Oval.

Some eyes may be on Salman Butt’s performance at the top of the order and some, perhaps, will be on a late arrival into the team, Abdul Razzaq.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 13, 2009

Women’s World Twenty20: Sana and Co open campaign against SL today

2009-06-12T09:51:00.001+01:00

The Pakistani and Sri Lankan governments should just declare Friday a public holiday. Not only are the two nations squaring up against each other in the men’s ICC World Twenty20, their women counterparts will also set off their World Cup campaign 170 miles away in Taunton, hoping to match proceedings at Lord’s.

Both women outfits go into the match having suffered back-to-back losses in the warm-ups against South Africa and West Indies. Sana Mir, Pakistan’s captain, however, is hoping the experience gained by throwing away a winning position in the losses will help the girls register a convincing win on Friday.

“Obviously victories in the warm-up matches would’ve boosted our confidence but the important thing is to realise what we did wrong and work hard on overcoming that when it matters the most,” Sana told Dawn on Thursday. “Our morale is still very high and the team’s looking forward to winning tomorrow’s match convincingly.”

While a win remains a possibility, a convincing margin looks far-fetched given Pakistan’s performance with the bat recently. Chasing 115 against West Indies in a rain-shortened match, Pakistan lost regular wickets and could only muster up 88 with only two players reaching double figures. Similarly, against South Africa, they crumbled from 43 for no loss to 90 allout, chasing a meagre 127 for victory. While restricting the opposition to low total seems no problem, batting, by the looks of things, remains a cause for concern.

“We have been poor with the bat but we have worked hard on it and know how to handle it well now. Our collapse against South Africa was very disappointing but we are getting used to conditions and our opponents well and working hard to overcome our lapses in concentration.”

While Pakistan women have yet to play their Sri Lankan counterparts in the shortest format of the game, the girls in green will take heart from the last time these two sides met: A group match in the Women’s World Cup that Pakistan won by 57 runs.

“We have been playing a lot over the last three years and although we’ve only won once, we have come close to beating them on numerous occasions. We will take our win against them in Australia into the match but we fully realise they will come back at us strongly as well with revenge in mind so we can’t solely rely on that win alone.”

The team, much like their male counterparts in the warm-up matches, have shuffled the batting order around, looking for the best eleven. While Sana himself came at number three against Sri Lanka, her demotion to number ten against West Indies was all part of the plan to try out as many players as possible.

“We have taken our time getting used to conditions and we’re finally there. We performed well in Ireland and we wanted to gauge our best eleven hence the shuffling batting order. It was only a temporary move and I’ll be seen in the middle order come tomorrow.”

As the team heads off to watch India play England, the two other sides in Pakistan’s group, Sana emphasised on the importance of learning from other teams and ensuring they know their opponents. It will all help when we are pitted against them in the days to come, according to Sana.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 12, 2009

I need to play up the order for more impact: Afridi

2009-06-12T09:49:00.001+01:00

After three mediocre performances with both bat and ball, Shahid Afridi finally came good — albeit against the minnows, the Netherlands — and carried Pakistan through to the Super Eights of the ICC World Twenty20.

His career-best four for 11, the fourth best bowling figures in international Twenty20, was labelled as the difference between the two sides by the Dutch captain, and spared Pakistan’s blushes of exiting yet another tournament in the group stages.

Showing no signs of complacency after a thumping victory, Afridi vowed to deliver an improved performance in the next three matches against Sri Lank, New Zealand and Ireland.

“Judging by the performance on Tuesday, I think a lot will depend on my performance in the next round,” Afridi told Dawn after a training session on Wednesday at The Oval. “The team needs me and I’m fully aware of that and that is why I will be focussing a lot on improving my individual performance in the next round.”

It was difficult, according to Afridi, for the team to adjust to the English conditions and the pitches, with a lot of squad members totally alien to these conditions. On the other hand, players from other team benefiting from the recent IPL trip, had a huge advantage as the pitches in South Africa were remarkably similar to what the ICC World Twenty20 is witnessing.

“I think the Pakistani players were unfortunate to miss out on the IPL as it would’ve benefited us greatly. It’s not easy to arrive in England and start playing our natural game

straight away. It took time for us to get acclimatised to the conditions and as we move into the business end of the tournament, we will be able to deliver what is expected of us.”

While his performance with the ball came as a huge relief for Pakistan, Afridi as a batsman has yet to shine for his team in the tournament so far. No wonder then, that he appears desperately keen to put things right. “I’ve not been able to bat to my ability as I’ve often arrived at the crease with only a few overs to go. I wanted to carry my UAE form and strategy into these matches where I would have a few overs to settle down before attacking. However, that has not been possible on the tour so far and that is why I’ve made it quite clear to my captain that I can be, and am well-prepared as always, to be utilised at the top of the order if the need arises.”

Of the three Super Eight matches Pakistan will be playing, two of them will be at The Oval, the ground where Pakistan was handed a nine-wicket loss against India in the second warm-up followed by a 45 run defeat at the hands of the hosts England. Despite the two results at the venue, keeping in mind the Oval debacle of 2006, Afridi shrugged aside notions of apprehension.

“No matter what the location is, we need to come good in all departments of the game. Super Eights is where the real challenge begins. We will now see how good our team really is,” Afridi concluded.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 12, 2009

Take mind off Pakistan unrest to excel: Younus

2009-06-11T21:53:00.004+01:00

An early exit loomed briefly before Pakistan laboured into the Super Eights. But the Super Eights may not be as forgiving as the orange threats as Pakistan take on the ferociousness and twirls of Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Friday.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan has focussed on getting the basics right in order to go past the first hurdle while hoping his wish of playing India in the final comes true.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, Younus urged his team to focus on the job in hand, despite the law and order conditions back home, and do well in tournament for the nation’s sake.

‘They (Sri Lanka) are a very good side and we all are aware of this,’ Younus said. ‘We have played a lot against them recently and we know their team very well. However, we must ensure that we get things right at the right time and, providing that happens, we are capable of beating anyone.’

While backing his batsmen to counter the spin threat that Sri Lanka poses, Younus welcomed the inclusion of Abdul Razzaq – who is due to arrive in England late Friday afternoon – despite his past links with the ICL and termed it a relief after losing Yasir Arafat due to injury.

‘Although Razzaq will arrive here tomorrow [Friday] it will not be possible for him to play the match after spending seven to eight hours on the plane. However, being the fantastic allrounder that he is, especially in Twenty20 cricket, he can be in our playing eleven for the remainder of the tournament. His return will be good for Pakistan cricket,’ said Younus.

With the potential the Pakistani team possesses, it sometimes appears as though they lack focus thus resulting in being caught off-guard and being handed heavy losses.

‘It is hard for my team to focus at times, especially with the situation back home. That bomb blast in Peshawar, for example, which happens to be my hometown, did take our minds off cricket and it becomes difficult to concentrate on cricket. But this is what cricket’s about and we need to ensure we start this round well.’

In Sri Lanka they have an opposition which has endured tough times off the field. They have also dumped Australia out of the tournament before stopping West Indies well short of a healthy target of 192.

With the team scoring runs, taking wickets and holding onto their catches, complacency can easily be a bigger threat than Pakistan’s unpredictability but the Sri Lankan captain chose to label it confidence.

‘Yes, we have a lot of confidence going into tomorrow’s match, especially after beating two good teams, but this is Twenty20 cricket and a bad five-minute spell on the field can bring about your downfall,’ Kumar Sangakkara said at Lord’s on Thursday.

‘We played against Pakistan recently and we know the team inside out but these are different conditions and a different game altogether. It all depends on tomorrow’s performance, whichever team wants it more will come out on top basically.’

The biggest threat to Pakistan will arguably be that almost-40 maestro at the top of the order, Sanath Jayasuriya, especially following a blistering 47-ball 81 against Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards and Co on Wednesday. But Sangakkara is refusing to put much pressure on Jayasuriya.

‘As a side we’ve never had any doubts over what he [Jayasuriya] can do. It added to his and the team’s confidence that he got those runs [against West Indies] and the manner he got them in. However, we have a strong batting line-up that follows so despite the opening partnership being crucial, it won’t be the end of the world if he fails to click.’

Not wanting his bowlers to take a back seat, despite Pakistan’s potentially-explosive batting line-up, Sangakkara also laid much emphasis in his spinners, namely Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Five wickets in the tournament for Mendis so far while Murali only has a solitary scalp against West Indies to bring into the match, Sangakkara is keen for the duo to form yet another great partnership.

‘Spin has been our strength for years and it won’t change tomorrow. If you’re a good bowler, batsmen will find it difficult to play you no matter what format of the game it is in. Hopefully, our spinners will keep performing and adding to their strengths and win us games like they have done in the past.’

With forecast of overcast and windy conditions, it is perhaps time for Pakistan’s fast bowlers, especially Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Aamir, to show why they are considered among the best in the country. And while Sangakkara plans one match at a time, Younus is already hoping for a Pakistan-India final at Lord’s.

‘I have good memories of Lord’s having managed good scores everytime I have turned up,’ Younus said. ‘Therefore, although we have hurdles to cross before that, I hope I lift the trophy at Lord’s at the end of the tournament.’

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 12, 2009

ICC yet to receive PCB request about replacement

2009-06-11T09:37:00.001+01:00

While the Pakistan team management in London confirmed that a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat has been sought in the form of Abdul Razzaq, the ICC technical committee has yet to receive any formal requests from the PCB.

“There have been reports of the PCB seeking a replacement for the injured Arafat but we’ve had no official word from them as yet,” Steve Elworthy, the ICC World Twenty20 tournament director and member of the ICC technical committee, confirmed to Dawn.

“The process can be started as soon as a request is received and, if done electronically, can take up to 12 hours.”

Considering Pakistan play their first Super Eights match on Friday, the delay comes as a surprise, puzzling especially given that Pakistan’s coach Intikhab Alam confirmed that a request has already been sent to the PCB.

“Arafat is definitely out of the tournament and we have asked the PCB to send Razzaq as replacement,” Intikhab had told Dawn.

“Losing Arafat is obviously a big blow to us as his attitude towards training and performing for Pakistan was terrific but it’s an unfortunate thing that can happen to anyone, and at any time.”

Arafat will be leaving the squad today and will rejoin his county Sussex that he is representing in the on-going county season as their overseas player.

Razzaq, an ex-ICL player, was originally named by the PCB in the 30-man squad for the tournament in May but his name was quickly scratched off due to ICC’s objections to ICL-linked players at that time.

Given the fact that he terminated his contract with the ICL recently, and was part of the recently-concluded domestic Twenty20 tournament in Pakistan, Razzaq seemed an obvious like-for-like replacement given Arafat’s withdrawal despite having not played international cricket for just over two years.

“Razzaq is a talented and professional cricketer who shone in ICL as well as Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20,” Intikhab said.

“I’m sure his performance will not be hampered by the fact that he hasn’t played international cricket for a long time and we look forward to having him in the squad.”

Razzaq, given the PCB sends in the replacement request in time, can feature for Pakistan against Sri Lanka as early as Friday, and can become the first ex-ICL player to return to international cricket.”

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper June 11, 2009

Younus keen to see his men go all the way

2009-06-09T21:26:00.002+01:00

Missing the hysterical laughter from the previous press conference, Pakistan skipper Younus Khan did not shy away from labelling Twenty20 as entertainment yet again as he faced the media in a post match conference, even comparing the event to WWE.

However, with a comprehensive win under his belt, a win made possible by his senior players delivering what was asked by him, Younus has now set his sights on taking the cup home. ‘We’ve always been slow starters, the whole world knows that,’ Younis said. ‘Now that we are through to the Super Eights, showing fighting spirit at just the right time, we must now ensure we win the tournament.’

While Pakistan’s batting and bowling showed signs of considerable improvement, albeit against a weaker team that their previous opponents, the fielding still left much to be desired.

Salman Butt, who faced his captain’s wrath after a dreadful time in the field against England, was guilty of dropping another catch today before managing to hang onto a top-edged sweep. Apart from Butt’s drop, a few half chances went begging but luckily for Pakistan, they did not prove fatal.

‘We formed good partnerships, both with the bat and with the ball. However, for those achievements to matter in the end, we need to improve our ground fielding and hold onto the catches,’ emphasized Younus.

‘The simple plan is go out, bat well, bowl well and play the role that you’re been assigned in the team. We have a good momentum going into the Super Eights and we will need to ensure that we carry it forward and put it to good use.’

Pakistan went into the must-win match with two changes: Fawad Alam coming in place of Ahmed Shehzad and Sohail Tanvir replacing the injured Yasir Arafat. While Fawad’s contribution to the team was three runs and a few stops in the field, Sohail’s miserly figures of 13 runs in his three overs impressed Younus.

‘He (Sohail) has been out of form and it was essential for him to come forward and have a good match, especially considering it had become such an important match for Pakistan,’ said the captain.

‘The pitch and the conditions were suitable for him and he gave it his all and a repeat of such performance is simply what we need in order to make it through the next round.’

The destroyer-in-chief, however, was Shahid Afridi, who briefly entertained with the bat (a towering six over long-on in his 7-ball 13) but returned to haunt the Dutch batsmen.

He took three wickets in ten deliveries at one stage and his return of 4 for 11 — the fourth best figures in International Twenty20 history — was labelled by the opposing captain as the difference between a win against England and a thrashing against Pakistan.

‘We were simply unable to play him [Afridi],’ Smits said after the match. ‘Although we played Adil Rashid, the legspinner, in the previous match, it proved really difficult to bat against Afridi today and his bowling was what made the difference.’

A side looking much relaxed that the one that left The Oval on Sunday, Pakistan now have two days off before taking on Sri Lanka at the same venue on Friday afternoon in the first of three Super Eights matches.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper June 10, 2009

Sana Mir aims to lead by example

2009-06-08T08:54:00.001+01:00

If success was achieved by words, Sana Mir would right now be the best captain in the world and Pakistan would be holding many trophies. To be showing the level of confidence in her team that she has, with an implausible self-placed favourites tag on her team, does not come as a complete surprise given the team’s recent ascent.

Pakistan play their opening match of the tournament on Monday against the West Indies, fresh from six back-to-back matches in Ireland and against English Academy.

Speaking exclusively to Dawn at the captains’ photocall at Lord’s on Friday, Sana confirmed that preparations for the tournament could not have been better despite the alien conditions the team has found itself in.

“Prior to our arrival in Ireland, we had a training camp in Muridke’s sizzling conditions,” Sana said. “Upon arrival, we were greeted by freezing conditions for the first match against Ireland. However, the girls adjusted well to the weather, the conditions and the pitch and came back strongly in the following matches.”

Sana, who replaced Urooj Mumtaz as Pakistan’s captain for the tournament, was quite satisfied with her own performance as well, having taken a career-best 4 for 13 against Ireland last month followed by a 2 for 5. “Although I’m in good form with the ball, I would like to contribute more with the bat as well. As captain, I would like to lead from the front and ensure players, who have the potential, bring out their best when turning up for Pakistan.”

Her elevation as captain came as a surprise given Pakistan’s performance at the World Cup under Urooj Mumtaz where they defied all odds to make it past the group stages. Not much has changed due to a change at the helm, according to Sana, who assured that the decision has not affected Mumtaz’s performance either.

“I don’t think there is an issue [with Urooj being replaced as captain]. I’ve carried about in the same manner in the team as before, taking suggestions from everyone including Urooj who is, as always, more than willing to help the team. It’s a team effort once we step onto the field and we’ve improved as professionals, we don’t seek positions in the team any more. Captaincy, however, has come naturally to me. I’ve always thought it was my team.”

Hoping to replicate Pakistan’s performance in Australia, Sana remained adamant that her side has progressed well from their achievements down-under and is capable to causing more upsets. The morale, despite the blistery conditions at times, was high and their job was to exceed everyone’s expectations yet again. “Not many people expected us to go past the group stages in Australia. In fact we were handed our return tickets to Pakistan for the day straight after our last group match. But playing as we did, and going past the group stages, giving those tickets back to the organisers was one of the happiest moments.”

“However, now that we have achieved much and changed people’s mentality, a lot of the same is expected from us. We have a massive following back home and I’m backing my players, who have realised the importance of each and every game, to gather momentum at the right time.”

Although having beaten Ireland, Nottinghamshire and the English Academy, stronger teams like West Indies, Sri Lanka, India and England — who won the ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia — lie in wait. The job on hand, as Sana and her team have realised, is difficult and making it to the semi-final is an uphill task.

Much emphasis will be put on good starts following Pakistan’s mediocre performance with the bat in the matches preceding the tournament. But, due to conditions, Sana predicted low-scoring encounters, placing her faith in Pakistan’s bowlers to defend any total and is confident that another good show on the road will further aid the improving image of women’s cricket in Pakistan.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 7, 2009

Flintoff’s absence huge advantage for us: S Malik

2009-06-06T00:11:00.002+01:00

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan all-rounder, has termed the absence of Andrew Flintoff as a ‘psychological advantage’ for his side and urged his team-mates to utilise the opportunity and start the tournament with a win.

Malik, speaking after Pakistan’s training session at Southgate on Friday, was confident of Pakistan’s victory when they take on England at The Oval on Sunday despite back-to-back losses against South Africa and India during the warm-up matches.

‘We arrived in England quite late and need some time to adjust ourselves,’ Malik said. ‘We played poor cricket in the two matches that we lost but we’re growing in confidence gradually while getting accustomed to the conditions and I’m sure we can start with a win on Sunday.’

‘Although England have a slight advantage over us due to home conditions, the absence of Flintoff has surely tilted the balance in our favour. He’s a great all-rounder and his absence is a huge psychological advantage for Pakistan, something we’ll utilise and ensure we win the match and carry the points into the next round.’

Refusing to pick his favourites for the tournament, Malik termed India, Australia and South Africa as strong teams but stressed that Pakistan must not be counted out on the basis of their poor show in the warm-ups.

‘It’s near impossible to pick out favourites in this type of cricket. You only need a couple of batsmen to score fifties or a couple of bowlers to take two or three wickets and the balance suddenly shifts in your favour.’

‘Obviously you don’t get as many chances as in ODIs or Test matches, but strong teams cling on to whatever chances they get and that is exactly what makes them strong in Twenty20.’

Mohammad Aamir, meanwhile, was cherishing his wicket of Rohit Sharma at The Oval on Wednesday and was confident he would be able to carry the his good performance upon the team’s return to the same venue on Sunday.

He, too, pointed at Pakistan’s late arrival into England as his side’s sluggish performance but promised a much-improved performance.

‘We were basically short on match practice but have had several training sessions since that loss and we’ll enter the ground [on Sunday] with a positive frame of mind,’ Aamir told Dawn.

‘Although winning or losing doesn’t matter when you give your 100 per cent, we are quite weary of expectations back home and will hope to win the tournament this time round.’

Coming into the tournaments shouldering huge individual expectations after being spoken highly of by Wasim Akram, Aamir shrugged off any notions of nervousness that he might have had prior to taking on the field against India.

‘It has been a great honour being spoken to highly of by Akram but despite it being a Pakistan-India match, I was confident of my abilities, gave it my 100 per cent and was very happy with the fact that I took a wicket in the match. Despite the loss, we remain confident of a good show against England as a lot of our players are used to the conditions and we posses an array of Twenty20 specialists and no wonder we sit on top of the Twenty20 rankings.’

While having high hopes for his side, Aamir has set high standards for himself as well, wanting to be a ‘top-ranking bowler’ in the next five years. ‘Everyone knows the things Wasim has said about me and it is purely because of that I don’t want to disappoint him.

He’s a great bowler, has appreciated me and I feel really lucky not only to have such comments from him, but also being able to spend time working with and learning from him.

He is my sole idol in world cricket and I want to come up to his expectations and, in five year, hope to become a top-ranking bowler.’

Following the match against England, Pakistan will take on Netherlands on Tuesday and are scheduled to play back-to-back Super Eights matches on Thursday and Friday if they qualify for the second round.

© Faras Ghani 2009.
Published in DAWN newspaper June 6, 2009

Experiments backfire on Pakistan as India win

2009-06-04T21:56:00.001+01:00

It was a day of experiments. Experiments the team management vowed to stay clear of during the build-up to the warm-up match against India at The Oval on Wednesday.

While skipper Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam reposed much confidence in Salman Butt’s ability at the top of the order, it was the 19-year-old Shazaib Ahmed who was drafted in the team in place of the former vice-captain.

Shahid Afridi was promoted up the order — a move cleverly off-set by MS Dhoni as he brought on Irfan Pathan — and Umar Gul was assigned new-ball duties as India set off chasing a defendable 158. Mohammad Aamer, too, was provided a much-awaited outing. From the performance on the field, the experiments clearly failed to produce the required results.

While the danger signs were obvious from Pakistan’s inability to pose any serious threat against a formidable Indian line-up, Intikhab refused to be concerned. “We were off to a good start and I thought 158 wasn’t a bad score,”’ Intikhab said while representing his side at a press conference for the third time running.

“However, we failed to perform with the ball, especially our spinners. Despite the loss, I see no reason to be concerned. It’s still early days and with the talented individuals we have in the side, I’m sure they will come good when it really matters.”

Contradicting his comments after the side’s loss to South Africa on Monday at Trent Bridge where Intikhab made it clear that “we are not keen on experimenting”, the match against India was an experiment without excuses with the hope that the team performs when it matters the most.

Pakistan take on England on Sunday in their first match of the tournament proper and Intikhab wants his team to put the two defeats behind them and learn from their mistakes. “Our batsmen got out to wrong shot-selection and our bowlers failed to deliver, for which they will be given a pep-talk to. We have enough talent in our bowling line-up to ensure a repeat of today doesn’t happen and although things can go wrong, it is my job to ensure mistakes are rectified.”

Intikhab was full of praise for young pacer Aamer — though he kept referring to the left-handed bowler as “the new youngster” — and predicted a bright future for him. However, he also gave credit to the India team for the way Aamer, as well as the rest of the Pakistani bowlers, were handled.

“India has become a very good side, a side that has gelled well under Dhoni’s captaincy who himself is doing a very good job. You need to give them credit for the way they played, especially Rohit Sharma [who was opening in place of the injured Virendar Sehwag].”

Despite the coach’s reassurances, it remains to be seen how Pakistan will regroup following back-to-back losses after arriving in England with high expectations. Heads looked to have dropped early during India’s reply and the bowlers, including Afridi who is a key to a rather inexperienced bowling line-up, seemed to have resigned to the inevitable after failing to achieve early breakthroughs.

Intikhab, however, seemed to have the playing eleven finalised and has vowed to work towards ensuring an improved performance at the same venue on Sunday.

Meanwhile, M S Dhoni, India’s captain, was truly delighted with India’s nine-wicket win over Pakistan at The Oval, labelling it “one of the best performances despite the match being a warm-up.”

“Although this was a warm-up match, a victory is a victory,” Dhoni said after the win. ‘Since we lost the last game it was important for us to win this one because we wanted to go into the tournament high on confidence.

“It really was one of the best wins we’ve had so far and although it will a difficult performance to replicate, it was a brilliant performance by the team on the whole.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 5, 2009

Fans divided over Shoaib’s future

2009-06-04T21:54:00.001+01:00

As maverick fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar sits out the ICC World Twenty20, omitted due to ‘skin conditions’ which have been elaborated upon in great detail in the press, majority of fans present at The Oval to witness the India game felt that sting will be missing from the Pakistan attack.

Many had thought Shoaib was on his way back into the team after featuring against Australia in the UAE series as he was also named in the 15-man England-bound squad, before being omitted on medical conditions.

Despite his off-field antics, regular injury problems, and at titude towards cricket — thought to be unprofessional by many — Shoaib still remains a favourite for a lot of fans. “He’s by far our best and fastest bowler and we need him back in the team as soon as possible,” Adil, a student covered in green, shouted across in excitement before adding “old is gold, you know, and there is no way you can replace Shoaib in the team.”

“We love Shoaib despite the reasons that he has been making the headlines for recently,” another fan added. “Without him, our attack is useless as we need the aggression and fear that he gathers in his approach to the wicket,” he said after the loss of the warm-up game on Wednesday. “He’s Pakistan’s x-factor,” another supporter dynamically put it. “Bring him back.”

The views were echoed by a few Indian supporters present at The Oval as well. “It’s not about Pakistan or India, it’s about cricket,” said Ajay, who described the warm-up as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”. “He’s a great bowler, and a human. He has made mistakes but for the sake of cricket, he should be given another chance as I would love to see him play again.”

While his fans were present in huge numbers, the doubters ensured their voices, and reasons, were heard clearly. “He is a selfish, ungrateful person and not a team player at all,” said Asad, a student from Karachi who is here on vacation. “’He’s unfit more often than not and his return, which is mostly brief, only destabilises the squad, especially the deserving, younger bowlers.”

While some harsh words were attributed to Shoaib, some justified and some out of sheer frustration, the fans also thought he was way past his prime and he should consider retirement right away. “It’s quite obvious his preference lies somewhere else, notably Bollywood,” a fan said. “He’s finished.”

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 5, 2009

Clothes Show London 29-31 May 2009

2009-06-03T13:39:00.002+01:00

Top World T20 official expects exciting Pak-India match

2009-06-02T23:05:00.003+01:00

The Oval prepares for the battle between Pakistan and India today.

While adrenaline often takes its place as the 12th man for such encounters, there might even be a 13th today, in the form of ill-memories that some Pakistan players, and fans likewise, will carry on to the field.

Little under three years ago, Pakistan’s then-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq forfeited their fourth and final Test against England after being accused, but later cleared, of ball tampering. While the PCB wrangles on, refusing to bury the past and contest MCC-endorsed result against them, Steve Elworthy, ICC World Twenty20 2009 tournament director, hopes the showdown will live up to its hype with no sour feelings on display.

‘Obviously, it’s a fantastic match and sets off the tournament really well,’ Elworthy told Dawn on the eve of the repeat of the 2007 Twenty20 final. ‘From a planning point of view, this is what we were aiming for; reliving national rivalry and attracting a huge following, unique to any world event.

‘What happened in 2006 was very unfortunate from the fans’ point of view but we need to look ahead to what will be an incredibly good match. They are both playing incredible Twenty20 cricket and who knows they could meet again as the tournament progresses.’

While both teams lost their opening warm-up matches on Monday, with a poor turnout at Lord’s and Trent Bridge, this particular warm-up has witnessed the biggest demand for tickets. With an expected full-house this afternoon, security – for fans and players – remains a talking point, especially with recent matches involving either team in England culminating in pitch invasions.

‘Well, you plan to expect the worst,’ Elworthy, who was also tournament director for the inaugural World Twenty20, said. ‘Security is always a concern and something we take very seriously. We have a very experienced security team and have measures in place to ensure it’s a safe and secure event. We are fully aware of what has happened in the past and we are not going into it with our eyes closed.’

The Oval, with its recently-installed floodlights and pulled-in boundary ropes, will witness close to 24,000 spectators providing India a last chance to regroup before commencing their title defence. For Pakistan, however, it will be a first shot at avenging the defeat in the 2007 final and doing well in a tournament that will, according to Younis Khan, bring hope and cheer for their fans.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper June 2, 2009