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.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Yawar predicts bright future for team despite semi-final loss
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
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
Monday, October 05, 2009
Luck deserted us against New Zealand: Younis
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
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
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Pakistan wary of unpredictable Kiwis in semi-final
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
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
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Aussies spoiled our bid to stay unbeaten: Younis
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
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
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.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
We have a great chance of beating Aussies: Younis
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Malik firm to carry form into remaining games
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
“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
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
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
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Hardworking Rana Naved unperturbed by omission talk
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
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
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