Gavaskar’s lecture boosts Afghan Cricketers

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The Afghan Cricket Team have finally got some recognition at the big stage and the flare shown by the players, at the ongoing World Twenty20 Cup in Sri Lanka, has not only moved the spectators but one of the former greats as well. During the group match against India, the bowling of the World ODI champions (India) was badly exposed and even the minnow Afghans cashed in on it at will. While expressing the satisfaction over the team’s overall performance, the Coach Kabir Khan admitted that the pressure of a big event and strong opposition got to the boys. He (Kabir), however, is optimistic that things would start falling in place for them with the passage of time.

“We hardly play against quality oppositions therefore the crowd and camera increased the already existing pressure on to the players. Even our best fielders dropped catches, and later our batsmen succumbed to the anxiety as well. We are working on the weakness, but it will take time”, said Kabir Khan, while talking to this correspondent for News One TV.

Kabir Khan, who recently took over as Afghan Coach from former Pakistan Captain Rashid Latif, further said that after the match against India, former great Sunil Gavaskar also visited the training camp and praised the effort of the Afghan team.

“Sunil Gavaskar was kind enough to spend about 15 minutes with Afghan players and gave valuable tips to them about mental toughness. Along with other suggestions, Gavaskar emphasised over our fielding a lot. Boys are thrilled by the great gesture and hopeful of making it count on the field. The bottom line is that the more we play, the better we would get”, added Kabir Khan.

Former Test cricketer from Pakistan, Kabir Khan has been enjoying his second stint with the Afghan team as coach. He was replaced by Rashid Latif last year, however earlier this year Latif stepped down to make way for Kabir Khan again.

Kabir Khan, 38, was a left-arm seamer during his playing days, however couldn’t find a permanent slot for him in the Pakistan team. The Peshawar born Kabir represented Pakistan in 4 Tests and 10 ODIs between 1994 and 2000.

On the infrastructure in Afghanistan, the coach said that with two state-of-the-art facilities at home, the Afghan Cricket Authorities are now in a position to develop domestic structure which will benefit the national team in the future.

“Two stadiums with adequate capacity and facilities have been built in Kabul and Jalalabad. Now we mainly practice at home, however due to harsh weather in winter, important camps are still held in Dubai”, said Kabir Khan

Cricket is being played in Afghanistan since decades however the national team was formed in 2001. After a series of impressive performances in the past 3 years, the team secured qualification to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Cup which was their first major tournament.

“Domestic structure is being developed, and with the passage of time and the passion for the game in the youngsters, I am optimistic of bright future for the Afghan cricket”, concludes Kabir Khan.

Latif lauds Akram’s appointment as bowling coach

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday confirmed former fast bowler, Muhammad Akram as the bowling coach for the national team. Lauding the decision, former captain and Wicket-keeper, Rashid Latif believes that the decision would have a significant impact on the Pakistan team as a whole. “I know him (Akram) for years. He is a hard-worker and knows the art of man-management which is the key to modern coaching methodology”, said Rashid Latif, while talking to this correspondent for News One TV.

“Akram is qualified and familiar with the philosophy of modern coaching. I hope he will treat the players equally, and deal with them accordingly as well. I am sure he is capable of doing it.” added Latif.

Muhammad Akram, who is based in England, will join the Pakistan squad in the UAE for the series against Australia.

The lanky former pace-man, Akram has played nine Tests and 23 one-day international matches for Pakistan between 1995 and 2001. He has also represented Sussex, Surrey, Essex and Northamptonshire on the English county circuit.

On a question Rashid Latif was of the view that Akram’s experience should be utilised more at the academy and at the junior level. He added that the Pakistan Cricket Board should opt for a spin bowling coach as well. “Whatmore and Akram would make a good combination which will serve the team well. As far as the spin department is concerned, there is no harm in hiring a separate individual for it. In my view Saqlain Mushtaq is the fitting man for the job”, concludes Latif, who himself represented Pakistan in 37 test matches from 1992 to 2003.

Shahid Ali Khan bounces back on Akbar’s accusations

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey team’s performance in the recently concluded Olympics in London has broadened the already existing gap between former Hockey stars even further. In the meantime the debate on team’s selection for the mega event got stimulated yet again when the discarded Goalkeeper Salman Akbar opened a new front against former goalies – Shahid Ali Khan and Ahmed Alam. In his latest column for Dawn (http://dawn.com/2012/08/14/how-the-national-game-can-be-saved/), the veteran goal-keeper - playing club hockey in Holland - questioned the coaching techniques being used by Pakistan’s goal-keeping coaches at junior and senior levels. He wrote that they were not aware of the modern techniques so they forced keepers to adopt the old styles which were now irrelevant.

On the other hand, while dismissing Akbar’s observations, Shahid Ali Khan said that with this very technique he had produced quality Goal-keepers over the years, which includes Salman Akbar as well. On Salman Akbar’s performance in the training camp, Shahid Ali Khan minced no words in terming it below-par. He also admitted that he was not in favour of calling him (Salman) from Holland.

“In comparison with Imran Shah and Imran Butt, the performance of Salman Akbar in the training camp was ordinary. Before the mega event, performance of both Imran Shah and Imran Butt was good, and dropping one of them to accommodate Salman Akbar would have been unjust.” said Shahid Ali Khan, while talking to this correspondent.

“I was actually not in favour of calling Salman Akbar from Holland, but the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) wanted to give him (Salman) a chance to prove his metal. Also, even if I was in his favour then the selection committee wouldn’t have picked him because they were not impressed too.” added Shahid Ali Khan.

“With Imran Shah, Pakistan finished 7^th, but I feel, if Salman Akbar was there then we probably would have finished last”, said Shahid Ali Khan, who played 135 matches for Pakistan and was considered as one of the best goalkeepers in the game.

Terming the team’s performance as satisfactory during the London Olympics, he said that Pakistan played well above the expectations. “Only two games were bad, and that too were against the top ranking teams. Because of the performance we also qualified for the Champions Trophy. The overall performance was satisfactory”, concludes Shahid Ali Khan.

Zulqarnain and his latest queries

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: Pakistan test wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Hyder has come out of hibernation and once again the target of his onslaught is none other than Kamran Akmal.

Not so long ago - after apologising to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the run-away episode - the lanky wicketkeeper made his way back to the domestic cricket and did really well.

The latest twist to the tale came as Zulqarnain posted a message on his Facebook profile on Wednesday. He wrote and I quote with a bit of adjustment “The ICC didn’t clear Kamran Akmal but the PCB, its selectors and other members did. What a justice? One thief goes and another comes in. Lot of stories about selectors and corruption will surface soon”

On the face of it these allegations have no substance whatsoever and this is the very question asked by this correspondent on which Zulqarnain Hyder replied that he would soon present three questions before the media. He added that he was taking this step along with his lawyer “in the best interest of the game”.

The wicketkeepers said his lawyer will hold a press conference soon, and will present following three ‘relevant’ questions.

1. What was the reason of sidelining Kamran Akmal?

2. The ICC’s clearance letter should be made public.

3. Names of the PCB integrity committee members who questioned Akmal should be made public along with their findings.

“I am doing it in the national interest and for the betterment of the game of Cricket. My lawyer will also probe into the documents presented by Kamran Akmal before the Integrity Committee. Furthermore a bond should be signed by me and Kamran Akmal, and whoever fails to prove his point should be sent to jail for 5 years”, said Zulqarnain Hyder

Zulqarnain Hyder’s latest allegations seem as fragile as his earlier claims, but this is for certain that this new outburst would not bring any good for him.

Previously in 2010, Zulqarnain had fled to London from a team camp in Dubai without informing the PCB after receiving “death threats”. He also retired from international cricket but later withdrew his decision.

Inconsistent policies prior to Olympic led to debacle – Hassan Sardar

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The below par performance of the Pakistan Hockey team at the Olympics rightfully irked the nation and former greats are no exception. On team greens’ below-par performance at the mega event, one the most celebrated stars of Pakistan’s hockey history, and arguably the best centre forward Pakistan has ever produced, Hassan Sardar, minced no word in putting the blame on the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), saying that the inconsistency in the policies, only weeks before the London event, had an adverse effect on the team’s overall performance. Hassan Sardar said that if the senior players were to be selected then it should have been done at least six months before the mega event so that the oldies would have worked hard on their fitness level.

“Only weeks before the Olympics, the fate of some senior players was uncertain. A few players were penalised for violating the PHF code of conduct, however were mysteriously included in the team eventually. This clearly shows the uncertainty in PHF’s priorities”, said Hassan Sardar while talking to this correspondent for News One TV

The former captain said that Pakistan conceded too many goals in the competition which is indicative of the fact that the defence of the team was relatively weak. “Pakistan’s goal-keeper and defence were badly exposed during the Olympics, and the inability of the forward line to assist the defence was the main reason for that. Unlike other teams Pakistan players were not fit enough to come back all the way from opponent’s goal to assist the defenders. A huge gap between attack and defence cost Pakistan badly”, added the former captain, who was part of the gold medal winning National Hockey Team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

After retiring, Hassan Sardar later managed the Pakistani Hockey Team. He has also served as the Chief Selector of Pakistan hockey team.

On a question the former great said during the matches against Great Britain and South Africa the number of goals conceded by the Pakistan team was alarming. “After the match against Great Britain, the number of goals conceded against South Africa was alarming for Pakistan's defence but then it was too late to devise a fitting strategy against Australia.”, concluded Hassan Sardar

Kamran Akmal cleared despite ‘suspicion’

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI:  Some people call him a wicket-keeper, while others consider him as a ball-stopper only. In whatever case, Kamran Akmal has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Ever since his emergence on the scene he is considered as a dependable batsman but at the same time is seen as a dodgy glove-man.

When he was away, people wanted to know the reason, now when he has made his way back to the team, the cricketing world is curious again.

The 30-year old Wicket-keeper batsman was accused of deliberately under-performing during Pakistan's defeat against Australia in the 2010 Sydney Test. After the tour, a probe committee was constituted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which recorded statements of players and officials. During the inquiry it was suspected that Akmal deliberately under-performed and failed to run Shane Watson out and dropped three chances on Michael Hussey during the Sydney test.

Kamran Akmal's name was mentioned at the notorious spot-fixing trial in England as well, but was neither summoned by the London court nor banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Before his inclusion in the 15-member national T20 squad, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated that the wicket-keeper was summoned by the Integrity Committee and asked to submit some material.

A source closed to the development has revealed to this correspondent that during the meeting the members of the integrity committee were not entirely satisfied with Akmal’s viewpoint; however they had no other choice but to provide him with a clean chit. “A great deal of suspicion on him was there, but he could not be penalised on the basis of severe doubts only. We needed concrete evidence, which was not there against him.” said the source.

“The selection committee also wanted his services while the Anti-corruption and Security Unit of the ICC had already given him the clearance, hence there was no room left to clamp him”, concludes the source.

A 53-test veteran, Akmal, was axed from the team after a dismal keeping behind the stumps at the World Cup in 2011 where he dropped New Zealand's Ross Taylor twice in one over.

Despite the allegations, Kamran claimed to have a clearance letter from the ICC saying he is not being investigated.

Since his debut in 2002, Kamran Akmal has played 53 Tests, 137 ODIs and 38 T20Is matches for Pakistan.

Pakistan T20 Squad and a few questions

Nine players were also present in the last World T20 Cup squad

By Muhammad Asif Khan

The passion for Cricket in Pakistan is overwhelming and this is the very reason why the game is discussed in almost every gathering.  The followers have their say on the issues related to the game and they don’t let an opportunity to comment go by whenever a decision is taken by the authorities at the helm of affairs.

Chopping and changing in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) setup do raise eyebrows however when it comes to the National team selection the mood swing of the enthusiasts is evident. The story was not different after the announcement of the 15-member squad for the World T20 Cup which is scheduled to be held in September this year.

There is no doubt that the squad announced for the mega event was strong on paper but a few inclusions need clarification. Before jumping to the list of players the question is that why the PCB was in a hurry? - the deadline to submit the final squad is mid August - At the time when other teams are only finalising their provisional 30-man squad for ICC World Twenty20, we have already curtailed the squad to 15.

Now coming to the squad and starting with Kamran Akmal, who had been out of favour since last 15 months for his alleged involvements in the wrongdoing, got a nod but the question still remains that why his selection was put on hold in the first place? Why his selection was subjected to the clearance from the Integrity Committee and the most important aspect is that what was presented before the integrity committee by Kamran Akmal to get the clean chit?

In the All-rounders’ category, the selection committee banked on the experience of Abdul Razzaq who was dropped from earlier assignments due to non participation in the domestic events. On the snub the all-rounder (Razzaq) went berserk and questioned the credibility of the selectors however the dust somehow settled and he is back in the team. His recent performance in England was good thou. Furthermore, another all-rounder in the list, Yasir Arafat seems to have a magic wand in his hand because he plays in the U.K., and gets into the team from nowhere.

Ahmed Shehzad, the tailor-made batsman for the shortest version, was snubbed but not on technical grounds. As per reports he was overlooked due to his negative attitude and erratic behaviour, again something is fishy.

Junaid Khan, the fast bowler, who bowled his heart out in Sri Lanka, however his superb bowling form was not considered enough, and the reason, is best known by the selectors only.

Drifting away from the team combination, it’s time to look into the vision of the authorities running the game in the country. Every now and then we read and hear statements about the futuristic approach by the authorities, but on ground the situation is not so and the example is the recently announced 15-member squad for the World T20 cup 2012.

Before the last edition of the mega event in 2010, the then selection committee assembled a bunch of 17 players and amazingly after around 28 month the incumbent selection committee accumulated the squad in which 9 players were in 2010 squad as well.

Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Muhammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Muhammad Sami and Yasir Arafat were included in the 2010 squad and later on Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat were withdrawn from it to make it a 15-member bunch which took part in the 2010 World T20 Cup in the West Indies. If this is called the futuristic approach then God knows where are we heading and where would we end up at he end of the day. The key to running any business successfully is the check and balance as well as the just approach but I am afraid we are lacking on both accounts.