Anwar-ul-Haq lauds CCA, desires coaching role for Jalaluddin at national level

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Anwar-ul-Haq, a former opening batsman, has lauded the services of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), having hit headlines lately by annexing the Rajiv Gandhi Under-15 Trophy Cricket Tournament in Chennai, India.

“The CCA, founded by Jalaluddin, the highest qualified coach of the country, has been doing a fabulous job over the years and the recent triumph of their Under-15 outfit in India is just another feather in their cap,” the former first-class cricketer turned analyst remarked in an interview. 

“The manner in which the CCA teenagers performed in India recently very clearly brought to light the virtues of modern coaching and training. They were able to outsmart their opponents because they possessed talent as well as the desired grooming,” Anwar-ul-Haq thought.

“It’s quite an accomplishment on part of the CCA Under-15 outfit to have overwhelmed Tamil Nadu by 47 runs at Marina Cricket Ground in Chennai. After winning and losing a game in pool stage against Chennai and Haryana respectively, CCA remained undefeated in three knockout matches. It’s never easy to perform well in the alien conditions so the boys deserved to be hailed for doing it there,” he reckoned. 

“Besides their cricketers the entire support staff and the management of the CCA deserved accolades for this victory in India. There were some brilliant individual performances alright like that of opener Saim Ayub, who clinched a couple of Man of the Match awards besides winning Man of the Tournament trophy, but it was the teamwork that led to success in challenging environment,” Anwar-ul-Haq pointed out. 

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should also lay greater emphasis on training and coaching in addition to running its academies. They should engage the trainers all over the country in a proactive manner to let them coach the talented youngsters to let them unfold their skills,” he suggested. 

Anwar-ul-Haq felt that Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler and one of his contemporaries, on account of his accomplishments as founder head coach of the CCA, should be provided an opportunity to be a part of the coaching setup of the national team or the national academies.

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CCA revives Inter-Academy Cricket League

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Six of the leading academies of the country will be taking part in the second edition of the NBP Inter-Academy Cricket League 2015, being organized by the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), which will be inaugurated on November 28 with the CCA to take on NBP Cricket Academy in the opening match of the tournament at the NBP Sports Complex, housed in Clifton.

Besides the CCA and NBP Cricket Academy the other participating teams will be from Moin Khan Cricket, Rashid Latif Cricket Academy, PIA Cricket Academy and UBL Cricket Academy. The details about the event, whose inaugural edition was held in 2010, were unveiled by Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler and Head Coach of the CCA, in a media briefing at the Karachi Gymkhana on November 28. 

“It’s going to be an Under-19 tournament and the cricketers, born on or after January 10, 1997, will be eligible to take part in it. Only those players registered with the academy will qualify to represent the team. All the participating academies have submitted their 20-member squad to the organizing committee,” Jalaluddin informed. 

“There will be no entry fee for the tournament but a payment of Rs 2,000 will be needed if changes in the squad are desired by any of the participating team. Any player infringing the rules will be debarred from the event and the team will be fined upto Rs 5,000,” he added. 

“Although the tournament will be having limited-overs games with each team to play a maximum of 40 overs, they will have the flavor of four-day matches as well. Second new ball will be available after 30 overs. Similarly batting and bowling points will be awarded as incentives besides crediting nine points for an outright win and six points for a winning draw,” Jalaluddin explained. 

“The idea behind reviving the event is to improve the quality of cricket from grassroots level. Although the tournament is being organized after a gap of five years, now every effort will be made to hold it annually,” he announced. 

The tournament will be spread over six weeks and all its matches will be staged on Saturdays and Sundays in order to facilitate the participating students. 

Khalil Masood, one of the founders of the CCA and a former Chairman of the Corporate Law Authority, expressed his delight with the continued growth of the academy which was established with great fanfare in 1999. 

Nadeem Omar, Managing Director, Omar Associates, emphasized on the significance of grooming young talent and providing them the best possible facilities. He urged the philanthropists to support the sporting activities generously for the sake of the nation. 

Javed Mansha, representing the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), talked about the role of his organization in promoting sports and he hoped that the legacy will live on. 

Owais Asad Khan, Incharge of the Sports & CSR Division of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), vowed to continue supporting the cause of sports in the same manner as his worthy predecessor. He also threw light on the significance of educating the athletes to let them become more successful in their careers. 

Prominent among the former cricketers present on the occasion included batting great Sadiq Mohammad, Azeem Hafeez, Sajid Ali, Anwar-ul-Haq, Sagheer Abbas, Athar Laeeq and Jawwad Ali.

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Jalaluddin pledges for lifetime affair with cricket

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Boosted by the glowing tributes showered upon him, Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler, has pledged to continue working for the cause of the game until his last breath. 

During his brief address in the launching ceremony of ‘2015: Jalaluddin’s Tribute Year’ here at the Karachi Gymkhana Banquet Hall on November 27, the highest qualified coach of the country vowed to have a lifetime attachment with the sport which has earned him fame and recognition. 

Pakistan Customs has ventured to pay tribute to Jalaluddin in a befitting manner in view of his overwhelming contribution to the game of cricket. A grand gala dinner in his honour will be organized at a five-star hotel while an exhibition T-20 match between Pakistan Stars-XI and Pakistan Customs-XI, dedicated to him, will be staged at National Stadium, Karachi. 

Some other side events like the launching of a book on the history of Pakistan Customs cricket and conducting a seminar on cricket coaching are also planned to be a part of the programme to be held in January-February 2015. 

“I feel really touched and overwhelmed lavished by our departmental chiefs. I could not have made it where I am today without their unstinted support. They have been very considerate and accommodating towards the cause of sports in general and cricket in particular. Now it’s my duty to reciprocate by devoting the rest of my life in serving the interests of cricket as well as our department,” Jalaluddin, the founder chief coach of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), observed in an emotional tone. 

He was responding to the compliments passed by Nazim Saleem, Chief Collector Enforcement, South, Nasir Masroor, Chief Collector Appraisement South, and Khalil Masood, Ex-member Customs and former Chairman, Corporate Law Authority. 

“We have decided to celebrate 2015 as the tribute year to Jalaluddin, in recognition of his outstanding services as a player, a coach and as an administrator. He thoroughly deserves this honour. In fact we are late in doing it. Our department should have done it a few years ago,” Nazim Saleem reckoned. 

“Having played a phenomenal role in the grooming of talented youngsters from all over the country at the state-of-the-art Customs Cricket Academy in Karachi, which he has been running for the last 15 years, he has contributed overwhelmingly to be acknowledged in a befitting manner,” the Chief Collector Enforcement stated. 

“Everyone at Pakistan Customs feels proud of his accomplishments, single-mindedness and consistency of purpose. That’s why his departmental colleagues are excited about turning his benefit year’s events into a resounding success,” Nasir Masroor, Chief Collector Appraisement, remarked. 

“Our collectorate has been looking after the cricket affairs at the Pakistan Customs and it’s mainly due to Jalaluddin’s efforts that we have gone from strength to strength over the years. He has played an awesome role in developing talent from the grassroots level. He has made the department proud with his accomplishments,” he complimented. 

Khalil Masood, Ex-member Customs, recalled that day about three decades ago when he had appointed Jalaluddin at the Pakistan Customs on the basis of his cricketing abilities. 

“It looks like ages ago when Jalaluddin was struggling to find a job. It was our good fortune that we offered him the employment which he gladly accepted. Since then he has proved a great asset for the department as well as the country. He has been doing a great service to the game by coaching the youngsters and turning them into professional cricketers,” the former Customs Collector said. 

Prominent among those present on the occasion were Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bokhari, former President, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) and Nadeem Omar, Managing Director, Omar Associates.

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Pakistan Customs declare 2015 as Year of Jalaluddin

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan Customs has decided to celebrate 2015 as the tribute year to Jalaluddin, a former Test bowler, in recognition of his services as a player, a coach and as an administrator. 

The announcement was made by Nazim Saleem, Chief Collector Customs, (Enforcement South), during his speech in the certificate distribution ceremony of the Pace Bowler’s Training Camp, organized by the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA) which took place on the evening of September 13. 

The Chief Collector, undertaking his maiden visit to the CCA, housed in Federal-B-Area, thoroughly appreciated the efforts of his predecessors for having supported the cause of the game by developing a state-of-the-art cricket academy. 

Nazim Saleem paid glowing tribute to the deceased CCA coach, Shabbir Hussain, besides recognizing the administrators and the coaches of the academy. He lavished Jalaluddin with praise for his single-mindedness and consistency of purpose. 

“It’s quite extraordinary how he has worked for the development of the players in the country. Let us acknowledge the efforts of Head Coach Jalaluddin for having established the CCA as the leading academy of the country. We think it’s the right time to honour Jalaluddin on his meritorious services for cricket and players development. We will hold quite a few events to pay tribute to Jalaluddin such as T-20 Cricket Match, grand gala dinner and a seminar on coaching during the coming year (2015),” the Chief Collector stated. 

He advised the management of the CCA to install a sculpture of Khalil Masood, a former collector and the founder of the academy, at the entrance to the ground in recognition of his marvellous deeds. 

Jalaluddin, in his speech, highlighted the salient features of the Pace Bowler’s Training Programme, which was organized to give an opportunity to the young and upcoming pace bowlers having talent and desiring to develop themselves as quality bowlers. He described pace bowling as a combination of talent, science and art. 

“The programme, sponsored by Omar Associates, has proved that there is no dearth of pace bowlers in Karachi. Ther event has been successful one as few of them performed well at the district level and were selected for first time for region,” the former Test fast bowler remarked. 

“Maham Tariq, the only girl who was selected for the camp, showed great improvement during the training programme and she was rewarded for his great effort by picking her for Pakistan’s women cricket team for the tour of Australia. She only had participated at district level before coming here,” Jalaluddin, who performed the first hat-trick in One-day Internationals, added. 

Meanwhile Basit Ali was declared the best bowler of the camp, Nawaz Khan was adjudged as the best learner, Abdullah Aziz was decorated as the best young bowler and Maham Tariq was recognized as the find of the camp.

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Nadeem Omar reckons Karachi can produce high-quality fast bowlers

By Syed Khalid Mahmood  
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Nadeem Omar, a Presidential candidate in the upcoming elections of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), has dispelled the impression that Karachi didn’t possess the capability to produce high quality fast bowlers for the top level. 

“The ethnic cultural mix puts Karachi at a huge advantage and here we do have quite a few potentially good fast bowlers. Their misfortune, however, is the quality of pitches which don’t offer them any sort of encouragement. I am convinced that Karachi will produce many fast bowlers of international quality if the pitches were made lively,” he contended during the media briefing of the Pace Bowlers Training Programme, being organized by the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA). 

He had no doubts in his mind whatsoever about the Karachi fast bowlers being capable enough to compete at the national level. “Yes I am absolutely sure that we do possess enormous talent in the fast bowling department as well. It’s just the question of polishing their skills and providing them the right kind of environment,” Nadeem Omar emphasized. 

Meanwhile a total of 16 promising youngsters, in the age group of 17 to 22 years, are being imparted one-month coaching under the guidance of the CCA Head Coach, Mr Jalaluddin. The programme, having commenced on December 15, will continue until January 14. 

The details were unveiled in a media briefing by Jalaluddin at the Karachi Gymkhana Banquet Hall. Nadeem Omar, Managing Director, Omar Associates, and Khalil Masood, former Collector of Customs, also shared their thoughts on the occasion. 

Besides the participating young cricketers, their coaches and trainers as well as some former cricketers like Abdul Raquib, Anwar Khan and Anwar-ul-Haq were also in attendance in the gathering. 

“The Pace Bowlers Training Programme is being conducted to provide an opportunity to the young and upcoming fast bowlers who have talent and capacity to graduate to the higher level. Qualified coaches feel that the raw talent should develop with the knowledge of basic bio-mechanics, physiology and attributes of physical fitness that help them in their self-development. Our programme has been designed to keep focus on these aspects,” Jalaluddin, acclaimed as the highest qualified cricket coach in the country, observed in his opening remarks. 

“The trainees have been picked in the age groups of Under-17 and Under-22 but neither of these youngsters has played much cricket yet and they are considered raw pace bowling talent. In the limited time period and also because of the resource constraints we could not hold open trials. We have selected these youngsters upon the recommendation of the various clubs of Karachi,” he revealed. 

“Although the programme is aimed at boosting the fast bowling resources of Karachi, the ultimate beneficiary will be the Pakistan cricket. A few of these bowlers, when developed perfectly, could go on to represent the country in future,” Jalaluddin felt. 

Khalil Masood, Patron of the CCA, remarked that Pakistan Customs, as a department, had a moral obligation to serve the community and it was exactly doing that by engaging the youth in such healthy activities. 

The cricketers selected for the Pace Bowlers Training Programme, being sponsored by Omar Associates, are Waqar Anwar, Nawaz Khan, Basit Ali, Noor Khan, Ihsan Afridi, Usman Ghani, Noman Saleem, Minhaj Kamal, Ahsan Iqbal, Khurram Shahzad, Sameed Qadri, Abdullah Aziz, Hammad Raza, Ahad Ali and Mohammad Raheel. A women cricketer, Maham Tariq, is also taking part in the training programme. 

The CCA will be spending around Rs 65,000 on each participant as it includes the cost of training, equipment, resource material and hospitality.

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Sports turf managers course concludes

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The two-month long training session for Sports Turf Managers, organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of Sindh, with the collaboration of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), concluded with the certificate distribution ceremony at the Karachi Gymkhana on February 12.

Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui, Secretary Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, was the chief guest in the ceremony and he presented certificates among the participants of the training programme.

The selected 40 boys and girls were trained here at the CCC, under the supervision of qualified coaches, as a part of the Sindh Government’s initiative of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP).

Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler and the Event Director, informed the audience that the training programme was run by the CCA five days a week for a period of two months and it included theory, practical work, group discussion and field study tours.

“It is a new field for sports management in Pakistan. However it has a great scope of job in other parts of the world. The CCA has acquired the services of experts of different areas of the training programme such as infrastructure development, management maintenance and equipment,” the CCA Head Coach observed.

“Youth is the future of Pakistan. The country has been blessed with enormously talented and hard-working young generation who need direction and guidance to do wonders. Our training programmes have been helpful in unfolding the talents of the youngsters whom we have facilitated by letting them enhance their skills by acquiring first-hand knowledge from the leading professionals,” Shoaib Siddiqui remarked.

Prominent among those having attended the ceremony were Mahboob Shah, a former international umpire, Waqar Hussain, Assistant Collector, Pakistan Customs, and. Haris Ahmed Khan, a cricketer-turned qualified coach.

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Pakistan’s highest qualified cricket coach deserves recognition, responsibility

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Jalaluddin, who is more famous for his accomplishment of performing the first-ever hat-trick in One-day Internationals three decades ago, has also carved a niche in the field of cricket coaching.

The former Test fast bowler, who moved the ball appreciably both ways at a lively pace, is considered as the pioneer of cricket academies in Pakistan, having introduced the concept of professional training and coaching after acquiring the necessary skills. 

It will be in the interest of the Pakistan cricket if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) utilizes his services in the field of coaching in particular. He can make a world of difference with his proven track record and the level of commitment he has shown at various levels. 

Coaching has been a weak link of the national team for a number of years and it’s really surprising that Jalaluddin’s expertise continues to be ignored despite his credentials and experience. 

The PCB functionaries should involve him in the coaching affairs in a big way, whether it’s the National Cricket Academy or the national team. He could certainly prove to be a big asset and it would be a tragedy if such powerful resource was not utilized.

Jalaluddin, with the support of like-minded friends, founded the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA) in 1999, after having done the ECB Level I course a year earlier. 

The CCA, under his leadership, has gone from strength to strength over the years, setting an example for others to follow. 

The quest for excellence and the eagerness to pass on the skills to the next generation have enabled Jalaluddin to stand out and deliver. No wonder today he stands on top of the tree. 

After having passed the ECB Level II course in 2000 and the ECB Level III course in 2001, he has now done the ECB Level IV course which is the highest degree of qualification for a cricket coach. He is an also a CA Level III qualified coach besides being ECB Tutor Level I. 

Having made the CCA a model institution, Jalaluddin has succeeded in mobilizing resources to spread his services to the other parts of the ever-expanding metropolis of Karachi, believed to be having population in the excess of 20 million.

The CCA, housed in Block 15 of Federal-B-Area, celebrated its 10 years of service in 2009. The same year he established the Jalaluddin Cricket Academy and followed it up by founding the Vital Five Cricket Academy in 2010. 

He is managing all these cricket academies professionally and contributing in the development and promotion of the sport from the grassroots level in the truest sense of the word. 

Before setting up the cricket academies Jalaluddin had devoted all his energies in building the Pakistan Customs cricket team whom he led to glories with limited resources. 

He is credited to have played a pivotal role in grooming the raw youngsters with Rashid Latif, Mohammad Sami, Hasan Raza, Asim Kamal, Azam Khan, Naved Latif, Shadab Kabir, Ali Naqvi, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Ali Hussain Rizvi having gone on to play for the country.

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Training Programme for Sports Turf Manager inaugurated

Pakistan News & Features Services

The two-month long training session for Sports Turf Managers, being organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of Sindh, with the collaboration of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA), Karachi, was inaugurated at the CCA on October 15. 

It’s being organized under the banner of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Programme (BBSYDP). 

The selected 40 boys and girls will start their training at the CCA from October 16. 

Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, Sindh Minister of Youth Affairs, was to be the chief guest on the occasion but he could not attend the ceremony due to his preoccupations in some important matters. 

Khurshid Ali Shaikh, Director, Youth Affairs Department, performed the inauguration and highlighted salient features of the training programmes. 

“The Ministry of Youth Affair, under the able leadership of Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari has been providing opportunities to the youngsters of Sindh to enhance their skills in order to create greater job opportunities for them,” he noted. 

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, was also complimented for the initiatives aimed at training the youngsters to get off to a flying start to their professional career. 

Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler and the Event Director, unveiled the technical aspects of the training programme. 

“It is a new field for sports management in Pakistan. However it has a great scope of job in other parts of the world,” he informed. 

The CCA has acquired the services of experts of different areas of the training programme such as infrastructure development, management maintenance and equipment. 

The training programme will be run by the CCA five days a week which include theory, practical work, group discussion and field study tours. 

Prominent among those having attended the ceremony were Mahboob Shah (International Umpire), Siddiq Shaikh (Pakistan Football Federation), Dr Arif Kamal (Karachi University), Waqar Hussain (Assistant Collector Customs) and Haris Ahmed Khan (Qualified Cricket Coach).

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