The pioneer of cricket coaching in Pakistan is no more

By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The pioneer of cricket coaching in Pakistan, Ahmed Mustafa, breathed his last on August 10. He was 69. Although he had been laid low by various diseases over the years which severely affected his mobility for the last few years it was a freak accident a day earlier which became the cause of his death. 

According to the family members, Ahmed Mustafa, who had founded Cricket Coaching Centre, the first-ever cricket academy in Pakistan in 1987, was unusually hale and hearty on the morning on August 9 when he also telephoned a few close friends to extend Eid greetings. 

It was during this process, around 12 noon, when he fell suddenly while approaching the telephone set in the TV lounge. It could not be found whether he suffered a stroke or he lost his balance due to some other reason. His head hit the edges of a wooden chair and he collapsed instantly. He was rushed to the hospital in unconscious condition where the doctors carried out various tests including CT scan. 

The family members were informed about the serious nature of the head injury as he was placed in the intensive care unit of the Plastic Surgery Hospital on Shaheed-e-Millat where all his previous medical records were available. His condition deteriorated and he was put on ventilator at midnight. He didn’t respond to the numerous attempts made to revive his breath. At about 5 am he was pronounced dead. 

Upon hearing the sad news, quite a few friends, the majority of them being cricketers, rushed at the family residence of Ahmed Mustafa in PECHS at a short notice. They included Asif Ahmed, Mahmood-ul-Hasan, Nasim-ul-Ghani, Iqbal Umar, Brig Salahuddin, Mirza Masroor Ahmed, Khalid Rafiq, Jalaluddin, Salahuddin Ahmed, Faisal Iqbal, Mohammad Javed, Wajihuddin and Ali Hussain. He was laid to rest in the DHA Phase I graveyard after Asr prayers. 

Nasim-ul-Ghani, a former Test all-rounder, who has also headed the national selection committee besides holding other administrative posts in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the years, was among the last persons to have talked to Ahmed Mustafa with whom he had an association for more than five decades. 

“It’s shocking. I can’t believe it. He was talking in such a relaxed manner. We talked for quite sometime as we usually used to do. I never knew that it would be our final conversation,” the visibly upset Nasim-ul-Ghani remarked. 

Asif Ahmed, another former cricketer and probably the closest friend of Ahmed Mustafa, alongwith Mahmood-ul-Hasan, was also shell-shocked at what he described as sudden death caused by a freak accident. 

“Just one day before his death I had driven him to an automobile workshop at Tariq Road. He was very keen to have his car fixed before Eid. He was mighty pleased when the mechanic did the job to his satisfaction. Little did we know that he actually desired his family car to return to order in his lifetime which indeed was done,” Asif Ahmed narrated in choked voice.

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Ahmed Mustafa receives ICC award

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The nominations of the winners of the awards had been announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year but it took the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) around six months to hand it over to the recipients.

In fact the delay was so frustrating for the award winners that quite a few of them had started to wonder if they would receive it in their lifetime. At least one winner of the ICC award, Gul Hameed Bhatti, expired in the interim period.

While it was a nice idea of the ICC to have thought of recognizing the volunteers across the world, having given their sweat and blood for the cause of the game rather selflessly, but the implementation of the strategy left a lot to be desired particularly in Pakistan.

The ICC probably had no other option than to seek the recommendations from the PCB but more regrettably they didn’t have any mechanism in place to verify the credentials of the nominees.

The list of award winners contains majority of the names who didn’t deserve it at all to say the least. The genuine volunteers or the silent soldiers were purposely ignored to accommodate people having access to the Chairman of the PCB, Ijaz Butt, infamous for doing things according to his whims and wishes in total disregard to merit.

There were just a few exceptions and the person, in the opinion of many, who deserved it more than anyone else was none other than Ahmed Mustafa, a former first-class cricketer, having immortalized himself by setting up an academy where coaching of the highest class is being provided free of cost for close to quarter of a century now.

Ahmed Mustafa, whose health has deteriorated for the past few years, defied the instructions of the physicians to collect the award personally from the officials of the PCB in a ceremony held at the National Stadium, Karachi.

He was presented the award by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the PCB, Wasim Bari, with a member of the Board’s Governing Body, Wazir Ali Khoja, also present on the stage.

It was a just reward for Ahmed Mustafa who has spent all his life in grooming the talented youngsters once his own dream of donning the national colour was shattered by a tragic road accident when he was at the peak of his career.

He could not fulfill his ambition of playing Test cricket but he has gone on to make more significant contribution to the game than any Test cricketer by having established a famed academy by the name of Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC).

Azam Khan, Faisal Iqbal and Owais Shah are three Test cricketers having been discovered and trained by the CCC. They were in their early teens when taken to Ahmed Mustafa by their parents.

Quite a few cricket academies have mushroomed over the last few years but it was Ahmed Mustafa who pioneered the idea. Most significantly he has never charged a single penny from his trainees. In fact he has also been instrumental in arranging kits for them besides taking care of the practice balls all along. He has given his life to cricket in the truest sense of the word.

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Jahangir Moghul bats for Ahmed Mustafa’s CCC

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Jahangir Moghul, Vice President, Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC), while congratulating Ahmed Mustafa on winning the ICC medal, has urged the concerned authorities to extend greater support to the institution having pioneered the concept in the country.

“Ahmed Mustafa certainly deserved the recognition from the supreme body of the game. He has served the cause of cricket immensely over the years and it’s very much in the fitness of things that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has awarded a medal to him,” Jahangir Moghul, a noted social figure and philanthropist, remarked.

“Having watched him closely giving his best to the game of cricket the ICC medal should go a long way in further energizing Ahmed Mustafa who has literally devoted his life for cricket that’s dearest to his heart,” he added.

“Now the governing bodies of the sport like the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) should lend proactive support to the CCC in the larger interest of the game,” Jahangir Moghul, Convenor Sports, Karachi Gymkhana, suggested.

“All credit to Ahmed Mustafa, a former opening batsman, for having established and ran the CCC on self help basis for well over two decades now. He has done a great service to the game. Now it’s the responsibility of the PCB as well as the KCCA to complement his efforts for the further promotion of cricket,” he reckoned.

“What Ahmed Mustafa has done for the promotion of cricket will find a mention whenever history of the game is written. Let all the stakeholders support him overwhelmingly for the sake of the future of our young cricketers,” Jahangir Moghul proposed.

One inclines to agree with Jahangir Moghul because Ahmed Mustafa’s CCC can be of immense help in carrying out training and coaching programmes at the academies having been commissioned by the PCB.

It would be in the PCB’s own interest to extend fullest support to the CCC because their working relationship could be mutually beneficial. And most importantly it would be helpful in accomplishing the cherished goal of promoting the game at the grassroots level.

It may be recalled that General Tauqir Zia was the first head of the PCB to have recognized the services rendered by Ahmed Mustafa and it was during his tenure that the CCC was finally allowed to use the practice facilities in the outer area of the National Stadium, Karachi.

The then PCB Chairman’s decision of having accorded great respect to Ahmed Mustafa’s efforts was hailed by the cricket circles. Gen Tauqir Zia remained appreciative of the project and the CCC had got into life with its shifting of base to the NSK in May 2003.

Things went from bad to worse when Gen Tauqir Zia was succeeded by Shaheryar Khan. The days of Dr Nasim Ashraf didn’t bring any joys for the CCC either. There has not much support in the days of Ijaz Butt yet.

When the PCB has been generous in having invested so much of its resources in forming and running academies of their own it’s indeed surprising why they haven’t taken on board the hard working individuals and institutions having rendered great service to the game to fuel their passion.

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Jahangir Moghul desires greater support for Ahmed Mustafa's Cricket Coaching Centre

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Mr Jahangir Moghul, Vice President, Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC), firmly believes that their institution deserves greater support from the cricket authorities in order to further its cause.

“All credit to Mr Ahmed Mustafa, a former opening batsman, for having established and run the CCC on self help basis for over two decades now. He has done a great service to the game. Now the ball is in the court of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) who should come forward to lend their support to the CCC,” Mr Jahangir Moghul, a renowned social figure and philanthropist, remarked.

The CCC has already completed two decades of its existence. In fact it has been there for more than 21 years now. Mr Ahmed Mustafa has kept the institution afloat with the support of his like-minded friends.General Tauqir Zia was the first head of the board to have recognized the services rendered by Ahmed Mustafa and it was during his tenure that the CCC was finally allowed to use the practice facilities in the outer area of the National Stadium, Karachi.

It was a very good decision of the PCB Chairman, who accorded great respect to Ahmed Mustafa’s efforts. Gen Tauqir Zia remained appreciative of the project and the CCC had got into life with its shifting of base to the NSK. Ahmed Mustafa and the CCC enjoyed their best time in the days of Gen Tauqir Zia.

Things went from bad to worse when Mr Shaheryar Khan took over as the chief of the PCB. Ahmed Mustafa is a soft person who doesn’t like to complain. He may not say it in public but the fact remains that the CCC didn’t get the recognition and support from the PCB during the tenure of Mr Shaheryar Khan. The days of Dr Nasim Ashraf didn’t bring any joys for the CCC either. People close to the PCB chief were not sympathetic to the cause of the CCC.

The new leadership of the PCB can take the CCC on board in their own training and coaching programmes. The Board should extend fullest support to the CCC because their proactive relationship would be mutually beneficial. And most importantly it would be helpful to the larger interest of the game.

Although quite a few coaching academies have come into prominence in the country during the last five to eight years, it’s the one set up by Ahmed Mustafa in 1987 having pioneered the idea.Ahmed Mustafa, who narrowly missed playing for Pakistan because of a tragic road accident, has made a name for himself by setting up the CCC that has already produced Test and one-day cricketers.

Like any other project, the CCC was also off to a modest start. A few nets here and there at the Aga Khan Gymkhana attracted much more youngsters than Ahmed Mustafa or any of his friends had anticipated The response was terrific as this was for the first time that coaching was being provided and that too free of cost.

The CCC had to be shifted to a nearby location where the Alam brothers were generous enough to allow Ahmed Mustafa and his team to install the nets at their residence where proper coaching sessions were conducted.56 Depot Lines remained in the news for years as cricket celebrities from the country as well as abroad kept visiting and appreciating Ahmed Mustafa’s venture. Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharduddin paid a visit to the CCC and passed a few coaching tips to the trainees.

The legendary Imran Khan spent hours at the nets of the CCC to guide the enthusiastic youngsters. The great Javed Miandad also visited the CCC more than once. The master tactician Hanif Mohammad spared his time for the CCC.

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Cricket Coaching Centre greets Ijaz Butt

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The functionaries of the Cricket Coaching Centre (CCC), founded and run by Ahmed Mustafa, a former opening batsman, have expressed their delight at the appointment of Ijaz Butt, a former Test cricketer, as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The CCC has already completed two decades of its existence. In fact it has been there for more than 21 years now. Ahmed Mustafa has kept the institution afloat with the support of his like-minded friends.

Ahmed Mustafa, with his contemporaries Asif Ahmed and Mahmood-ul-Hasan, has been working with missionary zeal to contribute their bit in the cricket development by running the CCC with limited resources at their disposal.

“We are thrilled at the appointment of Ijaz Butt as the new PCB Chairman. Besides his known qualities of administration and management it’s his background as Test cricketer that gladdens our hearts. He knows the Pakistan cricket inside out. He can make a difference,” the trio of former cricketers,Ahmed Mustafa, Asif Ahmed and Mahmood-ul-Hasan, said in a joint statement.

Jahangir Moghul, Vice President, CCC, has also greeted Ijaz Butt on assuming the charge as the PCB Chairman.

Although quite a few coaching academies have come into prominence in the country during the last five to eight years, it’s the one set up by Ahmed Mustafa in 1987 having pioneered the idea.

Ahmed Mustafa, who narrowly missed playing for Pakistan because of a tragic road accident, has made a name for himself by setting up the CCC that has already produced Test and one-day cricketers.

Like any other project, the CCC was also off to a modest start. A few nets here and there at the Aga Khan Gymkhana attracted much more youngsters than Ahmed Mustafa or any of his friends had anticipated The response was terrific as this was for the first time that coaching was being provided and that too free of cost.

The CCC had to be shifted to a nearby location where the Alam brothers were generous enough to allow Ahmed Mustafa and his team to install the nets at their residence where proper coaching sessions were conducted.

56 Depot Lines remained in the news for years as cricket celebrities from the country as well as abroad kept visiting and appreciating Ahmed Mustafa’s venture. Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharduddin paid a visit to the CCC and passed a few coaching tips to the trainees.

The legendary Imran Khan spent hours at the nets of the CCC to guide the enthusiastic youngsters. The great Javed Miandad also visited the CCC more than once. The master tactician Hanif Mohammad spared his time for the CCC.

It was General Tauqir Zia, Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board, who realized the importance of the services being rendered by Ahmed Mustafa and the CCC was finally allowed to use the practice facilities in the outer area of the National Stadium, Karachi.

It was a very good decision of the PCB Chairman, who accorded great respect to Ahmed Mustafa’s efforts. Gen Tauqir Zia remained appreciative of the project and the CCC had got into life with its shifting of base to the NSK. Ahmed Mustafa and the CCC enjoyed their best time in the days of Gen Tauqir Zia.

Things went from bad to worse when Shaheryar Khan took over as the chief of the PCB. Ahmed Mustafa is a soft person who doesn’t like to complain. He may not say it in public but the fact remains that the CCC didn’t get the recognition and support from the PCB during the tenure of Shaheryar Khan. The days of Dr Nasim Ashraf didn’t bring any joys for the CCC either. People close to the PCB chief were not sympathetic to the cause of the CCC.

The new leadership of the PCB can take the CCC on board in their own training and coaching programmes. The Board should extend fullest support to the CCC because their proactive relationship would be mutually beneficial. And most importantly it would be helpful to the larger interest of the game.

readmore »»