Javed Miandad stages another comeback

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Batting legend Javed Miandad, who has been known and feared for his abilities to stage a comeback from the dead, has done it again. He has been reinstated as the Director General of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He is all set to resume duties on April 1.

The former Pakistan captain had resigned from the PCB about a month or so ago in controversial circumstances at a time when the Chairman of the Board, Mr Ijaz Butt, was abroad.

It was being speculated that the PCB Chairman, upon his return home, would convince the legendary Javed Miandad right away to change his mind but he took far more time than anticipated for there appeared to be some elements in the Board who didn’t desire an amicable settlement.

As they say better late than never. The meeting between the two in Lahore on March 30 turned fruitful and Javed Miandad, who had left the office complaining about lack of powers, has agreed to return on board

The Human Resources department of the PCB, headed by Wasim Bari, another cricket great, had also come under fire during the controversy but there was a clear-cut statement issued late on March 30.

"I can confirm that Javed Miandad will be re-appointed director general of the PCB from April 1 after meeting the PCB chairman. All his terms and conditions have been settled," Wasim Bari was quoted as saying.

Javed Miandad himself was delighted to be back and vowed to help Pakistan cricket. "I never had any issues before, nor will I now. I am at the service of Pakistan cricket and will do that to the best of my abilities. I am thankful to the chairman who was kind and asked me to help him as his adviser also. I never had any terms and conditions before and there will be none now because I believe in the service of the game," he remarked.

Javed Miandad was acknowledged as a master tactician in his playing days. His fighting abilities in the field were object lesson for the teammates. Besides being an extraordinarily successful batsman at the international level, he had also proved himself an outstanding captain.

He is the only batsman in the history of game not have let his batting average drop below 50 at any point of his career. It’s something that even the likes of Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards or Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t do. It’s a record that suggested his remarkable consistency over a very long period of time.

Controversies have also been the part and parcel of his cricketing life. He was appointed the captain of the national team at a very young and the man he displaced was none other than Mushtaq Mohammad.

Having retired from international cricket after playing his sixth World Cup on a trot in 1996, Javed Miandad has had stints as the coach of the Pakistan on a few occasions and he had to part ways bitterly almost every time.

But it was for the first when the PCB offered him a senior position and he started hitting headlines, not necessarily for the right reasons, from the moment he took over as the Director General. He had to resign in protest before he could settle down but now he has returned to the same position, hopefully for a longer innings.

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India’s shameful performance in Napier Test

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It’s very difficult to comment on any sporting contest that’s under the cloud of the outside factors. India, not for the first time, fared so miserably to keep their underdogs opponents, New Zealand, interested until the end.

The Napier Test of the 2008-09 series turned out to be another occasion where the logic was defied. An element of uncertainty had come into the game even before the first ball was bowled. Hardly did anyone know until the toss that the Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unfit for the game.

Dhoni’s pullout from the game at the eleventh hour was mysterious. The mystery grew into suspicion when acting captain Virender Sehwag allowed New Zealand to post a total in the excess of 600 after having rattled their top-order in the first hour.

It was simply amazing. The most lethal new-ball attack of the world was blunted by a few young cavaliers who treated them disdainfully. One of the best off-spinners of the game looked like a pedestrian while the support bowlers appeared novices.

The team that was the firm favourite to close the series at the McLean Park, after having pocketed the previous Test so emphatically, was in shambles all of a sudden. The outfit that should have actually dictated terms was at the receiving end instead.

By letting New Zealand post a gigantic total, India had probably ensured that they should not be chasing another win in this game. With the pitch as flat as you can expect and the outfield lightening quick and the boundaries far too short, India had the guns to surpass the total of 619 if they so desired.

They collapsed quite dramatically in their first innings to make absolutely sure that a victory for them went out of the equation. There were only results possible once Daniel Vettori had enforced follow-on. The Indians could have either lost the game or at best they could have gone for a draw.

There was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers and the Indians themselves proved it by playing out 180 overs in their second innings losing only four wickets in the process, two of them to horribly wrong umpiring decisions. Rahul David was given out caught when the ball had only touched his pads while Gautam Gambhir was declared leg before on a ball going well down the leg side.

The Indians occupied the crease for more than two days in their second outing against a New Zealand attack that was enthusiastic and disciplined without ever looking threatening.

Gambir and VVS Laxman scored centuries in contrasting styles while there were half centuries for Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. The only man, having failed to deliver in both innings, was none other than Sehwag.

Why the Indians didn’t show application in their first innings in ideal batting conditions is a million-dollar question? Was it necessary to keep the home side excited and interested until the final session of the game?

Isn’t it a shame that the most powerful batting line-up of the world was dominated by an ordinary bowling attack for the best part of three days? The world-beaters are not expected to play like this. That was quite uncharacteristic of a team that is rated as the most balanced as well as the strongest of all outfits in the business.

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Shoaib Akhtar eager to return on international stage

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Shoaib Akhtar is mobilizing all the resources at his disposal to facilitate his comeback in the national team. He has this habit of creating this kind of situation on the eve of every major series. He knows that he has certain news value. He wants to make the most of it by issuing statements that could keep in the reckoning and prolong his international career.

Shoaib is hitting the headlines yet again, passing the impression that he is fully fit to take on the Australians in the upcoming series to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It remains to be seen if the present selectors will take another chance with the speedster. Abdul Qadir and company will have to think twice because they had gambled with him in Sri Lankan series not very long ago and faced humiliation.

The selectors will have to decide whether they can still rely on Shoaib or they can move forward by trying out a promising young fast bowler in his place. The series of One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals against Australia is fast approaching and it’s not going to be an easy decision.

Shoaib Akhtar, clocked as the fastest bowler of the world, has had an outstanding record at the international in all forms of the game but his level of fitness and commitment both have often been questioned. He has not been able to keep himself fit for a long duration of time much to the disappointment of the while nation.

He’s such a gifted cricketer. Known as the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ he has demolished the strongest of batting line-ups. In just 46 Test matches he has bagged 178 wickets at an average of 25.69 while he has scalped 220 batsmen in 140 ODIs at an average of 23.49. He has fared impressively in the shortest version of the game too, having taken eight wickets in six games at 20.62 apiece.

He, however, is not that far away from his 34th birthday and being a fast bowler one can’t expect much cricket left in him. He may be able regain his full fitness and form in near future but for how long one never knows.
He has become notorious for breaking down during the course of a series, a tendency that hurts the team spirit. One can only hope he would last the entire length of the series, if selected.

Shoaib Akhtar appears in high spirits of late and with skipper Younis Khan and chief selector Abdul Qadir both having great admiration for the mercurial fast bowler, he may once more find his way into the team.

"I have been working very hard and gearing up to play against Australia. I will play more domestic matches so that I can prove my fitness to the selectors and the rest is with them. I am feeling better and have bowled 20 overs in the two matches. So I will be up to my full fitness and rhythm when we play Australia.," he was recently quoted as saying.

Having himself spearheaded Pakistan’s conquests over stronger Australian outfits in the not too distant past, he believes that Pakistan do have a very good chance of beating Australia in the upcoming series.

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McGain would have wished debut against India for better Test returns

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Australian leg-spinner Bryce McGain must have been regretting having made his Test debut against South Africa in which he was taken for 149 runs in a matter of 18 overs. Besides leaking far too many runs by the Test standards, he was unable to get any wicket in the only innings that South Africa needed to bat.

His would go down as one of the most nightmarish debut performance or the lack of it of all times. The 36-year-old vastly experienced campaigner was not allowed to settle down by the South African batsmen, who kept attacking him throughout.

McGain, who was certified by a leg-spinning wizard called Shane Warne, lost his radar in the Cape Town Test and the home batsmen went hard at him. After all it was Test cricket and the batsmen were eager to cash in on every single opportunity. Yet it’s rare for any bowler to suffer that kind of humiliation.

Having conceded 149 runs in just 18 overs, McGain simply had no luck. Mind you going at 8.27 runs per over will be considered expensive even in a Twenty20 game, let alone the 50-overs one-dayers. He couldn’t put his acts together and he was belted mercilessly and fearlessly during the course of a Test match.

McGain must have regretted the injury that forced him to return early from the tour of India at the start of the season. He would have been much better off debuting against India no matter how big reputation the home batsmen had.

He would know that he stood a chance of returning much better figures in India. Having become a professional at the age of 35, he was chosen as the chosen as the premier spinner for Australia's tour to India. He was being talked about as a long-term prospect despite his advanced age.

He was certain to make his debut Test debut in India when a rather unusual injury to the tendons in his right armpit forced him to return home for a surgery. He didn’t lose heart and returned to play for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield after recovering completely. He bowled well to be selected for the tour of South Africa.

After being overlooked for the first couple of Tests, both of which were won by Australia, he was finally included in the playing eleven in the third and final Test in Cape Town.

McGain might have felt that it’s easier to capture wickets against India or at least get away with it even when bowling not too well. He has the most example of Jason Krejza in front of him.
Krejza had been taken for 199 runs in 31 overs in the warm-up game but the team management gambled with him in the deciding fourth and final Test in Nagpur. He was adjudged Man of the Match after having claimed exactly a dozen wickets on his debut.

Krejza, as McGain must be wondering, had not bowled so well but the Indian batsmen accorded him the same kind of respect as if encountering Shane Warne or Mutiah Muralitharan. That’s the special quality of the Indian batsmen who have their own unique methods of going about their business.

Krejza picked up as many as eight wickets in the first innings and took four more in the second outing. It was dream debut, just the opposite of McGain a few months later.

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IPL moved to South Africa

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It has now been officially announced that South Africa will host the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be held during April and May. The decision was taken on March 24 ending the speculation whether South Africa or England would earn the right to host the second edition of the Twenty20 tournament.

South Africa has been confirmed as the venue after the talks between the IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, and the Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive, Gerald Majola, held in Johannesburg.

England was being considered as the alternate venue but by the look of things Modi had such a fruitful meeting with Majola that closed the deal promptly. Modi was not even required to visit London where he was scheduled to discuss the IPL with the officials of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Modi and Majola informed the media corps at the Wanderers Club in the Johannesburg that the second edition of the IPL would now be staged from April 18 into May, probably at six venues Cape Town, Centurion, Durban, East London, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

The ECB officials, in true sporting spirit, have welcomed the decision recognizing the fact that the IPL organizers had gone for the practical option.

The high-profile tournament having attracted the majority of the biggest names in the game has been moved from India because the dates clashed with the general elections and the government was unwilling to allow it in view of security concerns.

"To move the event outside India has been one of the hardest decisions that
the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has had to take, but I'm equally
confident that staging it in South Africa will be a major success," Modi was quoted as saying.
.
"We extend a huge gratitude to our friends at Cricket South Africa for agreeing to host the Indian Premier League in such a short time. I am sure all South African cricket fans are looking forward to the spectacle of seeing the world's best players compete against each other in this tournament,” he observed.

"The South African public loves Twenty2O cricket and CSA successfully
hosted the inaugural World Twenty20. Both these factors weighed heavily in favour of South Africa, and we look forward to a successful and exciting tournament being held at venues throughout the country," he added.

The CSA, determined to meet the challenge, has willingly offered to extend their total support to the BCCI in holding the IPL with all its flavours.

"The organisers can be assured they have the full support of

CSA structures and the South African public to stage a successful tournament. This will strengthen the ties even further between South African and Indian cricket, as well as binding our nations even closer together. We are looking forward to hosting some of the world's best cricketers, and we can assure them they will be provided with the very best facilities to show their skills." Majola stated.

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Pakistan’s participation still doubtful in IPL

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The second edition of the high-profile Indian Premier League (IPL) has finally been moved out of India, primarily due to security concerns. Since the dates had been reserved for the IPL, taking into account international activity those days, the event will now be staged outside of India.

Therefore it’s just the change of venue for the second IPL. Either it will be now hosted by South Africa that looks more likely presently with England being the alternate.

The shifting of the IPL opened the door for the cricketers from Pakistan, who had earlier been advised by the government not to visit India in the prevailing circumstances. Apparently there should be no problem from the government side if these players seek permission to compete in the IPL in South Africa or England.

But there are another reasons that could prevent or limit the participation of Pakistan’s top performers in the upcoming IPL. A series of One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals is to be played between Pakistan and Australia in the Middle around the same period.

The Pakistan-Australia series to be staged in Abu Dhabi and Dubai was confirmed only last month and with the limited amount of international cricket on offer for Pakistan of late there is absolutely no chance whatsoever of the authorities allowing them to skip the national duty.

Another factor that could go against the Pakistan cricketers is the fact that the action in IPL is just about a couple of weeks away and the participating teams might have finalized their squads already.

There is a remote possibility that the Pakistan-Australia series might be postponed in which case the Pakistan cricketers would be available for the IPL. That their franchisees would include them in their line-up at the eleventh hour is another matter.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt, has remarked that the request of the players interested in playing the ICL will be considered once they receive it. He has obviously clarified that the national duty would be paramount.

The Pakistan cricketers had encountered mixed fortunes in the inaugural edition of the IPL last year. Sohail Tanvir was the outstanding bowler, having helped his team Rajhastan Royals in clinching the trophy. His left-arm swing bowling created sensation and he became one of the most valuable players on the circuit.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal also made his presence felt in the limited opportunities that came his way. He used the long handle to very good effect and the experience he gained in the IPL came handy later while playing for Pakistan.

The mercurial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar showed the glimpses of his top form for Kolkata Knight Riders. Umar Gul, Salman Butt and Mohammad Hafeez also played for this team.

The one Pakistan cricketer who could not do justice to his talents in the IPL was the flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi, who just didn’t get going while playing for Deccan Chargers. He did pluck a couple of spectacular catches in the outfield besides capturing odd wickets but he could not set the grounds on fire with his stroke-play.

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India’s first Test victory in New Zealand after 33 years

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indian cricketers played to their potential in the first Test of the ongoing series in New Zealand and finally they were able to accomplish something their predecessors had somehow failed to do.

Yes it has taken India 33 more than years to defeat New Zealand in a Test match on their soil. It’s a generation gap. I was 12 years old, studying in Class VIII at Cadet College Petaro, when India had overpowered New Zealand by eight wickets in the first Test at the Eden Park, Auckland, in January 1976.

Now my eldest daughter, Javeria, having celebrated her 12th birthday just a couple of months ago, is preparing to move to Class VIII, when India has again beaten New Zealand in the first Test at the Seddon Park, Hamilton, in March 2009.

It’s not that India didn’t visit New Zealand often in the 33-year period. There were regular tours after the 1975-76 series but for some reason or the other India could not put their acts together to win a Test match there for over three decades.

Acting skipper Sunil Gavaskar and debutant left-hander Surinder Amarnath were India’s batting heroes in the Auckland Test of the 1975-76 in which their famed spin trio of Eripalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chadrasekhar and Srinavas Ventakraghawan had bowled superbly to engineer the famous win.

They could not have even imagined that it would remain their only Test win in New Zealand for 33 as many as years. How could have they known that India would be returning empty handed from New Zealand even while having far too stronger outfits.

India toured New Zealand again in 1980-81 and looked set to start the Test series on a winning note when they routed the hosts for 100 in their second innings. With two days play to go all they needed was to get 253 on a pretty nice surface of the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Having given a very impressive account of themselves in earlier series in Australia, the Indians, captained by Sunil Gavaskar, appeared the firm favourites to win the Wellington Test while chasing the modest target. But they made a heavy weather of it and crashed to a disappointing 190 all out to lose the game by 62 runs instead. With the home umpires refusing to raise their fingers, India could not square the series.

India was humbled again in the first Test on their next tour of New Zealand in 1989-90 under newly installed skipper Mohammad Azharduddin. All their efforts of leveling the series were foiled once again.

India failed to drive home the advantage in the only Test during their tour in 1993-94 while their first Test of the 1998-99 tour was abandoned without a ball being bowled. They were narrowly beaten in the second Test and the third and final game was drawn.

India’s tour to New Zealand in 2002-03 was so horrible from their point of view that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t risk send their team again in 2006-07 on the eve of another World Cup. The Indians had their moments in both the Test matches but they couldn’t force the result in their favour on either them and for the first India they lost more one Test in a series in New Zealand.

Here is the opportunity to set the record straight. After having won the first Test so comprehensively, India should be aiming to close the series in the very next game. Although the history is not on their Indian side, the present lot has the depth and the character to rewrite it.

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Tendulkar produces yet another classic knock

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Sachin Tendulkar’s century number 42 in Test cricket on March 20 was yet another masterly knock from the Grand Master. Even though it was scored against an opposition not having big guns the conditions were quite difficult for batting and it was his sheer class that saw him dominate the bowling for the better part of his stay at the crease.

Tendulkar was unconquered on 70 when the stumps were drawn on the second evening, a few overs before the scheduled close of play due to the fading light, in the first Test against New Zealand at the Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Although the number of spectators at the ground was not all that high from the sub-continent standards when the play started on the third morning it’s believed that the majority of the one billion people back home in India are believed to have set an early morning alarm in anticipation of another Tendulkar hundred.

The occasion was worth compromising the sound sleep. The manner in which Tendulkar resumed his innings gave an indication that he was aware of the fact that his every movement was being followed at home.

What a cracking start he had to the day. The backfoot punches were a treat to watch as were the classic cover drives. He penetrated the field without taking risk and the score kept ticking over at a brisk pace.

He had moved from 70 to 99 in no time but there was a pause when he was just a single away from the landmark. In fact he was rather unlucky not to have completed his hundred with the cover drive that fetched him three runs instead of a boundary as Daniel Vettori made a spectacular save.

There were anxious moments with a few maiden overs on a trot. Tendulkar’s problems were compounded by the lack of support from the other end as skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was struggling to rotate the strike.

Since he has been dismissed so many times in the 90s during the past few years, it always is a relief whenever he reaches the magical three-figure mark. He was mighty pleased when he got the single to his 42nd hundred in Test matches.

He needed only 168 balls to reach his century as he had remained positive from the moment he set his feet in the ground a day earlier. He was in complete control of the situation and he was not in any mood to give it away.

His stroke-play continued even after he had brought up his hundred as he kept punishing the loose balls at will. He was equal to the task while defending the good balls, hardly giving the bowlers any chance.

He completed his 150 in the afternoon session but he didn’t last long after that. Iain O’ Brien, looking the most threatening of the New Zealand bowlers, ended the majestic innings by having the master batsman caught in the slips by Ross Taylor for 160.

Tendulkar occupied the crease for exactly 400 minutes on a pitch that always kept the bowlers interested. The overcast conditions encouraged the seam bowlers but he dominated them in a fashion only he could have done.

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