Islah urges Pakistan to boycott World Cup in India

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Former Pakistan captain and one of the legendary hockey forwards, Olympian
Islahuddin Siddiqui has advised the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to boycott the upcoming FIH World Cup Tournament 2010 to be staged in India next month.

"The strained Indo-Pak relations and the security threats from different extremist groups in India present a very grim scenario at the moment and it would put Pakistan players under pressure if they play there," Islahuddin, a respected name in the international hockey circles, said in an interview in Karachi.

“I don’t think it would be advisable to let Pakistan play in India. The sports-loving public of both the neighboring countries are very much eager to watch their stalwarts in action but a few elements across the border have become proactive in trying to sabotage sporting ties," he felt.

"What’s the point in sending our players when we are aware of the fact that it might be very difficult for them to concentrate and excel," he believed.

"Pakistan’s hockey team has shown definite signs of improvement of late but let us not them put to that kind of test. They should be forced to take the field in such hostile atmosphere,” Islah, who led Pakistan to the World Cup triumph in 1978, warned.

“It’s not fair to send our hockey team to India as performing well under adverse conditions could be terribly difficult for them," he reckoned.

“When the hugely resourceful franchises could not pick the Pakistan cricketers for the Indian Premier League (IPL) because of the security concerns how will be the hosts providing security to the big Pakistan hockey contingent in the tournament of a profile as high as the World Cup,” Islah, having served the national team as coach and manager, questioned.

"Not picking Pak cricketers in the IPL auction has sent a negative message to the Indo-Pak sub-continent and the world. They themselves proved the point that the conditions were not conducive for sporting action in India," he added.

“The Pakistan Hockey Federation must take a note of the situation and they should assess all the factors before making the decision. They should not think twice of participating in the event if they are not fully satisfied with the security arrangements,” the widely traveled Islah suggested.

Interestingly Pakistan, having won the World Cup a record four times, are scheduled to take on hosts India in the opening match of the 12-nation tournament to be staged in at New Delhi from February 28 to March 11.

It may be recalled that the World Cup hockey tournament was a brainchild of the visionary PHF President, Air Marshal Nur Khan. The inaugural event could not to be hosted in Pakistan but they managed to win the trophy when it was launched in Spain in 1971.

Not surprisingly it was the tension between the two arch-rivals that had cost Pakistan the chance of staging the first-ever World Cup. It was after 19 years when the World Cup was finally held in Pakistan in 1990.

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Zaheer’s 10-wicket haul standout effort on a batting paradise

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan produced the kind of fast bowling in the second Test that would be needed more regularly if India are to retain their place at the top of the tree. The bowlers have to do the business nearly every time because 20 wickets are there to be taken for winning a Test match no matter how heavily you score.

Nobody can doubt the greatness of the present Indian batting line-up but their bowlers haven’t attained the kind of consistency which the world beating West Indians had in the 1980s or the Australians possessed in the 1990s while dominating every opposition.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni did the right thing by having credited Zaheer Khan and the other bowlers for the thumping ten-wicket victory over Bangladesh that enabled India to wrap up the two-Test series 2-0.

It’s always very nice of the captain to acknowledge and recognize the key performers. Dhoni has seldom put a foot wrong and he has been found very positive in backing his teammates.

The batsmen had certainly played their part by putting runs on the board but there was hardly anything to worry for them. The pitch was friendly and there was not much venom in the Bangladesh attack either. The Indian batsmen were bound to score heavily if they didn’t commit suicide.

But the Indian bowlers were very much pressure when they came out to bowl a second time. With key batsmen Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh on the injury list they had to ensure that there wasn’t a testing target set for them.
Well with Zaheer returning his career-best figures Bangladesh could get only one run in front and the Indian openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, were not even needed to put bat on ball to get the couple of runs that completed the clean sweep of the Test series.

Zaheer’s outstanding spell at the stroke of lunch brought about the relief Dhoni needed. There must have been some cause in the skipper’s mind with the hosts had progressed to 290 for three. Even the nightwatchman was not getting dislodged and there were possibilities that Bangladesh could pose more problems.

But the Indians hit back before it took to their minds and the home side had no answer to the sensational bowling for Zaheer losing their final seven wickets for 22 runs.

"It was a difficult task to get wickets in this track, both for spinners and pacers. But all credit goes to the bowlers. They really put their best to get those 20 wickets, especially Zaheer's spell,” Dhoni reckoned.

"The ball was getting old and the wicket was getting slower and slower. This is a reason we decided to bowl first in this wicket. If you bat first you need to score 600 plus or else you have to again come and bat. So it was tough but I think the bowlers did a terrific job,” the victorious captain added.

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Bangladesh skipper, Board President lock horns

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The skipper of the Bangladesh cricket team, Shakib Al Hasan, and the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), A H M Mustafa Kamal, have been in the news lately for the wrong reasons. Both of them appeared to be guilty of going overboard in a ceremony recently that was actually being held to celebrate their cricketing triumph.

It’s so easy to get carried away when provoked and you need depth of character to absorb remarks or comments that are not to liking. Both these gentlemen were found wanting in conducting themselves and their acts caused embarrassment instead in the hour of glory.

At the function organized to felicitate the team for its triumphs against the West Indies and Zimbabwe last year, BCB chief AHM Mustafa Kamal, should have avoided bitterly criticizing his team for losing the first Test of the ongoing home series against India. He didn’t have a point in questioning the commitment and sense of responsibility of the players after Bangladesh lost in Chittagong.

"You have to be more responsible and have to give your best. As a professional, I always want hundred per cent from the players and you have to be habituated with triumph and it will be not acceptable if you go down one day after winning a match the previous day," he was quoted as saying.

It was really unfair of the Board chief to have raised the issue in the ceremony even if he felt let down by the team. In any case his criticism looked totally unjustified. If he considered Bangladesh’s performance in the first Test as dismal or below par then I am afraid he needs to some crash courses on understanding the game.

Probably the BCB President was unaware of the fact that India are the top ranked Test side in the world and their batting line-up is hailed as one of the greatest of all-time. If the Bangladesh bowlers succeeded in routing them for less than 250 in their first innings they needed to be applauded not criticized. Then they very nearly equaled India’s first innings total.

The BCB President should have looked at the positives from the first Test rather than humiliating his players for losing the game in the final session.

Then the young Bangladesh skipper, Shakib-ul-Hasan, could not control his emotions and gave a befitting reply to the Board President by saying:

"No cricketer plays for defeat and we always try to give our best in the field. In order to get consistent success both players and the coaches should work together, no one can win on his own. Everyone should speak responsibly and assist us in our job. We will not win everyday, no one does. But our integrity should not be questioned.”

The BCB President had committed the first mistake and the Bangladesh skipper made the second mistake by taking on the former. Two wrongs don’t make one right. Shakib should have absorbed the remarks of the Board chief in the sporting spirit.

It didn’t stop there. A local newspaper, Kaler Kantho, posted a picture of Shakib kneeling in front of Mustafa Kamal after the function, reportedly to apologize for the comments. It was also reported that Shakib was also threatened with dire consequences by the BCB.

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Sindh Government activates sports relief fund

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Sindh government has activated the Pakistan Sports Foundation Relief Fund (PSFRF) for the specific purpose of providing financial assistance to the athletes facing financial hardships due to physical disabilities or protracted ailment.

Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Sports, Government of Sindh, has revealed that besides helping the deserving athletes in need, the Regional Committee of the PSFRF was also taking care of the legal heirs of the deceased ones.

“The seven-member Regional Committee of the PSFRF was formed in November 2008 with a revolving grant of Rs 500,000 at our disposal with the objective of helping the deserving sports-persons of repute and to legal heirs of those stalwarts who have died. We have been providing financial assistance in the form of monthly scholarships as well as lump sum grant-in-aid,” he disclosed.

Shoaib Siddiqui himself is a member of the Regional Committee of the PSFRF that also includes former Test cricketer and present chief selector, Iqbal Qasim, besides, Mir Haider Ali Talpur, Shah Riazuddin and Rahat Ali Shah.
“The families of former Pakistan hockey captain, Munawwar-uz-Zaman and former Test cricketer, Taslim Arif, were provided financial grant of Rs 50,000 each. Similarly a payment of Rs 50,000 was made to the family of cricket coach Khushi Mohammad,” Shoaib Siddiqui disclosed.

“Footballers Mahboob Khan and Turab Ali were paid Rs 20,000 each to take care of their illness. Boxer Mahboob Khan and hockey player Khwaja Wasimuddin were also extended financial support to the tune of Rs 20,000 each while judo player Sajjad Hussain Baloch was paid Rs 15,000,” he added.

“The athletes and coaches having been extended monthly assistance of Rs 3,500 each include Lal Mohammad Baloch, Nazar Mohammad, Mohammad Ali Shah, Mohammad Wasim, Mahboob Khan, Noor-ul-Haq, Zaki Anwar, Shabbir Hussain, Abdul Rauf Qureshi, Abdul Rasheed, Shaikh Hasan Mohammad, Abeera Ali Shaikh, Abdul Ghafoor and Ismail Rosho,” Shoaib Siddiqui said.

It’s indeed quite heartening to note that the government has started taking care of the unpriveleged athletes who certainly deserve the monetary support after having spent their life in the sporting arena.

Numerous sporting greats have had to struggle to make their ends meet because only a few of them had the luxury of jobs and that too during the peak of their career. The majority of them couldn’t save for the rainy day and life has remained tough for them generally.

Sports has become an industry worldwide but the same cannot be said about Pakistan with cricket being the sole exception. Under the circumstances the state does have the responsibility of looking after the athletes.

The amount being disbursed by the Pakistan Sports Foundation Relief Fund (PSFRF) at the moment certainly looks peanuts but it’s a mighty big move in the right direction. As they say it’s never too late to do something good.

The government should allocate more funds to this scheme in order to assist greeater number of athletes. This will go a long way in encouraging more youngsters to take to sports.

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Tendulkar stars in unimpressive triumph

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

India played nowhere close to their potential in their first game after becoming the top ranked Test side in the world. Ironically it was their batting that let them down and it needed yet another classy knock from master craftsman Sachin Tendulkar to save them from embarrasment against Bangladesh in Chittagong.

India’s strength became their weakness in the first Test as their legendary batting line-up flopped after yet another promising start. It was amazing to find the likes of Virender Sehwag, also leading the team in the absence of the injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Gautam Gambhir to have given it away on the opening day after having got their eyes in.

Equally shocking was the failure of Test specialists Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, neither of whom stayed at the crease long enough to worry the hosts. The dasher Yuvraj Singh couldn’t fire either and then the massive hole created by the non-presence of Dhoni at number seven made things more difficult for the visitors.

You can’t expect to reduce this Indian batting order to 200 odd for the loss of eight wickets in any form of the game irrespective of the conditions or the quality of bowling. It was mind boggling to see them crashing to 243 all out despite the brilliant unbeaten century from Tendulkar.

It wasn’t the kind of start India needed to start their campaign being the No. 1 Test team in the world. To have folded against an inexperienced bowling attack didn’t reflect their mental strength.

India’s task of staging a comeback after the horrible first outing was made even more difficult by the gloomy weather and there were doubts if there would be substantial play to let them bowl out Bangladesh two times.

Thankfully from their point of view the bowlers didn’t disappoint in the manner their batsmen had otherwise India could well have been beaten. Had Bangladesh been allowed to run away with a sizeable first innings lead it might have been curtains for India whose unpredictability always keeps their fans guessing.

The final result, however, brought relief for Sehwag. "It has been a good start to the year. It's important to start well I guess. Everybody chipped in to make it happen. We didn't bat well first time but the bowlers have helped us win this game,” he observed.

"It happens with every team. Australia got out for around 120 in the Sydney Test against Pakistan but they won. We managed to score 250 because of Sachin, but we did bat well in the second innings and our bowling did the job for us," he added.

He was particular pleased with the performance of fast bowler Ishant Sharma who was returning to the side after an injury. ‘He bowled really well. It's good for him and good for Indian cricket,” the skipper acknowledged.

The Indians would be looking forward to an improved performance in the second Test in Dhaka and the focus will be on their champion batsmen once more.

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Tahir Ahmed lauds role of sports journalists

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Tahir Ahmed, Managing Director, New Jubilee Insurance (NJI), has recognized the role of the working journalists in the promotion of sports in Pakistan.

He made a particular mention of the media in keeping sports afloat in the country despite the inconsistent performances of the athletes in various events from time to time during the launch of the NJI 8th National Junior (Under-21) Snooker Championship 2010 at the Karachi Club on January 20.

“It’s very heartening indeed that the media professionals of our country are playing a proactive role in keeping the nation engaged in healthy activities. Our people get depressed quickly by the odd setbacks but our knowledgeable media makes them realize that odd losses are part and parcel of life,” he observed.

The Pakistan Billiard & Snooker Association (PBSA) was assured the sponsorship support by the NJI who have been supporting the National Junior Championship for the past three years besides having lent financial assistance to quite a few national and international events during the last few years.

“I would urge the PBSA to invite foreign cueists in our country in near future so that the sporting activities could be revived in difficult situations. The NJI is proud to play its part in the promotion of cue sports and we look forward to a long term relationship to take the game to another level,” Tahir Ahmed remarked.

The NJI 8th National Junior (Under-21) Snooker Championship 2010 will be staged at the Karachi Club from January 23 to 28. It will be offering Rs 120,000 in prize money with the winner to take home an enhanced purse of Rs 50,000.

The runner-up will be presented Rs 25,000 while both the losing semifinalists and all the four losing quarter-finalists will be getting Rs 10,000 each and Rs 5,000 each respectively. The highest break of the tournament carries a cash award of Rs 5,000.

An added incentive for the participants will be the qualification in the international event later this year. Both the finalists of the National Junior Championship will be representing Pakistan in the 11th Asian Under-21 Championship to be held in India from April 7 to 15.

“The total number of participants will be 32. Originally it was desired to have equal representation from all the four provinces but the inability of the NWFP and Balochistan to register eight cueists each will allow us to field more contestants from Sindh and Balochistan,” Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, PBSA, revealed.

“As far as the format of the event is concerned the participating cueists will be divided equally in eight groups. At the end of the league matches the top two cueists from each group will advance to the pre-quarter-finals. The league matches will be best of five encounters while the pre-quarter-finals and quarter-finals will be best of seven affairs and the semifinals as well as the final will best of nine contests,” Alamgir Shaikh explained.

The PBSA President acknowledged the overwhelming support of the former Federal Sports Minister, Pir Syed Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, who had approved special grants last year.

Ali Asghar Valika, Chairman, PBSA, in his brief remarks, expressed the hope that the young Pakistan’s cueists will come up with better performance in the future events after having gained the recent experience and exposure at the international level.

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Yousuf’s negative captaincy makes it easier for Ponting

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

There’s absolutely no element of surprise in finding Pakistan whitewashed at the hands of Australia in the just concluded three-Test series. The Australians were nowhere near to their best but still they were good enough to emerge triumphant on all three occasions.

There wasn’t hardly any contest in the first and third Tests with the home side dictating terms in the manner expected of them but they had a great escape in the second Test at Sydney.

The negative mindset of Mohammad Yousuf made things easier for his opposite number, Ricky Ponting who must have wondered how his team got away with it in the second Test after having conceded a massive first innings lead.

Ponting and his deputy Michael Clarke failed miserably in the first two Tests as did Marcus North, having given an impressive account of himself in his earlier games. While Ponting and Clarke rediscovered their form in the third and final Test, North just couldn’t do it even in conditions that were not demanding to say the least.

Yousuf, whose defensive approach perplexed everyone, was not able to put the Australian batsmen under any kind of pressure. He probably seemed to have taken it for granted that his team would be blasted in all three games.

Yousuf, having been handed over the leadership only after when the team members had revolted against Younis Khan during the series of One-day Internationals against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, looked completely out of focus in the Test series in New Zealand as well as in Australia.

Pakistan were at a great disadvantage due to the weak captaincy of Yousuf. They were extremely lucky to have got away with in New Zealand where the rains prevented the hosts from completing a series win on the final day.

Pakistan obviously needed heavy dose of luck once again to compete when they crossed the border to exchange fire with the Aussies. As expected the Australians proved to be a tougher opponent than the Black Caps, who were handicapped by the loss of champion fast bowler Shane Bond in the last two Tests.

With a fragile batting line-up and an inexperienced bowling attack Pakistan had to face the music in Australia. But they found the hosts below their best and the eventual scoreline not withstanding they didn’t fare all that badly either.

Ponting’s adventure of electing to bat in the second Test at Sydney would be talked about for a long time. Australia could have wrapped up the game inside three days, had the skipper just inserted the opposition into bat. Instead the hosts remained in danger of losing the game until winning it narrowly in the end.

The Australian off-spinner, Nathan Hauritz, turned out to be the highest wicket-taker in the series. Not a great turner of the ball, he benefited greatly by the tendency of the Pakistan batsmen to have a go at them after being contained by the faster bowlers.

Rains threatened Australia’s bid to complete a whitewash in Hobart but Ponting’s sporting declaration on the fourth day covered up the odd stoppages.

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Pir Aftab Jilani declares PCB elections as illegal

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Federal Minister, Pir Syed Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, has declared the ongoing elections being held under the auspices of the sitting officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as illegal.

Pir Aftab Jilani, who is himself the Co-Chairman of the PCB Constitution Committee, did not mince words in stating that the present officials of the Board were not authorized to hold the elections.

“The elections that they have been holding recently are against the rules. Only the newly appointed election commissioner would be entitled to organize the election process in accordance with the new constitution of the PCB,” Pir Aftan Jilani, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, remarked in an interview the other day.

“I am really surprised to find the resources of the PCB being wasted on a futile exercise. The PCB Chairman, Ijaz Butt, must be aware of the fact that the present management didn’t have the authority to these elections. Yet they are going ahead with it thus engaging themselves in illegal activities. As a matter of fact the PCB is flouting even its own constitution by holding these elections,” he reckoned.

Pir Aftab Jilani, who remained the Federal Sports Minister for over a year, also expressed his disappointment with the working of the PCB resulting in the poor performances by the national team.

Pakistan’s cricket team has just been whitewashed in the Test series in Australia, after having shared the honours with the lowly-rated New Zealand a little while earlier.

“The Federal Ministry of Sports, which is the supreme body, advised the PCB on numerous occasions but they have continued to do things according to their own whims and wishes which caused embarrassment for the whole nation,” he stated.

Pir Aftab Jilani, himself a former first-class cricketer, believed that cricket in the country will flourish with the incorporation of the new constitution of the PCB worked out on democratic lines.

“Our goal is to strengthen the institution. Cricket is the most popular game of the country and it should be run in professional manner so that we could make most of the enormous talent that we have been blessed with,” he said.

Pir Aftab Jilani’s comments bring to light the inefficiency and bias in the affairs of the PCB. He agreed that the PCB has been a victim of dictatorship of late with Ijaz Butt calling the shots on his own.

It’s an open secret that the PCB Chairman has been making decision arbitrarily and he has often been summoned by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Sports headed by Jamshed Dasti.

There’s a feeling that Ijaz Butt has continued to survive at the helm of the affairs, despite the criticism by the media in particular and the public in general, because of his influential brother-in-law, Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Defence, and a central figure of the ruling party.

It remains to be seen for how long Ijaz Butt will be stay there because there are signs of pressures from within the government for a change.

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