Pakistan’s controversial cueist Saleh Mohammad calls it a day

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Saleh Mohammad has had a stormy career. This immensely gifted cueist has made Pakistan proud more than once but he has also been involved in uncalled for controversies.

His recent decision to call it a day rather abruptly doesn’t make sense. He has been the country’s most prolific cueist at the international level for the past many years. He was still doing well but he has decided to withdraw himself from the national snooker circuit due to personal reasons.

Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), disclosed that the veteran cueist had verbally informed about his plans to quit the game.

“Saleh, who represented the country in the recently concluded IBSF World Snooker Championship in Wels, Austria, informed us the other day that he was not in a position to continue playing the game due to family and financial reasons. We tried to convince him to play for a few more years but he felt that his business interests might get hurt by doing so,” the PBSA President revealed.

“We advised Saleh to submit a declaration in writing in this regard or publicly announce his retirement so that his name could be removed from the national ranking chart. We are yet to hear from him despite having called him on his cell a few times,” Alamgir Shaikh added.

The PBSA President admitted that Saleh’s absence would create a vacuum as he has had the reputation of being a world-beater.“There is no doubt about the class of Saleh. He established himself as one of the leading amateur cueists of the world, having toppled some of the big guns during his illustrious career,” he noted.

He agreed that there was no lack of performance or inconsistency in form on part of Saleh even of late.The PBSA, the governing body of the game in the country, had always backed Saleh having bailed him out on numerous occasions. He should have had the courtesy to consult the administrators of the game before making such an important decision.

Saleh has had outstanding record during the current year. He rewrote history by becoming the first player to score a maximum 147-point break at the Asian Championship in Dubai earlier this year.

He extended his brilliant form in the inaugural Sangsom 6-Red Snooker International held in Bangkok, Thailand, just a few months later. He went down fighting in the pre-quarter-finals but earned the distinction of recording the maximum break of 75 in the quickest time. He did it in just two minutes and 54 seconds.

Saleh, seeded second for the knockout stage of the competition following his sterling performance in the league matches, was ironically downed by Thailand’s Noppadon Noppachorn, the only amateur to have forced his way into the quarter-finals.

His greatest accomplishment, however, had come five years ago in China when he reach the final of the World Championship 2003 by winning 14 matches on a trot. His surprise defeat in the final denied him the title that he richly deserved. 1999 was another landmark year for Saleh when he completed a grand slam by winning all four national ranking tournaments.

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Will India make unnecessary changes to let England stage a comeback in ODI series ?

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indians have sealed the seven-match ODI series against England by winning the fourth game in Bangalore. It’s not often that India have won four matches on a trot, let alone doing it during the course of a series.

The lads are making the most of the experience they have gained by playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. The super-fit Indians are proving just too much for the England side lacking in class and character.

Manhendra Singh Dhoni is in the process of enhancing his reputation every day. He has turned out to be a great captain who passes the impression of having full faith in the ability of his teammates.

The boys, as well as the men in the squad, continue to deliver with smiles on their faces. The body language says it all. Their shoulders never drop even when they are being taken for runs or suffer a batting collapse. They have a settled team now that has the potential and eagerness to rule the world.

But it looks as if the Indian cricket administrators are getting ready to induct some players who have not played in the ongoing ODI series. It very clearly means that some of those players having performed exceptionally well in the earlier games will be made to sit out.

This policy could backfire because they would be taking the risk of disturbing the combination that has been clicking as a unit. One is not sure if the changes would be made to accommodate some players and please the office-bearers of their respective state associations.

Compromising on the interests of the team doesn’t sound a noble idea. The players who are delivering need not be rested unnecessarily. The inconsistency in the Indian selection can provide the window of opportunity to England who have been laid low by a highly motivated and proactive unit.

One fails to understand the wisdom behind derailing the winning combination. The changes should only be made when somebody is not fit to play or he is having a lean time in the middle. Dropping the high performers in order to accommodate some of the fringe players doesn’t make much sense.

The Indians should have learnt from history. In the past they have often been guilty of experimenting just a bit too much at home that has allowed the visiting teams to stage a comeback from nowhere.

Will England be the latest beneficiary of such a move we will have to wait and see. There is still a possibility that the Indian selectors may continue fielding more or less the same team in the remaining games to attempt a whitewash in the series.

But if the selectors are pressurized by the concerned quarters and some unnecessary mare changes are made the 4-0 scoreline could very well become 4-3 in a matter of the next few days.The momentum is with India. They have dominated the first four games decisively and the series has been pocketed. The big question however is: Will their selectors succumb to the pressures of some of their own people or better sense will prevail?

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Lloyd justified in seeking ICL-IPL co-existence

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The statement of the legendary West Indian captain , who is currently heading ICC cricket committee, in which he has expressed his opinion that the ICL and IPL can co-exist, must have come as music to many ears.

It’s an open secret that some powerful ‘elements’ in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), have made the Indian Cricket League (ICL) a life and death issue.

Since the BCCI has been in a position to dictate terms with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the past few years, even the apex governing body of the game has not been able to make decisions on its own.

The BCCI attempted to dilute the ICL by launching their own brand by the name of the Indian Premier League (IPL). It was a master stroke to create a bigger league with all the ‘official’ resources but it didn’t look fair on their part to try to isolate another league that was also serving the interests of the Indian cricket.

It’s rumoured that Malcolm Speed, a former chief of the ICC, was in favour of a settlement with the ICL and it cost him the high profile job.

In these circumstances the statement of Clive Lloyd has come as breathe of fresh air. But it remains to be seen how the big bosses of the Indian cricket react to it.
The former West Indian captain has gone a step further by suggesting that similar leagues be launched in the Caribbean to boost the game in the region.

Lloyd, whose inspiring captaincy was instrumental in transforming the West Indies into a world-beating unit, believed that the leagues like the IPL and ICL need to be set up in his country to revive the sport in the region.

"Leagues similar to the IPL and ICL will not only bring young talented players in the national team but will also make their basics .The standard of domestic cricket is poor in the Caribbean and hence there is a need to bring in leagues like these. They would not only improve the standard of the game but will also help players become experienced at a young age," Lloyd was quoted as saying.

Lloyd, who led the West Indies to title wins in the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, has expressed the optimism that the country would be soon in a position to bring back the trophy after the success of the Stanford Superstars.

"The team has not won any major trophy for a long time and lacks consistency. But I am sure they will be back in form and will bring the WorldCup home in the Caribbean soon. Apart from the money, players will gain experience with the right people to guide them from Standford Twenty20 Super Series," the West Indian reckoned.

"We need to get to make young players to understand that it's just not about money. Money is there to be earned, but they need to learn the rudimentary elements of the game," he warned.

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Javed Miandad urges BCCI to join hands with ICL

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Javed Miandad had distinguished himself by battling it out against the deadliest of bowlers with courage, fortitude and solid technique. He was one batsman who was not afraid to take body blows. Neither was he laid low in the pressure-cooker situations.

He has arguably been the greatest-ever batsman to have played for Pakistan. He was a master tactician who outsmarted the opponents with his mind games.

The legend is back. He has recently taken over as the Director General of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Just as he had to tackle numerous challenges in his playing career he is confronted with one serious issue right away.

The Indian Cricket League (ICL) has the presence of quite of a few players from Pakistan, who are not eligible to play for the home country because of the ban imposed on them by the previous regime of the PCB.

Javed Miandad, known for calling a spade a spade, has reportedly admitted that the PCB was under immense pressure from the public and the media to include ICL players in the national team.

According to reports the batting great, who is also renowned for his hard-hitting comments, did not mince words in stating that he supported the move.
"The BCCI is a very powerful body, but because of its bullying tactics, a lot of people are suffering. All the BCCI needs to do is join hands with ICL," he said in a newspaper interview.

"The PCB is under a lot of pressure from the public and the media to include players like Imran Nazir, Rana Naved and Imran Farhat in the team. If there is such talent, why not utilise it? As a cricketer, I would like to see these boys in the Pakistan squad," the former Pakistan captain was quoted as saying.

Javed Miandad’s views carry enormous weight. Many well wishers of the game have suggested to the BCCI in the past as well to take the ICL on board because they were also serving the cause of the game and its players.

The BCCI could find itself in an awkward situation if some of the other affected cricket boards reverse their earlier decision of banning the players contracted by the ICL.

With the Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, Clive Lloyd, also coming out in the open just the other day suggesting the co-existence of the ICL and the IPL, the BCCI may be prompted to review its stance.

The BCCI should not lose sight of the fact that more than any other country it are their cricketers who are suffering because of the ban imposed of them.

The Indian cricketers competing in the ICL are not allowed to represent their respective states that automatically make them ineligible for selection in the national team.

There are many promising Indian youngsters who have made their mark in the ICL. Won’t it be inappropriate to ignore the outstanding performers of the ICL who have delivered in as competitive environment as the IPL.

The movers and shakers of the BCCI should review their policy and their aim should become an organ in the promotion of the game rather than doing the opposite.

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General Arif Hasan optimistic about future of Pakistan sports

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

General Syed Arif Hasan, President, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Chairman, Pakistan Sports Trust (PST), did not mince words in stating that the country can produce better results in the field of sports provided the athletes were provided the desired training and coaching facilities.“We have already moved a summary to the Government of Pakistan in which the plans for the restructuring of sports have been outlined. We have mentioned that funds of Rs 400 million will be needed over the next couple of years if we are to achieve the desired results in the 2010 Asian Games,” the General remarked while addressing the media at the Karachi Club on November 18.

The General, flanked by the President of the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF), S M Sibtain, and the President of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, shared the plan with the media corps of Karachi and looked positive throughout the briefing last over an hour. Colonel Mohammad Azhar Dean, Director Finance & Administration, PST, was also present on the occasion.“We desire to have more interactive sessions with the media based in Karachi who have done great service in promoting the soft image of country and they have been proactive throughout in playing their role in bringing glories for the country,” he acknowledged.

“I have come here just to share my thoughts with you. I have been in touch with the media professionals and sports administrators of Karachi on a regular basis and today I thought we should have a session to briefly discuss the ups and downs of Pakistan sports” the POA President added.

“As you know it very well the standard of sports in Pakistan has been on the decline. It has been very tough putting the pieces together and arresting the decline. We have tried our level best to do in the limited resources that have been at our disposal. We have been lending all out support to our affiliated federations to boost their confidence. The federations have the responsibility of raising their teams and keeping them motivated,” he pointed out.

“You are well aware of the fact that Pakistan stood no chance whatsoever of bringing home any medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It would have been a miracle had we pocketed any medal in the given scenario. Let us put the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games behind us and look to the future now. We have some breathing time and we are working overtime to avail that,” General Arif noted.

“Our athletes have come up with heartening performance in the recent events like the Commonwealth Youth Games and Asian Beach Games that prove our point that we can accomplish our mission of bringing home medals if we continue to lay emphasis on training and grooming,” the General thought.

“The Pakistan Sports Trust (PST), which is the marketing arm of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), has spent millions of rupees on the training of the youngsters and the results are beginning to come. We need more resources, more funds and more time to deliver,” he continued.

“We know the future lies with the investment in youth. Besides facilitating the national sports federations in letting them work professionally, we are focusing on the junior programmes to provide the youngsters the platform to unfold their talents,” the General explained.

“Our target and mission at the moment is to claim medals in the Asian Games 2010 and other regional events. This would only be possible with the support of all our stake-holders, particularly the government,” General Arif believed.General Arif was bombarded with some unrelated and illogical questions but he didn’t lose his cool or composure. He listened to the observations patiently and gave convincing answers to the queries that indeed merited attention.

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Yuvraj’s solo upstages Pietersen’s band at Indore

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It’s not often that an individual dominates a team game as decisively as India’s Yuvraj Singh did against England in the second One-day International of the seven-match series at Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket Ground, Indore, November 17.

Yuvraj, we all know, is a special talent. But he has come up with amazing performance in the first couple of ODIs, pocketing Man of the Match award on both the occasions. More importantly he has contributed immensely to the cause of the team enabling it to double the advantage at Indore.

Yuvraj almost single-handedly won the day for India at Indore where followed up his superlative knock of 118 off 122 balls with the exceptional figures of 4 for 28. One could not have asked for better all-round performance in a single game. It would have made the likes of Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev proud.

England found themselves at the receiving end for the second time in a row at the hands of the devastating Yuvraj. If the versatile left-hander had demolished with mind-blowing batting displaying in the first ODI, his all-round performance caused even greater trouble for the tourists in the following encounter.

Unlike the opening game at Rajkot where India got off to a flyer, the hosts were in disarray in the opening hour and the bold move of Mahendra Singh Dhoni to bat first after calling correctly in conditions not ideal for free flowing strokes was starting to backfire.

Stuart Broad was firing on all cylinders and three top-order wickets had perished very quickly indeed. The bowling was on top and the runs were hard to come by. Enter Yuvraj Singh and the complexion of the match changed.

"We had a chance at 29 for 3. We lost ourselves to Yuvraj. He was fantastic,” conceded the sporting England captain Kevin Pietersen in the post match ceremony. He must be wondering how to cope with the Yuvraj factor in the remaining matches.

“Great performance by Yuvi and Gambhir. You've got to change the target every 5 to 10 overs. As the partnership between them grew we kept raising our target,” the jubilant Indian skipper Dhoni observed.

“I have been training hard over the last few months and it's paying off. At 29 for 3 I wanted to assess the wicket, spoke to Gambhir a lot about the target. There were some shots you couldn't play on this wicket," the man of the moment reckoned.What a fabulous series Yuvraj is having right now. He seems in the middle of another purple patch that should gladden the hearts of his millions of fan spread all over the globe.

In the first ODI, he hammered an unbeaten 138 off only 78 balls that included as many as six sixes and 16 fours. His blistering knock helped India in posting their highest-ever total at home. The score could have even gone to 400 had Yuvraj, batting with a runner, not mistimed a couple of big hits in the final over.

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Iron-willed Dravid most likely to recapture form

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

As they say form is temporary and class is permanent. So is the case with Rahul Dravid, acclaimed as the technically the most correct batsman to have played the game for a long time.

Dravid has momentarily lost his touch. He looked a mere shadow of his own self in the recently concluded four-Test home series against Australia. He got the starts in a few innings but could not convert them into big scores.

He has been there for more than 12 years now. He has remained the country’s most consistent and the most dependable batsman in the majority of these years.
But let us not lose sight of the fact that Dravid is also a human being. Even the most efficient of machines also show variation in their performance if used for a longer period.

He has not scored heavily in the last few matches but there is nothing to suggest that his reflexes have slowed down or there is any lack of commitment on his part. He is a team man to core, someone you can look forward to.

Dravid is one man who has always given more than one hundred percent. He has not been afraid to switch his batting position in the interest of the team. He has delivered in the toughest of conditions. He has stood out where his illustrious colleagues have been found wanting.

Yes if look at Dravid’s phenomenal record of the past, we find his performance during the last one year as ordinary from his own high standards. He has managed to play the odd match-winning knock that he has been famous for even in this period.

Who will forget his innings at Perth earlier this year that allowed India to turn it around against Australia who had somehow won the first couple of Tests. A modest and unassuming person that he is, he had hardly smiled when reminded that he was the topscorer in the Perth won by India against all odds.

Dravid has played numerous match-winning knocks for India in his career. He has been the architect of so many victories recorded by India in the overseas Tests. He has had a very high percentage of runs in the Test match that India won.

The experts of the game have been unanimous in their assessment that technically he has been the most gifted batsman around. He has had the capacity of occupying the crease for a very long time and grind the bowlers for sessions.

Dravid still has a lot of years left in him. He has every chance to regain his top form. It looks a matter of time really. He has some time before the start of the two-Test series against England at home.

He may utilize this time in playing a couple of Ranji Trophy games to put some runs on the board. Or may be he can have some time off.

India cannot afford to be without him even though they have discovered quite a few outstanding young batsmen in the recent past. He is one batsman who anchors the innings. He provides the balance in the batting line-up having so many fluent stroke-makers.

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Ashraf Tai: Pakistan's Martial Art Icon

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Famous martial artist, Grand Master Mr. Muhammad Ashraf Tai had introduced Bando, the Burmese style of martial arts, in Pakistan way back in 1971 but it were his accomplishments against top-notchers which earned him fame and recognition. He has become a martial art icon in the country and a large number of his students have spread his mission in different countries of the world making him an internationally renowned figure.

Grand Master Ashraf Tai had created a sensation by overpowering Stanley Michael of Malaysia in the final of the Afro-Asia Championship in 1978. He had confirmed his superiority in the continent by outwitting Japan's Koha Yash a year later.

After emerging triumphant in a tournament staged in Sri Lanka in 1980, he dared fighting the reigning world champion, Don Wilson of the United States, in 1981. The creditable performance against the world champion elevated his ranking to the ninth place in the world.

Grand Master Ashraf Tai then founded the Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) and succeeded in having the body affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as well as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

Having received numerous awards in various continents of the world during his illustrious career, he was declared the International Grand Master of the Year in 2000 by an institution based in the United States.

The Tai's Bando Karate Centre, founded by him in 1971, has already trained thousands of martial artists. The branches of his centres have not only been functioning with great success all over the country but the students trained by him have also been operating the centres named after him in quite a few countries like the United States, England, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, France, Holland and Bangladesh.Grand Master Ashraf Tai, was conferred the coveted Pride of Performance award by the then President General Pervez Musharraf.

The pioneer of Bando in Pakistan, Grand Master Ashraf Tai holds the distinction of claiming the highest degree (8th Dan) in the martial arts history of the country. Only a handful of martial artists have matched his feat worldwide.

He had started karate at the age of 9 with my master Lee Phow Shin. He got his black belt at the age of 16. He started participating in a lot of local tournaments, most of which were professional.

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