Yousuf chooses to announce retirement decision at KPC

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Cricket is most widely played and followed sport in Pakistan and the prolific cricketers enjoy iconic status hence all their movements are monitored and watched with great interest.

It was only the other day when I had come to know from the most reliable of sources that Yousuf was desirous of announcing one of the most important decisions of his career at the Karachi Press Club (KPC), an institution he is believed to be holding in high esteem.

What I was not told beforehand was about the contents of the disclosure. To be honest it didn’t matter to me what exactly were his plans. Whether you like him or not, Yousuf remains one of the biggest names in Pakistan cricket, a position he cannot be denied.

I considered it as an opportunity and, after completing the formal process in the quickest possible time, extended the invitation to the celebrated cricketer who returned the compliments by accepting it very promptly.

Within a matter of minutes of our decision to invite Yousuf in the KPC Meet the Press programme on March 29, the news broke out that the former Pakistan captain was all set to announce his retirement from all forms of international cricket and he was going to make the decision public at our club.

"I have decided to quit cricket. This is not an emotional decision. I consulted my family, friends and elders before taking it," Yousuf was quoted as saying.

Well it’s not going to be first time, though, when Yousuf would be bidding farewell to Pakistan cricket, having already done it two times in the past. Initially he did so after being upset over his treatment from the selectors as well as the management and then he was provoked after being overlooked for Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad in 2007.

By the look of things, he had signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in protest but the controversies kept chasing him and he remained in the news for the wrong reasons on a number of occasions.

With the Pakistan batting flopping more often than not in the limited opportunities coming their way in the international arena there was added pressure on Ijaz Butt to expedite Yousuf’s return into the side.

That Ijaz Butt held a soft corner for Yousuf in particular or he was doing it as an exercise of damage control there was a feeling of a personal favour involved the manner in which the accomplished middle-order batsman was drafted in the team after distancing from the ICL finally.

Ijaz Butt also obliged Yousuf by elevating him to the post of captain for the important tours of New Zealand and Australia earlier this season and there was not much element of surprise in the final results.

Yousuf saw the other side of Ijaz Butt when he was among seven players penalised for various reasons after the disastrous tour. Yousuf was banned indefinitely, a decision that was equally debatable as the one of having made him the captain.

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More than satisfying debut at Karachi Press Club

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The ‘Meet the Press’ programme at the Karachi Press Club on March 18 was my first as Secretary of the Sports Committee. Not surprisingly there was not enough time at our end to make the necessary arrangements because the outstation hockey Olympians were in town for a brief period and we had very few options.

With the hockey controversy brewing up and all the national newspapers flashing stories under banner headlines day in and day out we had the opportunity of inviting the legendary characters to speak on the burning topic.

Let me give the credit to the KPC Secretary, A H Khanzada, for not having taken even a minute in granting the approval in principle when I discussed with him the idea of holding a programme on hockey. The KPC President, Imtiaz Faran, was also on board right away and so were the rest of the committee members.

Both the top office-bearers of the KPC were there with me to receive the distinguished guests upon their arrival. The members of our Sports Committee were also enthusiastic in welcoming the battalion of Olympians.

We do seldom come across the luminaries of different eras sitting together on the stage. It was a rare occasion when the legends of Pakistan’s national sport had assembled in one terrace. I have intentionally not used the proverbial under one roof because we entertained our worthy guests in the spacious lawn covered by tents.

A normal ‘Meet the Press’ programme is usually held in the centrally air-conditioned Ibrahim Jalees Hall of the KPC. We had to make the tricky decision whether to hold it there or shift it to the terrace where we could accommodate larger number of persons. Because of the sweltering heat having gripped the city of Karachi we had to think twice before finally going for the second option.

We were proved correct because the heat of the subject was going to overshadow the dry weather and it did. Even the old fashioned fans were more than enough to do the business. Nobody cared for the furniture or the settings. The occasion was a momentous one and everybody was absorbed in it, seeing off the blazing sun with a smile.

It was more of a privilege to have also conducted the proceedings of the ceremony that was not only a historic one only for me personally but it was an honour for our beloved institution to have hosted these hockey greats.

These were the moments of lifetime. Sharing the stage with the likes of Akhtar-ul-Islam, Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh, Rasheed-ul-Hasan, Ayaz Mahmood, Shahbaz Ahmed, Qamar Ibrahim and Saeed Khan was something to cherish for the rest of life.

It was one of those rare occasions when the number of chairs fell short on the stage. Quite a few Olympians like Qamar Zia, Moinuddin Khan, Naeem Akhtar, Mohammad Irfan and Kamran Ashraf had to be seated among the audience but they were recognized and acknowledged.

The ceremony, as anticipated, was widely reported by the electronic and print media whose representatives were in attendance in good number to cover the event. It may have been ‘another story’ for many but to me it was something special.

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Sindh Government to help in building snooker academy

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) has been advised to by the provincial government to search and identify an amenity where they could build their proposed snooker academy.

Sindh Sports Minister, Dr Syed Mohammed Ali Shah, has disclosed having asked the office-bearers of the PBSA to carry out a survey of localities where they are desirous of building their academy.

“The PBSA officials had approached me with a request to arrange for them an amenity plot as they have offered to build the complex themselves for the purpose of centralizing their activities. I have promised them a plot of land for this purpose hopefully in the area of their choice,” Dr Shah revealed.

“The PBSA functionaries have taken the responsibility of visiting the areas where they are interested in building the academy. Once they are done with the process of selecting a vacant amenity plot then they will be required to submit a petition for its possession. Since our government has a sports friendly policy I am confident that their request will be entertained,” he hoped.

The Sindh Minister, who was the chief guest in the prize distribution of the NJI 35th National Snooker Championship 2010 at the Karachi Gymkhana recently, reckoned that the development of a snooker academy will go a long way in boosting cue sports.

“Snooker has tremendous potential. It can be helpful in bringing the much needed medals for Pakistan in the Asian Games. Steps must be taken to promote the game from the grassroots level as the youngsters are very keen to play it,” Dr Shah added.

Dr Shah, who is also the President of the Sindh Olympic Association (SOA), urged the local organizers and administrators to take the necessary corrective measures when questioned about the declining standards in snooker in Karachi where as the cueists from Punjab were improving in leaps and bounds of late.

It has been an ambition of the PBSA to have an academy of their own. Their office-bearers have made a mention of it on a number of occasions in the past well.

But it’s really a matter of surprise that they were unable to do it even when the cueists had earned glories for the country and they had a willing sponsor in Lakson Tobacco Company whose brand of Red & White had become synonymous with snooker for a long time.

One gets the impression now that the PBSA functionaries were not too serious in pursuing the proposed academy project as it demanded continuous hard work besides consistent policies.

There was a time when snooker had become the most popular sport of the country, after cricket of course. But the odd movers and shakers in the PBSA were not all that keen in legwork or making extra efforts for implementing long-term plans.

The present leadership in the PBSA has the eagerness to move around but their priorities have come under fire more often than not. Will they succeed in doing the work on their side to make the most of the offer made by Dr Shah remains to be seen.

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Star attractions make IPL truly special

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

One of the unique features of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the involvement of the mega stars with it. There are not only the cricket stars but also the stars of the celluloid world watched in action during this high-profile event whose third edition has rocked the cricket fans once again.

The Bollywood giants have as much massive following globally, if not more, as the cricket greats. The combination of the two was always going to produce something sensational and the monumental success of the IPL has come as no surprise.

Whoever conceived it, the idea was a rollicking one. It had to catch the imagination of the people. We have witnessed already that the event has become a blockbuster and its graph is going to go only one way.

With so many hugely resourceful individuals and organizations joining hands to make it a phenomenal success there was very remote chance of it not taking off. The organizers have had to endure hardships as well but their strong-willed approach has enabled them to overcome nearly every obstacle.

Wasn’t it a miracle that they were able to shift the event to South Africa at a very short notice the last time round when the situation in India was not deemed proper to hold its matches there?

Well the IPL is back in India and its third edition, as expected, has started making waves right away. The grounds are packed to capacity in nearly every game and the atmosphere has been nothing short of electric.

The high-voltage games have kept the millions of cricket fans glued to their television sets for hours. The IPL produces unmatchable entertainment and people are simply crazy about it.

The cricket stars from every part of the world are associated with the IPL. It’s a pity, however, that the cricketers from Pakistan have been unable to make it there after having made quite an impact in its inaugural edition.

The presence of the Bollywood stars in the IPL has made it much more glamorous than any other sporting event. With the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Priety Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and Juhi Chawla having stakes in the competing franchises they are quite frequently seen at the ground supporting their respective outfits.

With Katrina Kaif also getting associated with one of the franchises and Priyanka Chopra making an appearance, the event has become even more sought after one. The IPL 3 has probably surpassed the popularity of its previous two editions.

The crowds have had plenty to cheer about during the IPL. In fact there hardly is any dull moment as far as this particular tournament goes. A few of the one-sided matches might have disappointed some purists but I am sure there are plenty of other features at the ground to keep the paying public totally absorbed irrespective of the state of the game.

The Indian cricket fans are into IPL 3 by all means and as one of my friends observed the other day, would the people there still need the ICC World Cup next year!

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Hockey greats blast Asif Bajwa

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

As expected it was Asif Bajwa, Secretary, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), coming under the hammer when the hockey greats addressed the members of the Karachi Press Club on March 18. He was asked to accept the responsibility for the debacle and quit the scene.

The galaxy of hockey Olympians arrived at the club dot on time even though quite a few protest meetings were being held nearby and the roads were blocked. Akhtar-ul-Islam and Islahuddin Siddiqui led the squad that also featured the illustrious figures of Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh, Rashid-ul-Hasan, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ayaz Mahmood and Saeed Khan.

The top officials of the Karachi Press Club, Imtiaz Faran (President) and A H Khanzada (Secretary) alongwith the members of the club’s sports committee received the distinguished guests at the main entrance and they were escorted to the terrace where the Meet the Press programme began at the designated time of 4 pm.

Quite a few other prominent hockey players of the past including Mansoor Ahmed, Moinuddin Khan, Qamar Zia, Qamar Ibrahim, Kamran Ashraf and Mohammad Irfan sat in the audience alongwith local club players and fans of the game.

All the speakers lamented Pakistan’s disgraceful performance in the recently concluded World Cup hockey tournament in New Delhi where the team finished at the bottom.

They unanimously attacked the PHF officials for the expected disaster. They attributed the debacle to the defensive approach of the team management as Pakistan could score only nine goals in the six matches they played during the tournament.

Shahnaz Shaikh presented a comprehensive report in which he blamed the PHF for having ignored the advice aimed at improving the performance of the team.

“I had warned the team management so many times to refrain from playing defensive hockey. It’s suicidal approach if you ask your boys to play defensively. It demoralizes the players and their mindset becomes negative,” Shahnaz asserted.

“Our players had to pay the price of getting engaged into defensive tactics. Our strength became our weakness when the boys were put into negative frame of mind. Our boys were drained out and they hardly could attack the rivals with the punch that was no desperately needed. You can’t win a game with out scoring. If you yourself cut down your scoring chances than how can you expect to win,” he argued.

“The management on the bench was mostly shouting in rage rather than design a timely substitution for the aging players. Subsequently most of the goals were conceded in the dying moments of the matches. Most of the goals against Pakistan were scored on counter attacks by the opponents showing a physical fitness problem. It required strength, endurance and circuit training was not planned during training camp,” he said.

Islahuddin, who spoke behalf of the Olympians, in the extended interactive session, dispelled the impression that the hockey greats were demonstrating the unity to seek any position in the PHF.

“All these luminaries of the Pakistan hockey have secured jobs with their respective organizations where they are employed and neither of us is running for any job in the PHF,” he clarified.

To a question, he said that the Olympians were ready to meet the government officials and discuss the issue with them as they were keen for the revival of hockey in the country.

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Legends unite for mutual objective of damage control

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

It’s not often that the Pakistan hockey greats have thought or functioned on a common goal after having quit the game that earned them name, fame, wealth, recognition and respect beyond imagination.

Lately, however, they appear to have become united in their stand for ousting the all-powerful Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Asif Bajwa, following the debacle in New Delhi where Pakistan finished last among the dozen participants.

It’s heartening to see the likes of Olympians Islahuddin Siddiqui, Samiullah Khan, Shahnaz Shaikh and Shahbaz Ahmed, all of them enjoying the status of a hockey legend, talking collectively for the cause of the national game.

Quite a few other Olympians and internationals are also on board expressing their disgust and displeasure out in the open. They have blasted Asif Bajwa for ruining the game with wrongdoings of every kind.

It’s going to be quite an occasion at the Karachi Press Club on March 18 where these luminaries have been invited by the Sports Committee in their prestigious Meet the Press programme. Special arrangements have been made as bigger media participation than usual is anticipated in view of the issue they will be talking on.

Well the Pakistan hockey has had its share of ups and downs over the years. Pakistan had made immediate impact in the international arena after independence. They had made it to the semifinals in their maiden appearance in Olympic Games at London in 1948. They also did it in the 1952 Olympic Games at Helsinki.

Things changed for the better in the 1956 Olympic Games at Melbourne when Pakistan made it to the final for the first time. After winning the gold medal in the 1958 Asian Games, Pakistan conquered the hockey world by winning the Olympic crown at Rome in 1960.

Gold medal in the 1962 Asian Games was followed by silvers in the 1964 Olympic Games and the 1966 Asian Games. It was back to gold in the 1968 Olympic Games and the 1970 Asian Games. Pakistan completed the Grand Slam by winning the inaugural World Cup in 1971.

The golden era continued in the 1970s with medals in every outing. The start to the 1980s was equally heartening and the gold medals in the 1982 Asian Games, the 1982 World Cup and the 1984 Olympics.

Then there was a sudden dip and Pakistan stunned everyone by dropping to 11th position in the 1986 World Cup. They fared comparatively better in the 1988 Olympic Games but it was for the first time that they had not reached the semifinals in 40 years.

Pakistan won the World Cup in 1994 against the heaviest of odds and not surprisingly it has remained their last major success at the international level. There has been very little to cheer about for the last 16 years.

Now the Pakistan hockey has suffered the biggest blow at New Delhi, having finished at the bottom after losing games against teams like South Africa and Canada who themselves had a forgettable tournament otherwise.

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Warne describes Yusuf’s whirlwind knock the best ever

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The third edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came alight with a magnificent 37-ball century from Yusuf Pathan of Rajasthan Royals against the star-studded Mumbai Indians, featuring two of the most lethal fast bowlers of the world, at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, on March 13.

It went to the credit of Mumbai Indians, captained by Sachin Tendulkar, to have still managed to win the game despite the crack Yusuf had at their bowlers.

Yusuf’s superb knock was acknowledged by his skipper Shane Warne who described it as the best innings he's seen in his 21-year career.

"I have played cricket for 21 years and I have seen Sachin Tendulkar as the best batsman against whom I have played as he has murdered attacks and hit them all over the park. But today was the best innings I have ever seen," Warne, the greatest spin bowler of all-time, observed.

"From a situation of 37 for 3 in seven overs and chasing 213 and come so close thanks to a 37 ball-100. It's a special innings. We believe we can win from anywhere. We just have to sort out our batting in the first six overs. In the last two IPLs we have won more games than anyone and we have won more close finishes," the legendary Warne remarked.

Another genius, Tendulkar, who himself recently rewrote history by scoring the first-ever double century in One-day Internationals, also hailed Yusuf's knock as very special and said he was aware of his ability to spark such a turnaround.

"It was a special innings from him, but even the effort from Sathish to get him run out was special. Before he came in and played that knock, I thought we would win this match with ease, but that's the beauty of this great game. You can never take anything for granted. I knew Yusuf was in great form and if he connects the ball well, the target was achievable," the master complimented.

Yusuf was still disappointed for not having secured a win for his side but he was gladdened by the comeback staged from a precarious position.

"I made an error because of which we lost, else we would have won. We're sad right now but we are also very happy that we played good cricket apart from the extras we conceded. When such flat wickets get made, records get broken and runs get scored. We will learn a lot from this loss and there is not a lot to worry as this is a long tourney," he said.

Yusuf, with his lusty hitting, was chiefly responsible for bringing his team back into the game after they had looked dead and buried while chasing a formidable total of 213 in 20 overs. When they needed something around 150 from the final 10 overs the odds heavily favoured the fielding side.

By having blasted nine fours and eight sixes he turned the tide and his team held the upper hand when the target was down to 19 off 12 balls. But his run out in the closing stages proved decisive and Mumbai won the dramatic encounter by four runs.

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Third time lucky for Australia

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Australia finally managed to down Germany in a World Cup final. Having failed to do it on the past couple of occasions it was the turn of the Aussies to come out smiling after yet another enthralling final.

It was the third successive World Cup final between the two powerful hockey nations. Germany had succeeded in crossing the last hurdle in the last two finals but Australia emerged triumphant in the final of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010 at Delhi’s Major Dhayan Chand Stadium.

Australia’s Ric Charlesworth earned the distinction of winning the World Cup both as a player and as a coach. He was a member of the Australia that captured the crown for the first time. Now he was the coach of the team when it has done it for the second time, after a gap of 24 years.

Germany came very close to completing a hat-trick of title wins. After having snatched the trophy in 2002 and 2006 they were at a striking distance of retaining it but the Australians dashed their hopes in the final.

As expected the final turned out to be very exciting and not surprisingly only one goal separated the two evenly matches outfits. Australia won the game 2-1 after having led 1-0 at halftime.

It was in the fitness of things that the two best teams of the tournament had made it to the final. Germany were the only undefeated team in the competition going into the final while Australia had staged a magnificent comeback after losing their opening game against England.

Australia’s worst match in the tournament was probably the one against Pakistan which they won and not the one against England which they lost. It was amazing to find the Australians struggling against a Pakistan side that was itself short of confidence.

The Aussies did secure a 2-1 win over Pakistan but it wasn’t the kind of performance that would have made them proud. May be it was the psychological pressure of playing against Pakistan that prevented them from playing to their potential in a game they were expected to dominate all the way.

The match for the bronze medal, featuring the Netherlands and England, was a high scoring affair. The Netherlands were the winners by an odd goal in seven. England had to pay the price for wasting far too many opportunities, particularly penalty-corners.

England had become the first team to qualify for the semifinals, having made there with four successive wins but they crashed in both the knockout games to be denied of a medal.

None of the Asian teams could make it to the semifinals with Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and England sharing the top four positions. The fifth slot was also claimed by a European nation, Spain.

South Korea with sixth position proved to be the best Asian outfit with Argentina pushing hosts India down top eighth place. New Zealand, South Africa and Canada shared the next three positions with Pakistan finishing as the disappointing last among the 12 participants.

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