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Sunday 27 February 2011

Importance of Pakistan to International Cricket


Importance of Pakistan to International cricket.
After the match fixing allegations on Pakistani fast bowling opening pair and test Captain by the News of World, the environment in world of cricket changed dramatically as expected. Fixing, the ugliest head of cricket became the hot topic once again. Even though nothing is still proved against the players and still just are allegations by the rubbish tabloid, former players fired many comments on bans and punishments. Most rude was Ian Botham’s comment, who called for a ban on Pakistan cricket, similar comments were made by former ICC Chief Malcolm Speed and Darrel Hair. Speed is burning in heat of discarding the former Prime Minster Howard as ICC Vice President and his past behavior against Asians is not admirable either. Hair is a man who was main character of cricket’s saddest episode, when charged Pakistan of ball tempering which any solid avoidance and then it resulted in forfeit of one great test match in prospect at the Oval. After it he asked ICC for heavy money to give up International Cricket. They are the two men which always had issues of personal nature or they took so, but Pakistanis were greatly hurt by the comments of Beefy. Beefy is one of the greatest cricketers of all times. No one has any doubt about his abilities and greatness as cricketer. Beefy played the game in that era when there were many great all-rounders were playing the like of Imran, Kapel Dev, Richard Hadee. Everyone wanted to be best than the other and outperform the rival all-rounders. Beefy at start was best of them but in mid-80’s, he was not so great which used to early in his career and there was little dip in the high standards of his. On the other hand, in Pakistan Imran was improving his skill. So, there was a great tussle in both of them for being the best but sadly, Beefy translated it in negative way. To start with 84’s tour of Pakistan, he came to Pakistan with touring England and was injured , went back without playing and commented Pakistan as a disgusting place and he would not even want to send his mother in law to Pakistan. This was first show of Beefy’s venom for Pakistan. Although, he apologized for his mocking remarks later. Every Pakistani was hurt , Amir Sohail remembered his comments pretty well who asked Beffy after he got a peach from Wasim in 92’s World Cup final, “who is coming next , is your mother in law??? “ In 92’s Pakistan’s tour England, Wasim and Waqar simply just destroyed the English batting lineup time and time again with a magic which is the reverse swing. Sarfraz may have invented reverse swing, Imran may have pampered it but Wasim and Waqar mastered the reverse swing. England already jolted by the World Cup final defeat got another thumping blow. They did not know what to do because high bowl control and yorkers at extreme pace of Ws’ were next to unplayable. All of the sudden, everyone in English media was pleading the case of ball tempering to get reverse swing. Botham again tried to show down Imran on his statement that everyone did it in past. Beffy took Imran to court then after a very high profile hearing in the court, Imran won the case and once again showed why is he the favorite son of land called Pakistan? Reverse swing which was a myth to Botham and whole English media then, suddenly become “the great art” in 05 Ashes, without that “ball tempering” of 92 England would have surely got similar beating that of 01 Ashes. Flintoff and Jones were heros in 05 whereas Wasim and Waqar were cheaters in 92. Beefy did not stop here, he degraded the Pakistani nation by calling a mocking nation in Natwest series of 01 after the incidents of crowd running on to pitch after the match. As everyone knows that, it had been the part of English Cricket for decades but Beffy did not fall shy one bit to hit Pakistan again. Latest of Beffy’s disgusting comment is banning Pakistan from international cricket. If anyone wants to know what are the contributions of Pakistan to world cricket and cricket itself? I can tell him. Warne may well be greatest leg spinner of the world but it was Qadir and captaincy of Imran who made art of leg spin fashionable in early 80’s. Leg spin was dying and there were hardly any leg break bowler left in the world but it was Pakistan cricket which showed the world what to do with leg spinners.
Invention of reverse which is already discussed earlier, it is purely a Pakistani product; now see what a change it has made in world of cricket on these flat wickets of today. Now imagine a cricket of today without reverse swing, just batsmen would be cricketers now. Murli might have picked up 800 test wickets but Saqlain’s contribution for tha game of cricket is far greater than that of Murli or any other spinner. People started to pad even Murli who used to a turn a mile but without much of success. Saqlain a great Pakistani invented the “doosra” in 94 and which given the new life to off spinners. By learning doosra Murli made people play and was far more effective than ever. Now days, an off spinner is just incomplete without it.

World has not seen a left arm finger spinner who turns the ball into right hander for a variation delivery rather just arm bowl which comes straight on without any turn with arm but Pakistan has one called one called Raza Hassan. He is all set to debut and stun the whole world in shock as did Saqlain in 94. It is matter of just time what urdu word does he or Pakistani Keeper names that very delivery? Has any other team invented anything new in recent history of cricket? All thanks to Pakistan cricket for these things again. Fast bowlers which Pakistan has are unique in the whole world; the way thinking, using the worst of conditions and lengths and everything is so different to other fast bowlers. In fact, it is very safe to the most talented country in cricket world is Pakistan and if anyone has any doubts, see the young teams play each other and feel difference between Pakistan and others at U-19 level. Pakistan cricket has most following in masses of neutral countries i.e. which do not have their team playing, its all due to flair and charm that Pakistanis play attract auditions of billions. After all these reasoning can anyone imagine cricket world without Pakistan? Answer is loud and clear, no, no, certainly not. As far as, match fixing is concerned everyone who is shouting big words of banning Pakistan cricket due to it should look into their own past and their living legends who have been involved in it because certainly, do not want to name them here. Each and every one who has any doubts regarding Pakistan cricket should know one thing very clear that it is neither Zimbabwe nor South Africa that it could be banned. For Botham himself, he should not do at least commentary in Pakistan cricket because a commentator should not be as biased as he is. Sky Sports should take some action; he is great of the game but if he makes same mistakes again and again he should not be getting away with them.
I may well be bit harsh and rude in my words, but these are the feelings of true Pakistan Cricket after what has happened. My each and every word represents the state of my heart and billions other Pakistan cricket lovers after hearing these ridiculous comments.

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