Just the routine stuff = decimate Kiwis to march ahead!

WC 92, 99, 07, 09, stretch to fifty or twenty overs, play-offs or an important league fixture, Pakistan have on all occasions trounced the poor caps to march ahead triumphantly and this time too they only have to extend that trend. Though, it ain’t easy, or may be it never was on any occasion.

To be brief, things are muddled.

Confused roles are to be ironed out. Play Fawad Alam up in the order or offer him the bench. He's equally capable to replicate what Shoaib Malik did for Pakistan in last T20 WC. Another brave move I may endorse would be to choose one among the so-tagged-package Hafeez & past-relic Misbah ul Haq. Instead, rookie Hammad can be tried, the guy will bring some fresh legs on the field plus you don't need every batter in the touring squad for a 20 over affair, of course, only if managed properly.

Asif's outing against the Poms can be excused to roughness. But he should resume the normal services tomorrow onwards, while Aamir & Ajaml are bowling neatly, Afridi's tasteless outings and Razzaq's confusing role in either discipline is a bottleneck that is hurting the entire XI

The game is again at Kensington Oval; true bounce and short boundaries - a catch-22? Not if you bring your backfoot game into play and simultaneously backfoot can be back tracked by sharp nippy pace bowling.. I still am not ruling out another Sami outing!

On the other hand Kiwis, always more than their actual sums, enjoyed a rare ODI series victory against Pakistan last year, though lost both the T20s. However, Vettori do have more than a couple of match turners at his deployment this time. Other than the skipper, McCullum, Ryder, Taylor, Styris, Oram & specially Bond can turn the game upside down just on their own.

Black Caps are expected to be clinical with their ground fielding and Pakistan have to pick lessons from the ashes of their latest no-show.

It will be a clash of Kiwis method and Green's flair! in the end one skool-of-thought standing..

The Acid Test - Greens locking horns with the Oz at Beausejour!

After rather extended smart media talk Bangladesh were quickly brushed aside for the stage to be fitly set for Acid Test.

Notwithstanding all the fluff about aussies not good at TT will stand null and void on a fresh day, with learned lessons and a more sharp approach towards the slam bang version of the game. Tame stats can be quoted to point their past vulnerabilities but the fact of the matter is that whilst they were busy handsomely managing their post-superstars exodus period (compared to mid-eighties) they rather loss focus on the latest hottie in town - T20!

However, as professionally brutal as they are, they have finally learned their lessons and in recent times have modeled their strategy around T20 specializers a-la Nannes, Cam. White, David Hussey, David Warner, Steven Smith etc. many of them will never have a notable or no test career but they may well earn their nation the only trophy they are yet to get their hands on..

A grand opening partnership yesterday, 3rd best ever, rather marred few niggles that the Oz would love to exploit. for instance, Ajmal should be used more diligently, running is to be tightened up a notch or three, and one got to find space for Muhammad Asif ahead of Razzaq (tight call) or more appropriately Fawad Alam for a more covered and balanced bowling armory.

Aussies are out to prove and naturally they will come hard. Pakistan needs to grind it out for 240 legal deliveries and may be more, if need be. Greens ought to realize, optimistically I believe they do, that an attack comprising Tait, Nannes, Harris & Watson is more potent in totality then Bangla's quartet of slow southpaws.

whatever may happens, Afridi's men will give it their all is the belief I want to believe..

Go Greens!

Messy Greens!

-Hashim N. Malik

As if the ills of match-fixing, ball tempering, players’ revolts, adhocism and International isolation were becoming stale that they suddenly got blessed with fresh derivatives of horrendous indiscipline, deep-rooted lobbying, ball biting, nepotistic rather patriotic passion, hope-crushing streak of defeats, talk-show wars and the concluding lordliest act of going over-Burj Khalifa’s-top to fire bans and fines here, there, everywhere!

And why shouldn’t it be like this? When relics of the bygone era are hell-bend to prove themselves to be remembered as the most incompetent, abrasive, clueless and unimaginative administration ever to don the office, when players are playing each other and not the opposition, when desperation to win anything tips such heights that eating a ball in front of a galaxy of cameras becomes the only ray of survival. And when the best leader in the country is not only marginalized by ‘a team’ within the team but for good ironical measures is being lashed an indefinite ban, and that after bringing home the world-glory for a nation craving for hopec- then even the most ardent of fans are to be convinced that it is not a Bollywood movie but Pakistan cricket.

As Harsha Bhogle would put it “Pakistan continues to make every other nation look like the epitome of good management”.

To say we are in a mess sounds like a blessing. We are nigh to death. The very fabric of every discipline on and off the field is either rotten or in a shambles, with the sole exception of continuous stream of good bowlers. We have long lost the hope of having good openers, instead we pray for stable decency. We have started considering holding-all-the-chances unrealistic rather we endear for them to hold more then they let go. Since two Ys are handed the pictures of their waterloos, we might consider giving Miandad a recall, at whose age Wilfred Rhodes played test cricket regularly, only if the bans are not overturned, of course.

Perhaps, Younis lacked the panache and suave of Imran Khan who in toughest of times held his pride and authority upright, through complete command over his men and the men who gave the impression of controlling his team. Yet, where he lacked in panache, Younis substituted it with Imran-esque brand of courage, lion-heartedness and awful positivity, and in present of times is by far the only sane option to pluck Pakistan’s pride back in the purest version of the game and Younis the-skipper and Younis the-batter must be included for Tour De Britain this summer. Or our love for butchering our leaders, figuratively and literally, will realize again.

As, after the global T20 hoopla, there’s a certain matter of playing unprecedented six tests in Britain against the ashes foes. If we are to match Australia’s test record of sixteen victories with equal number of defeats, then we should not only encourage bans on Younis, Yousuf but should encourage conspiracies against Salman Butt, Fawad Alam and Misbah – get them banned too and write to ICC to withdraw our test status for an indefinite period. For the law says you may also need batsmen and we have none of them.

Yet, we, the innate supporters of our team and its antics somehow manage to find something to cling on to, a Hammad Azam here, a Mohammad Aamer there, a he-will-grow Umar Akmal somewhere in the middle and we waste no time in stitching new hopes.

Practically, radical shifts should be considered normality if any hope to replicate silver-lining of yester years is to be harbored. Despite all of its unprecedented high handedness, the bans will not affect T20 worldcup campaign that much, as Pakistan still got one of the strongest bowling attack around, and a batting line-up one can count to last at least 20 overs. However, by not announcing the captain, PCB again showed why they are so dearly loved by the cricket-freak masses.

The less we say about the board, the better. Every healthy and functional board across the cricketing world elects its members, but here hand-picked masters are planted from the top. The sooner we bring brains equipped with wisdom to cope with the finer nuances of modern sports management, the quicker we will move on from the starting line. The need is to first except the ground realities by heart and then vouch for cricket Pakistan on any and every global forum through diplomatic and ambassadorial exercises’ to initiate a process that will surly take a long while to reap any real benefit.

The bans – way off the line, unheard of or whatever, will at least set a glaring example in front of young colts who in the wake of an age of mighty commercialization of sports are more vulnerable to commitment, discipline and issues of player power. They would know succinctly what is and not cricket.

I hate to write this, but we thrive in turmoil. Just last year, when the third of third in Lahore jittered the cricketing fraternity to the hilt and with it flew away the home games and worldcup 2011, a bunch of spirited men – disregarded by IPL, isolated by cricketing fraternity silently won the world title for its terrorism-struck & hope-starved nation and proved the adage that when united in their skill-display team green is the most instinctive and naturally-gifted one among its global peers.

Another disappointment by IPL can well and truly become another reason to dance and laugh. As, for next forty odd days when majority of international players would be busy redeeming their happy hours in India, the prematurely announced 15-man squad for the T20 worldcup would be trying to jell together and to let go the recent past as quickly as humanly possible. For it contains nothing but intrigue, squabbling and utter hopelessness.

May be, when they meet tired international players at the worldcup they might have a plan. May be, Waqar & Ijaz tune them enough for them to shrug off technical and mental hurdles, may be they truly play for Pakistan again. May be they win again!

Bangla Cricket Hitherto!

Bangladesh is developing a knack of catching good teams cold. After Australia, India had a taste of it, though experience and mental strength prevailed on both occasions eventually. Alike Sri Lanka of late and early nineties, Bangladesh, after graduating from sequences of humiliations punctuated with rare bouts of individual brilliance now need to learn how to finish it off. That's when they'll truly arrive!

Yet, to me it is heartening to see a Prodigy-Kid Shakib-ul-Hasan continously churning out high voltage performances against the better of the world and in the course inspiring a bunch of raw talent around i.e. Mahmudullah, Rubel, Naeem Islam, Raqibul etc...

IMO, BCB selectors need to get Alok Kapali and particularly the Aftab guy back in the fold to add more cement to their batting order..

THE DARK SIDE OF THE COIN…

- Hashim N. Malik

T20 creation led to T20 World Cups, ICL, Stanford hyperbole and before you take a breather IPL – Season 3 is just round the corner. Throw to the mix club-based Champions League, planned Southern/American Premiere Leagues and hosts of other similar interventions springing here, there, everywhere and you’ve got a cricket calendar littered with mercenaric carnivals at the mere cost of bilateral International challenges, reducing them both in value and salability. The true cost, however, is a lot more than what’s presently meeting the naked eye.

Did anyone cared to notice the post IPL performances of cricket-celebs who remained active for the best part of the carnival? International not club performances that is to say whilst representing your country and not a club owned by a chemical processing company.

Let’s analyze,

• Freddie Flintoff, 31, is suddenly too old for Tests.
• Keven Pietersen who rose to fame from previous home Ashes couldn’t gather himself bodily when the most sacred battle made its return to his adopted home.
• Virender Sehwag, living nowadays on the back of his heyday’s footage and doing everything that is not cricket i.e. ICC T20 WC drama is one quick example.
• Jacob Oram never looked so ordinary in every discipline of the game.
• Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka’s poster boy was left to sign, well posters mainly for the major part of the ongoing Sri Lankan summer due to indifferent form and at times pure exhaustion.
• Zaheer Khan, the Indian bowling spearhead is out and out for a while.

A player either from a established nation i.e. Australia, India, RSA or TGB or a vulnerable one i.e. New Zealand, West Indies etc. can only stretch himself to the extent of his energy and physical capacity. What is not been realized by many is that albeit Twenty20 is a 3 hour roller coaster ride it seeps out as much liveliness and venom out of a player as any other skill-set of the game shall do. Throw to the blend incessant travelling and promotional campaigns and you’ve got a complete recipe for fatigue, exhausted power tanks and productivity bordering on mediocrity.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY CRICKET IS BEEN DONE!

The Big Wigs ala Australia, India, RSA & TGB shall probably survive without much ado. However, the other half of leading Test playing nations, notably West Indies and New Zealand, as discussed in detail below, shall suffer because of reduced value of International games, increased player power and condensed pool of fit and hungry frontrunners.

Caribbean Dilemma

Ah! What to say that is not gloomy about them?

In brief, IPL turned out to be cloud nine for a selected bunch of superstars but is acting as a messenger of death for the credibility and togetherness of Cricket-Caribbean as a whole. The primary bone of contention between WICB and WIPA has its roots in the lure of IPL riches. The players foregathered from a host of Island nations are at this instant succinctly aware that they now have the luxury to go free-lance and do not have to abide by the WICB’s officialdom anymore. Hence, they couldn’t care less if there’s a Test series planned at the Home of Cricket. They’d be indifferent if it clashes and eats into their potential earnings.

Had it not been for the visible fill-in of going free-lance through IPL and domestic events of wealthy cricket playing nations the row between WICB and WIPA would have never stretched this far. Admittedly, the officialdom and high-handedness of WICB is to share the blame but the players will not run scot-free either. One may not confuse their rebellion with that of Packer players from 70’s. The latter fought a cause and made life a lot more financially remunerable for succeeding generations of players and earned the demanded respect on the pretext of sheer brilliance and heroic display in the field where they slaughtered whoever came across. They were a highly professional, disciplined and physically fit unit under the guardianship of a father-figure like skipper Clive Lloyd.

The so-called Protestants of 21^st century are simply mercenaries skipped by a captain who arrives just in time for breakfast before a Test at Lord’s and would not lose sleep if Test cricket dies out. If anything, it shall come as a relief.

To foresee a time where Caribbean Islands are divided into sub-nationalism and are playing every skill-set and caliber that is not International is not a vision of a martian if the current situation goes from worse to the nadir of rottenness.

Sri Lankan Prosperity

Speaking of Lloyd’s men of 70’s I believe the Sri Lankans of today, whilst keeping things constant are the closest in their footsteps. Increasingly becoming one closely knitted unit led by a statesman like skipper Kumara Sangakkara, well versed with today’s realities. They together are not only reaping optimum benefits out of IPL riches (collective refusal to visit UK for a Test series during IPL, making West Indies the makeshift replace’) but are also discharging commanding performance at International level with minimal casualties from the IPL grueling.

The earnings of Sri Lankan’s players shall in turn economically benefit the relatively small Island nation and shall further pump the grass root structure that is already one of the most disciplined in the world.

However, Sri Lanka is one exception!

The gloss of International cricket today, the salability is due to the celeb-power and when a considerable chunk is either not present or performing like ordinary mortals then the void between local and national competitiveness gets condensed.

Kiwi Vulnerability

The demographically disadvantageous Test playing nation has always suffered the drought of Superstars with an odd Hadlee or Crowe or a Bond perhaps appearing every other decade or two. That that thin bunch of celebs found a lucrative voice in shape of IPL and other T20 extravaganzas is contributing more individualistically than collectively.

IPL, the fourth largest world event in terms of value has roped in Vettori, McCullum, Ryder, Taylor & Oram from the Kiwi shores and by the time 1^st Galle Test ended, all but Vettori were either carrying niggles or doing everything in the field except performing. At times their disinterest with the premiere format of the game was so visible that it was ushering through their disposition.

Status Quo

Suddenly it seems like majority who are performing right now either played a little role in IPL – 2 or didn’t played at all. And before you might set the clock alight for the form return of cricket celebs an in-your-face Champions League Club competition is up and running and there you got another string of potential injuries, niggles and exhaustion succeeding as its by product and by the time you’ll look up IPL – 3 is being advertised.

Whose got time and mind for country-to-country encounters? The heart and soul of cricket!

We are stepping into an era with reduced Test careers i.e. Freddie Flintoff or reduced International careers altogether i.e. Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds - free lance mercenaries’ plying their trade everywhere but at the International stagecoach.

Using T20 to build a wide net of cricket playing nations at competitive level is fine i.e. American Premiere League - but if it is coming at the cost of losing the centuries old fabric of the most sophisticated outdoor game invented by the mankind then strictly in my opinion, as a purist, I will not buy it.

I do not wish to live for the day when to witness a country to country encounter I had to wait for the World Cups.

Pondering…

Hypothetically speaking, would’ve Pakistan able to ooze same vigor and passion and have stood victorious at ICC T20 World Cup 2009 had their stars plied their bodies for as many as fourteen games all over India just before the real international deal?

Think about it!

Cricket will Live…

Today, on 3^rd day of March, 2009 we the Pakistanis witnessed the Blackest day in the history of Pakistan cricket. Today the pariahs of civilism stamped their most burning hammer on the heart of our nation – cricket!

It is the end is the shriek around. The history of cricket was pure of such calamities till the 3/3 of cricket. We did hit the rock bottom…

But

Shall we stop trying?

I don’t think so…

The game that gave us countless joy & satisfaction is crying for our unrelenting shoulders to pull it back on its feet's from a posture that is now neck-up paralyzed.

The cricket players have to come forward to show unprecedented solidarity and a vision to resolve what is (or if we believe them, was) our biggest sporting pride.

We should NOT be the next Zimbabwe....

In all probabily we, already being marginalized on global front shall suffer on cricketing canvas in a decade that is yet to begin. A whole cricket addict generation shall live under the shadows of 3/3 of Cricket....

Awfully sad.

A Query for Mr. Ijaz Butt - No Visa for The Best ???

Sir

From past couple of days.0. after 3 months and a week Team Pakistan would be taking an International field, notwithstanding event's grim significance in the context of Mega India Australia clash, objectively it is very important for Pakistan to keep theirs bats knocking and balls rolling even if they are to content with the legends of Canada, Zimbabwe, and of course Sri Lanka.

Best possible XI was assembled and sent to Canada - except for one little un-plausible hitch. You forgot to board your iconic player!

I can understand that present national calamitous circumstances holds much more for the Cricketing Pundits on the resolving agenda then, say, negotiating the inclusion of your most famed star with one Canadian Embassy.

One can easily project the global hyperbole that would have been genereted if, speaking hypothetically, any precious Indian or coveted Aussie was to face any problem remote of such sorts. Nevermind, the TATAs & BIRLAs who would have flown them over in their private jets; The New World Cricket Order...

Mr. Butt, in your managerial capacity with the National Team during 80s, you were known to standby the players all along to resolve issues from the horse's mouth. Without churning any political chords don't you see Yousuf's exclusion as a first of another head of problem taking rounds for Pakistan Cricket Booard - Visa Problems for those who support a definite apparant lookout? because otherwise even players from politically excruciated Zimbabwe manage to get hold of their Visas

Spare me but Board's kneejerk press statement for Yousuf's exclusion on the pretext of belated consideration is as concrete as Team Pakistan's status quo in the World Cricket Order.

Sri Lanka Tour to Pakistan January 2009 - ODI leg

2009 brings serious cricket back for Team Pakistan and it begins tomorrow. History repeats its cycle. Back in the day it was to be Pakistan helping the talented Islanders establish their brand of cricket. Today, Sri Lanka, a respected cricket nation is reciprocating that warmth & support. I heartily acknowledge their endeavor. 

Despite their rather unexpected struggle against minnows just recently Pakistan would very soon find them to more tough of a competitor then rather modest Caribbeans. Not to mention the "M" due and not to underestimate their sort of unheralded pace battery in the absence of seasoned Vass & Freak-Malinga... 

Watchout for Jayasuriya who is cricket's curious case of benjamin button ...  & of course Pakistan pace troika...! 

Renaissance of Karachi & Cricket - 7 GMT tomorrow!

21stTenners or 19Sixties? - Cricket Pakistan Today!

Test Cricket or if I may say Cricket in Pakistan is in shambles. The glossy corporate look, the performance contracts and the scandals have biffed the fans with everything but cricket!

One cannot help but glaringly notice a Test barren 2008 for Pakistan whereas just across the border players are counting themselves “out” because of too much cricket; Team India has already participated in nine Test matches in the on-going 2008 and there are no less than six more in offing before New Year’s celebrations would begun. A total of 15 Test matches to go with 35+ ODIs and of course hosts of T20 affairs here, there, everywhere!

One line of argument will correlate Modern India’s domination over the Global-Cricketing-Scene with the amount of cricket that they play but what is to be said about the innocent Kiwis? Who spirited in eight 5-day affairs and look comfortably set to finish the year with a healthy 12 Test matches.

While the Cricket Boards are advancing in terms of qualitative quantity of Test cricket for their National Units PCB is retreating – it certainly is knee-jerk lobbying on their part which is still visible even if covered in the veneer of security concerns, disciplinary hearings & shaggy negotiations at Board level. The fact that Pakistan’s next Test assignment is scheduled to take place at the start of next year (2009) takes one as back as to 1970 to find a similar empty year for the National Team – that was the time when only four opponents were on the cricketing scene (RSA was avoided due apartheid regime & ODIs were yet to be invented) and therefore, Test-less years were pretty much a common affair with players acquainting themselves with county & league cricket to maintain the nip-tick. Fast forwarding 38 years to find the similar situation TODAY compels me to say that indeed we love our history in every regard!

In fact, author finds serious correlations of present decade with the one that precedes the year 1970 because Test Cricket or any Cricket the quality of National reservoirs’ in totality defines the direction of World Supremacy!

The Dull Sixties are defined as the lowest ebb of Team Pakistan and I certainly don’t feel any joy in apprehending that the present one (00s) isn’t much different when viewed in entirety.

Let’s analyze,

After promisingly exciting 50s where Team Pakistan stunned the Cricketing World Order by announcing their arrival with a Test victory in every series but the last one against Australia. The victorious heroics of Lucknow’52, The Oval’54, Karachi’56, & Port-of-Spain’58 spirited the juvenile nation and much bigger things were anticipated in the years to come by. However, the dawn of 60s saw the bowling stalwarts’ a-la Fazal Mehmud, Khan Muhammad & Mehmood Hussain standing in the twilight of their courageous careers and there is to be no one remotely available to succeed their prowess. Instead, spin was comparatively flourishing and the likes of Nasim-ul-Ghani, Intikhab Alam & Pervez Sajjad emerged as a lot to carry the brunt of bowling.

Ironically, Pakistan never completely played to their strengths (spin) unlike their counterparts who under the auspicious leadership of M.A.K. Pataudi were putting better shows with a troika of 3 together. In fact, the sole pace bowling success for Pakistan in the entire decade was of Asif Iqbal, who after migrating from India in the early part of the decade finished it off with 40 wickets in 17 Test matches; afar cry from 125 off 26 Tests by the Cutter & Swing Maestro Fazal
Mehmood in the previous tenner. On Team level Pakistan played some of their worst Test cricket ever by miserably losing the reputation in The Great Britain earned on the debut tour - by losing a plethora of Tests on their 2 tours to the homeland of cricket and touched nadir when beaten by New Zealand at home just before the turn of the 70’s.

History, contexts & fortunes, they say repeat themselves and I agree –SIXTIES made a return after an absence of some 30 years to usher the dawn of the New Millennium that witnessed in its nine years of existence the surrender of: Home & Away territory to India, Proud Reputation in The Great Britain, Any pride whatsoever against the Aussie Juggernauts’ & the inability to even
conquer now the defeatist of Caribbean territory; of course not to mention the humiliations of highest order in the World Cups & ICCCTs.

Alike sixties that suffered depletion in bowling reservoirs’, 00s also suffered with the exodus of a number of stars that upheld the game in the roaring nineties i.e. 2 Ws, Musthaq Ahmed & Saqlain Mushtaq all faded away either due to injuries or a call from Dr. Time. In fact none of them were in action after 2003.

To say that Pakistan didn’t found their decent replacements would be a thin statement but were the replacements’ procured & groomed with consciousness? A big flat NO! Rather they were left out to fry & dry on their own and what did they did? They did what their rather limited educational capacity allowed them to do by catching controversies of every breed from their left right & center and when handed a breather nursed their injuries, farcical at times (Shoaib’ emulating Sultan Rahi by hitting Asif with a bat). The depths of this vicious circle are news already making headlines about the attitude of latest lanky sensation Sohail Tanvir.

This decade, IMO would be best remembered with the biggest irony that Team Pakistan ever faced for being unable to field their best troika of Shoiab-Asif-Gul even once in a 5-day affair, hence, leaving their performance in that strengthened context only to conjecture.

Nevertheless, as the oft-repeated age old saying goes there’s always a light at the end of the Tunnel & I agree. The twilight of Sixties witnessed the egression of Sarfaraz Nawaz, Asif Masood, coming-of-age of Mushtaq Muhammad & Intikhab Alam that set the road alight for the entrance of first Imran Khan & then Abdul “Bao” Qadir & Iqbal Qasim to win endless laurels for the Homeland.

Similarly, even in the twilight of 00s, a bowling attack comprised of Akhtar, Asif, Gul & Kaneria can definitely see the home team restoring some of its pride when their old nemesis shall cross the border in early 2009 because bowling NOT batting had been the discipline that has witnessed the Players in Green victorious more often than not throughout the course of 56 years of Cricket Pakistan’s history.

May Allah bestow some sanity in the minds of our PCBian Gods. Amen!

One Day (Int’l) Wonderments...!

From Lancaster Park, Christchurch, on February 11, 1973 till National Stadium, Karachi, on 4 July 2008 Team Pakistan have appeared in 687 One Day Internationals same as those of Aussies and just a whisker shy of India’s 696 – this add up is and will change multiple hands between them for a while to come unless they bury ODIs which I am adamant would not happen.

In 35 years of razzmatazz of Team Pakistan & ODIs, 171 players have embraced the National Color in this form of the game – that reached its nadir in late 80’s and 90’s.However, all but 20 of them didn’t succeeded in witnessing a second National dawn in the field of One Day International Cricket. Those 20 are also the heart and soul of this piece. Let’s analyze,

Till date there have been Twenty (1) One-Day wonderments.

Nasim-ul-Ghani verses New Zealand (1973) -Slow left-armer!

Unarguably, the most famous Pakistani 1 One Day wonder and in that regard also shares the satire with no other than Sir Garfield Sobers.Nasim was a permanent member of the Team of Dull Sixties.

As Kamran Abbasi for cricinfo© profiles him:

“A bowler who never fulfilled his early promise, partly through his own failings and partly because of unfair selection. Nasim-ul-Ghani was the youngest Test cricketer at the time when he made his debut against West Indies, at only 16. His career started well but rapidly tailed off. Primarily a left-arm spinner, he could also bowl medium-pace. Flight was his main weapon. Nasim was a versatile batsman too: he opened the batting for Pakistan and also came in at No. 11. His batting ability was revealed when he came in as a nightwatchman at Lord's in 1962 and struck a century - the first by a Pakistani in England. He was assistant manager on Pakistan's 1996 tour of England. He has since had a spell as a national selector, an ICC development officer in South Asia, and a match referee.”

Ghani made his debut on the Carribean Tour of 1957-58, some 15 years before Pakistan made their entrance into the shorter version of the game. Therefore, it was theoretical that he was in the utter twilight of his career when handed an ODI Cap at Lancaster Park where he debuted with the rest of the XI. In a rather muted way he scored an eight ball 1 at #7 and was never called onto ball in the first half of the inning when Sarfaraz and rest controlled the Kiwis pretty well who though, eventually won by 22 runs.

Ghani was out of favor immediately afterwards.

Naeem Ahmed – verses England (1978) -Slow Left Armer!

One of those lucky ones i.e. Hasan Jamil, Liaqat Ali & Aamer Hameed etc... Who sneak into the National Team courtesy of a ban on Packerstanies & boarded the plane to The Great Britain in the absence of Imran Khan, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Musthaq Muhammad and Asif Iqbal. Though, on paper Naeem Ahmed barely merited his inclusion with a career accumulation of 202 wickets at an ordinary purchase of 39.43, and a wicket every 63^rd delivery sustained in 10 seasons of Domestic cricket before the England Tour.

Pakistan after losing the first of 2-ODIs Prudential Trophy, replaced Iqbal Qasim with Naeem Ahmed, a twirler from the same school at Kennington Oval, London on May 26, 1978. The poor lad toiled along a basically weak attack – coming as 3^rd change and bowling 10 overs for 43 without any threat as David Gower announced himself onto the International scene with a silkily swift inning of 114 at a SR of 93.xx in those novice days of shorter version of the game.

Curtains were immediately drawn on his International strides once the ill-fated tour was over.

Saleem Pervez - verses West Indies (1980) -Right Hand Opener!

Lahore-born opener who labored in representative cricket for no less than 22 years was strictly past his prime when handed a chance to shone at the ripe old of 33, at Lahore against the touring Caribbean Juggernauts. Though, before making his debut he only managed a handful of List A appearances and was primarily selected on the basis of his sound FC record that readed well above 4000 runs at 37.x in 13 years of FC cricket preceding his first, last and only ODI.

Pakistan, after losing the One Day Series engineered few changes and for the dead rubber on December 19, 1980 handed caps to Ijaz Faqih, Rashid Khan, Tahir Naqqash and Saleem Pervez. Miandad won the toss and put WI into bat, who in their allotted 40 overs set the home team a target of 4.27 per over to win. A formidable target in those days coupled with the misery caused by the quartet of Clarke, Croft, Garner and Marshall. Pervez, debuting at his home ground started the innings cautiously with Taslim Arif, also appearing in his debut series and garnered an opening partnership of 44 runs before that garnering was cut short by J. Garner who not only got Saleem Pervez's wicket but also sent him back to the Pavilion for ever...

For the records Pakistan lost by mere 7 runs.

Masood Iqbal verses New Zealand (1984)

– Wicketkeeper!

Sufferers of Bari’s longevity who when played his solitary ODI was few months shy of his 33^rd spring. Sadly, the above-noted cricketer demised 5 years ago, and his obituary – published by Wisden© and quoted by author is as following:

Masood Iqbal Qureshi died from kidney failure on October 31, 2003, aged 51. Known to his contemporaries as "Billa", Masood Iqbal was a controversial selection to understudy Wasim Bari as Pakistan's wicket-keeper on their 1972-73 tour of Australia and New Zealand. His batting was negligible, but he was an agile keeper and there were fewer quibbles when he went to England in 1978. "He owned the sweetest sense of timing - that was the key to his wicket-keeping," said Dr Nauman Niaz, a former cricket analyst for the PCB. By the time he played his only one-day international, though, against New Zealand at Multan in 1984- 85, he was past his best and gave away 18 byes in 35 overs. Two years later he retired after 17 years of first-class cricket for Lahore teams and for Habib Bank, where he continued to work on completing his MBA. In the 1990s he returned to cricket as an administrator, A-team tour manager, referee and selector. In 2000 he was appointed a PCB groundsman.

Shakeel Khan – verses England (1987) -Pacer!

Anand Vasu for cricinfo© profiles him as, "Tall and strong, Shakeel Khan bowled brisk medium pace for Habib Bank and was called up to play a solitary one-day international for Pakistan when Wasim Akram was injured in 1987. He played against England at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar on November 22, 1987, and claimed the wicket of Chris Broad, clean bowled, in a nine-over spell that yielded 50 runs. He made a duck batting last as Pakistan collapsed to a 98-run loss. He was never picked to play for Pakistan again, but is still very much involved in cricket as a part of the media cell of the Pakistan Cricket Board".

Statistically, he took 258 wickets domestically in 13 Seasons.

Maqsood Rana verses Australia (1990) -Pacer!

Son of Shakoor Rana (who stood in 40 Internationals), younger brother of Mansoor Rana (who did better than the younger one by managing 2 ODI caps) and nephew of Shafqat & Azmat Rana (Test

Cricketers) never really came out of the debris of above stated names.

He made to the Touring Party to Australia, solely on Youth Cricket potential (experience of 3 FC) games and possibly unperceptible networking that handed him debut againt Australia in Pakistan’s 2^{nd League Game of B&H Cupb, on 3rd day of 1990 scoring 5 at #10 and came in first change to Wasim & Aaqib - only to be replaced by Nadeem Ghauri after 2 overs because Team was defending a meager target and were in need of wickets which didn’t came as desired, Pakistan lose and Rana was convieniently overlooked for the rest of the League and Final fixtures.}

Maqsood Rana never wore National Blazer again. Though appeared domestically for a whole succeeding decade representing National Bank of Pakistan & Regional teams, however, inconsistently.

Tanvir Mehdi – verses England (1992) – Pacer!

Lanky & skidy Lahore born Tanvir Mehdi on the back of an impressive 1991-92 domestic season, 45 wickets at 25.x was included onto the plane to the British Isles in the summer of 1992. After a couple of first class games & list A appearances’ against Sussex where he took 2/48 & 1/13 was handed ODI Cap at The Foster's Oval, Kennington, London on May 22, 1992, more so because of the absence of Wasim Akram (with a stress fracture of the left shin) and Waqar Younis (back trouble). Tanvir Mehdi, coming in as first change to Aaqib Javed & Naved Anjum had a nightmare of a game, conceding 72 off 11 mandatory overs for a solitary wicket of Neil Fairbrother – 5^th most expensive ODI analysis for a Pakistani bowler by that time!

The Lahore born quitted cricket altogether merely 18 months after his ODI debut, an age when an Englishman is getting ahead from Academy to 2^{nd Division of County Cricket.}

Irfan Bhatti – verses Zimbabwe (1993) -Medium Pacer!

After acclaiming Test Status Zimbabwe made their first ever Tour to Pakistan in the dusk of 1993, Unpredictable as they are Team Pakistan in spite of winning both Test & ODI series were rough and at times shoddy in their display on the field.

In came the dead ODI rubber at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on December 27, 1993 and one military medium-pacer made his debut totally out of blue – namely Irfan Ahsan Kaleem Bhatti from Peshawar. An ordinary medium pacer who up to his only International fixture have managed to appear in all of 18 domestic fixtures claiming mere 19 wickets in 4 Seasons. Though, in the on-going 1993-94 Season he was one of the better performers with 14 wickets at 14.x in seven List A appearance that probably earned him an International cap to savor; in a dead game where nothing except National Pride of losing to an utter minnow was at stake. It is also noteworthy to mention that the debutant also turnout for Bank of Khayber XI just before the ODI against the same opponents with muted figures of none for 54.

On Bhatti’s day in sun he opened the bowling with certain Wasim Akram and surpassed him in that moment by claiming both openers and ended the day with the satisfaction that he had the best figures for a seamer on either side: 8-0-22-2 Nonetheless, with Pakistan blessed with a barrage of speedsters it was nigh to impossible for the Peshawarite to get another game under his belt. Later, he mentored a much more complete and celebrated player a-la Azhar Mehmood Sagar!

Javed Qadeer & Mehmood Hamid verses Sri Lanka (1995) - Wicket-Keeper & Right-hand batter!

1995 is a year utterly marred with controversies ranging from players revolts; powerful lobbying, match-fixing and you name it! Therefore, when the team for The 5th Asia Cup was announced, it ushered a bundle of surprises for all and sundry to ponder - Javed Qadeer was one of them!

Karachi-based and PIA contracted Wicket-Keeper - a product of U-19 cricket was primarily selected on the gut-feeling of the selectors because his FC experience, all of 3 games was not remotely close to being eligible. Although, with Moin Khan captaining the side as well holding the gloves, chances were grim for Qadeer to get a debut. However, former met with Chicken Pox and latter got an International debut - in an important last league game against Sri Lanka, on April 11, 1995. Though, by the time he stepped onto the field for the 1^{st time - Pakistan, enforced to bat first were all but down and out. Qadeer scored 12 off 23 including a boundary, and that's pretty much one can do at #9.}

^{Pakistan lost the game and were done for the tournament and so was Qadeer’s career... Who in his only International also took the catch of a certain Aravinda de Silva. Nonetheless, it is suffice to say that just like the era of Bari’s sole dominance peak of Rashid/Moin's rivalry too never saw any WK being considered rather more seriously.}

Javed Qadeer went on to play domestically for more than a decade after his stint with the National Team but was never considered again, more so because of his ordinary batting skills and global mastery of R.L. & M.K.

In the very same game another Karachiite made his ODI debut for Pakistan, Mehmood Hamid -one of those consistent yet silent domestic batters who because of the euphoria caused by the Youth and Underage stars seldom get a look on. Therefore, when selected for The Asia Cup, Hamid backed his inclusion with a tally of nearly 7000 runs and 13 tons in domestic cricket. However, when the moment to glow came along Hamid met his worst fear - to be a victim of a dismissal not of his own making and being left to forever rue the reality that he was, in his only International inning - ranout out by none other than Big Inzzy!

Mehmood Hamid, alike Javed Qadeer went on to represent domestic outfits for more than 10 Seasons, scoring another 10 centuries at a sustained average of 40. Yet, never got another call!

Shahid Anwar verses England (1996) - Right Hand Opener!

Shahid Anwar, an opener, suffered from the rare stability of Pakistan on opening front – where the duo of Sohail & Anwar rarely let any other batter a serious go in nineties and Shahid Anwar was one of them. Multan-born Shahid made it to the touring party of The Great Britain in 1996 on the back of years of persistence shown on the domestic front that saw his garnering nearly 13,000 runs and 22 tons in no less than 13 Seasons and 250+ representative matches.

Anwar played a mixture of 9 innings on the Tour where he batted at an average of 32.x, including 89 against Leicestershire and was admitted in the final XI of the final, yet dead ODI of the Texaco Trophy on September 01, 1996 - replacing Aamir Sohail. Shahid made better of the opportunity by forging an opening stand of 93 with Saeed Anwar and contributing himself a flowing 37, including six 4’s and a SR of 84 – good enough for a debutant!

Pakistan won the game – courtesy Rashid Latif’s late innings heroics but lost the Series and when embarked onto their next Internatioanl assignment merely couple of weeks after, Shahid was no where to be found and was quickly off the media’s memory too...

Today, he is an accomplished coach, steering Sialkot Stallions to a string of T20 cup victories.

Irfan Fazil verses Sri Lanka (2000) – Pacer!

After being mortified in the 1999-2000 Australian Home Season Pakistani Selectors chopped and changed the National Team by default for the Home Series against visiting Sri Lankans. Continuing with the tradition of thrusting young ones with the big ones by in came Younis Khan, Yasir Arafat, Imran Abbas, Faisal Iqbal and 18 year old Irfan Fazil – the last addition was primarily on potential shown in Youth Cricket and not on any domestic credentials (as age would state).

However, he didn’t make it to the final XI in any of the 3 ODIs; may be because of tasteless figures of 6-0-51-1 against the visitors, for PCB XI. Though, he took 5-120 against the same opponents in a FC game later that escalated him a Test Cap in the dead Test of Karachi, on March 12, 2000. Fazil contributed with peculiar figures of 8-0-65-2 and despite a highly erratic display (8 noballs) was lucky in getting at least one of those wickets. Pakistan retrieved some Pride by winning the Test and for that good omen he was also selected to tour Caribbeans immediately afterward.

Fazil made his ODI debut in last of Pakistan’s League Game on April 16, 2000 against the Hosts, in a Tri Nation competition also involving Zimbabwe. Where after opening the bowling beside Waqar Younis started exactly where he left from Karachi – again bowling waywardly (3 noballs) and all over the wicket (2 Wides) with mustered numbers of 6-0-46-0 meant an effective stop at any more International strides.

The irony was that in the immediately succeeding Season he came to age by snatching 70 FC wickets aided with six 5-fr’s including 13 wickets on a Sri Lankan A tour for not many... Fazil is still active in the domestic circuit but persistent vulnerabilities about the righteousness of his radar have yielded an economy of expensive 4.05 in the FC and 5.39 in the List A face of the game, in 10 Seasons of domestic cricket. An epitome of his only International Caps in Test and ODI...

Kashif Raza – verses Sri Lanka (2001) – Pacer!

From the land of traditional and reverse swing crafter Aaqib Javed, Sheikhupura, came another of potentially the same league and boarded the plane to Sharjah for a Tri Nation Event, also involving Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Kashif Raza earned his call through consistent showing in the 2000-1 domestic season by claiming 73 wickets at mere 19 with a wicket every 6 overs.

Pakistan, after winning their initial two fixtures rested Mohammad Sami and handed the young lad a debut, on April 20, 2001 against Sri Lanka. After setting a tough target of 279 skipper Waqar Younis shared the ball with the domestic star - who after early jitters eventually got the line right and in his 4^rth over forced Kaluwitharana to play onto his stumps. However, with Team loaded with All rounders, Raza never got another spell and statistically ended with rather odd figures of 1/36 at 7.20 per over.

Even after half a dozen years from his debut he is just a shade under 30 and is still active for WAPDA and regional teams but the return to National scene even in present depleted atmosphere is far fetching, in my opinion.

Faisal Athar - verses New Zealand (2003)

-Right Hand Batter!

Yet another batter who was selected for his endeavors in the First Class version of the game to make debut in a One Day International. Which turnout to be not only the Final of that tri-nation tournament but also to be his first and final international fixture.

After the debacle of WC 2003, there was an exodus of celebrated yet aging cricketers from Team Pakistan; enforced or otherwise. Therefore, when the time to select the touring party for a Tri Nation ODI Tournament in Sri Lanka came, inclusion of fresh blood was inevitable. At the side of Yasir Hameed, Mohammad Hafiz and Umar Gul Hyderabad-born right hander also got the nod.

He was handed the green cap in the most pressurized game of the tourney, The Final, on May 23, 2003. Rashid Latif won the Toss and made Athar open the proceedings with Hafeez, who got out in the opening over followed by Hameed to effectively cast a shell on the debutant who after snailing 9 off 38 balls in an hour’s stay ended the misery by snicking one behind.

At 32, Athar is still playing active cricket and is roughly 2 years younger to the current batting maestro Misbah-ul-Haq but the inclination towards youth cricket stars and the peppering of Khalid Latif, Fawad Alam & rest alongside 3 bigwigs of the Middle-Order - Athar would be laid to rest as one 1 ODI Wonder...

Who could still break the Jinx?

At-least 6 namely Khalid Latif, Khurrum Manzoor, Rizwan Ahmed, Naumanullah , Mansoor

Amjad & Najaf Shah can strive to shrink the No. down a bit because of their recent debuts and a couple of them are already tipped for more regularity at National level. I personally have high hopes from Karachi-born & bred Khalid Latif who made good showing in the recent Practice games and looks well set to extend his opportunities in coming International commitments (if, any) and possibly the biggie against the might of the Indians.

Conclusion

In fact, the bowler who took the first-ever ODI wicket that of G. Boycott was also a 1 ODI Wonder - Alan Thomson! A pair not really fancied today to play the first ever delivery & acclaim the first of all the ODI wickets, some 37 years ago!

Many players in this research paper turn-up for their single moment of glory at the dead end of any given series, except for Faisal Ather who played in the Final of a Tri Nation. Be it the Shakeel Khan of Arbab Niaz Stadium or the Shahid Anwar of Trent Bridge... they were handed glory when it really wasn’t glorious.

On the concluding flip side there are as many as 12 International Players who enjoyed their ace-day-in-the-field against the Mercurial Team Pakistan in a list that includes alongside Poor Guy’s Andy Roberts a la Jammie Siddons, also the current Bangla Coach.