R O N I Nammar yasir’s personal blog

Akhtar to Lara.. Are your scared?

The time I was introduced and instantly fell in love with Cricket was such an excellent time for the game, most probably because that time Cricket was a professional sport and players concentrated majorly on Cricket. Now when I look around I see fairness cream models capitalizing on their genes, politicians taking soul credit of a glorious victory, of what was a team effort, priests who engineered the concept that it’s okay if we underperform in Cricket as far as we appear religious. And to join the bandwagon is a new category, introducing.. wait for it..drum roll… ‘Book Authors’ (tada!).

A year back when I switched writing mediums from web to print by writing for a local technology magazine, it made me realize one thing the most: the writing business is not as easy as its generally perceived. Especially if your words are on a piece of paper and you have made an factual error, then it gets really difficult to rectify it. All in all being a writer is not as easy Musharraf and our favorite bowling icon Shoaib Akhtar has made it look.

Following Shoaib’s zigzag career one could picture him in many roles (model, actor, biker, cricket coach, commentator etc) but not as an author. Before the release of the book the only piece of known writing that came from him must be on some autograph or  on Kolkatta Knightrider’s contract form ( ). But he pierced into the writing business like he started Cricket; with a bouncer. Commentators and critics especially on the other side of the border are calling context of the book a gimmick, a ploy to make a lot of dough ($) by telling stories that are far from reality. It would be unfair to comment on the book without reading it. So I will stick to comment on what Shoaib has commented on the book launch and how other reacted.

1. Shoaib Akhtar accused Waseem Akram for ruining his career and delaying his debut in international Cricket.

Now in all honesty Shoaib Akhtar is not the first Pakistani cricketer who came up with such an accusation. Atta ur Rehman, Waqar Younus, Basit Ali, Rashid Latif are the known names who came up with similar claims over the period of time. Wasim Akram might be the most talented bowler in the history of cricket but he didn’t always adapt fair means to enjoy his Cricket reign. Only, if Justice Qayyum’s report was taken seriously at that time or the management in the 80’s and 90’s had the stomach to end dressing room politics, Pakistan Cricket would have been quite opposite today.

2. Sachin and Dravid are not match winners:

“….Vivian Richards, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and the likes of them are great batsmen who dominated with the bat and were truly match-winners. Initially, when I bowled against Sachin, I found these qualities missing. He might have had more runs and records, he lacked the ability to finish the game,” – Shoaib Akhtar

Now you don’t need Shoaib Akhtar’s words to prove the mentioned fact, 20 minutes of browsing on CricInfo will statically prove the number of times high performance of Sachin (here, here, here) and Dravid (here, here and here) failed to secure a win for their team especially if they are not playing in India. Shoaib in his interview also quoted the recent England series. There was a joke floating on twitter when the Pakistani team dropped Sachin in the recent world cup semi final, the idea was to allow Sachin to score a century because we know how that turns out for India.

3. Tendulkar was scared of me

“…We bounced the ball at him and were able to unnerve him. I returned to the dressing room that first day with the knowledge that Sachin was not comfortable facing fast and rising ball. He was distinctly uncomfortable against me. That was enough to build on..”

“I bowled (Sachin) a particularly fast ball which he, to my amazement didn’t even touch. He walked away! That was the first time, I saw him walk away from me– that, too, on the slow track at Faisalabad. It got my hunting instincts up and in the next match I hit him on the head and he couldn’t score after that”, Akhtar wrote.

Considering Tendulkar’s God like status in India and in majority of the cricket fans, the above statement is plain blasphemy. But unlike the real life, Cricket matches are televised and easily found on youtube. One of the video that I found gives us some understanding of what Shoaib is talking about.

Some of the other compilations that I found on the internet tells a story that matches Akhtar’s stance.

I know, what you all are thinking. Sachin’s reign over Cricket that longs around 2 decades cannot be judged by a 5 minute video compilation or a book which has controversy writen on its cover. But just because Shoaib Akhtar failed to build a respectable status on media or the cricket world as an individual does not mean that the bowling skills that made world’s greatest batsmen (Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting or even Sachin Tendulkar) ‘thoroughly uncomfortable’ is a work of fiction. The fact that it actually happened some time ago and considering the number of cricket that is being played every year now leaves us with no memory of the last series we watched and enjoyed should not rule out how awesome Shoaib Akhtar once was.

Having said that, he should not have chosen the controversial route to re-claim popularity. It might get him reasonable book sales but not respect in the long term. Wish the book was more about his intense training, his resilient comebacks, his natural speed defying his physical disparities and his not much discussed honesty in a team known for match fixing and related corruption. Commentators on twitter are calling him Zulfiqar Mirza of Cricket but we all know that exposing people is so August, 2011. It didn’t work then and might not work now. Are you listening @iamshoaibakhtar?

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1998 was a very eventful year in the history of Pakistan. That year Pakistan became a “nuclear power”, same year Pakistani rock band Junoon was touring India. The year proved out to be doubly eventful for the rock band when a political statement from bands lead vocalist Ali Azmat got them banned in Pakistan. In his statement Ali condemned the nuclear tests by both countries and denounced the nuclear proliferation in Subcontinent.  Coming from a rock musician the statement sounded quite reasonable but Nawaz Sharifs previous administration took it quite gravely. The ministry of information of that time not only banned Junoon or popular music of any type but ensured that nobody appears on the national television wearing jeans (WTF?)

Looking back everything changed since 1998:

· Ali Azmat is bald now, Nawaz Sharif is not.

· Abdul Qadeer Khan, once our national hero is now (somewhat) controversial.

· North West Frontier Province has a new name.

· Jeans is no more the symbol of liberalism but expressing your love and admiration for the neighboring country (Hint: Aman ki *beep* Aasha) is now considered as liberal and highly fashionable. And by neighboring country I don’t mean Afghanistan here

But one thing that took the country by storm is Pakistan’s FREE mainstream media (cough *mafia* cough). Free media was General (retired) Musharraf’s only democratic gift to this country. The same gift took his beloved wardee and Government away from him (You too Hamid Brutus Meer?). Today, media is fast becoming the most powerful entity of this country. They freely exercise the power to change election results (Hint: NA 55 elections). They can take a non issue and make an elephant out of it and vice versa. But apart from the political circus, toppling of democratic or military governments, Pakistani media right now has the power to decide what is morally correct and what’s not which makes it more dangerous than it used to be back in the military days of Zia.

Back in the day, it was mandatory for any actress appearing on the national TV to wear Dopatta on her head. Apart from the Government, self appointed moral police (Jamat e Islami and other religious parties) were out there forcing their version of Sharia on very Pakistani soul. Even today, one can easily witness Taliban apologist journos and TV anchors defending terrorism by labeling it a reaction of military attack. But when it comes to commercial interests ; where is media’s moral or religious stand? For the past two and a half week every Pakistani news channel is acting like a gossip girl. Glorifying a love affair and portraying it as a matter of national security.

We all have witnessed the TV anchors crying their hearts out on how President Zardari is harboring all the Presidential powers and not sharing it with the Prime Minister as he should. How he is no different from the military dictator Musharraf when it comes to balance of power. But what happened when the amendment took place?  Sania / Malik scandal made headlines and the historic bill got minimal air time. There is no age rating on any of the the TV programs, which means that an individual of any age group can view any TV program despite from its impact on their minds.

I might sound like a right winger here but do you think that its morally okay to glamorize a scandal where a young man secretly marries than divorces a woman whom he met on the internet for a tennis star who appears more attractive than the first girl? And not only glamorizing the scandal but showcasing every dirty aspect of this crappy affair which involves abortion, betrayal, moral and ethical corruption? Has any responsible media person ever realized, that for the lust of high channel rating they are exposing young minds to moral corruption. There is not a sing quiz show or educational program on any of the popular channels. Educationists and entrepreneurs who make achievements dont make TV appearences or headlines. There is no positive news or image to follow for these young kids. The popular source of information for Pakistani teenagers are these TV channels where the only national achievement that takes maximum air time is a lousy celebrity scandal.

I wonder why Jamat e Islami or TTP didn’t say a word against this absurd media behavior, why not a  single moral fatwa was issued? Why no news channel was threatened for playing Indian movie songs in the middle of a news bulletin. Where is Jamat e Islami and their moral police? Where is Taliban when you need them?!

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Mom: What is that thing?

aMmAr: That thing is Lasith Malinga. He plays for the Srilankan cricket team.

Mom: Ok-ay…but what is that thing on his head?

aMmAr: Well there is a very long story behind that hair duo, but people say that once upon a time he was making pop corns in his kitchen and the next thing you know he is this thing.

Mom: That’s why you should never allow kids near Michele Jackson and pop corn machines.

But jokes apart I am very contented on the Pakistani team win against the ‘Lankans. The Lady luck was on our side this time for a change. Damn we needed something to cheer about. Murders, accidents, terrorist attacks the whole country is mystified and down in the dumps. Maybe cricket will bring some contentment on the faces of the poor inhabitants of the country.

Cricket has always been the connecting factor for us. Pakistanis from unlike sect, political view point, classes join in and cheer for their national team. We are very critical of our team. We are forever ready to crucify our national heroes on their awful performances. But similarly we do identify the talent and position of a particular cricketer and give them their due place as well. We don’t over do it like the Indians, for example they still want Ganguly to lead the team. I mean come on its not 1997, give YUVA (younger) generation some chance. But then It’s not my team so I better keep my jaws shut

Coming back to the T20 World Cup it’s a very long way to go. Pakistan has to play against the Aussies and to defeat them is quite impracticable but hey you never know. Maybe the Ramadan charm might work this time as well.

But technically speaking we definitely need to change our batting order. Misbah should be brought up the order. Kamran should open and Afridi should be given the one down position. I know nobody in South Africa is reading this post but does that ever stopped any one in this region from giving his/her expert opinion? The answer is NO

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It’s quite interesting that there are certain issues and people that when are brought up in public get immediate reactions. For instance if someone comes up with the name of ;

Bush; the immediate reaction of the general public would be what an ass-hole!

Himesh Reshamya; my ears are hurting

Paris Hilton; what a slut!

Shoaib Akhter: Now what ?! or What has he done this time?

Yes the infamous and in my point of view a bit unlucky Shoaib Akhter is making headlines again and if anyone would have predicted, this incident has hardly anything to do with cricket as well. Shoaib was found guilty of beating up his fellow pacer Muhammed Asif with a bat and left a bruise on his thigh.

“I’m human and made a mistake in the heat of the moment,” Shoaib told Indian news TV channel NDTV. “Asif said something to me that made me lose my temper. I apologized to him, but I was very upset. “I’m feeling bad that two minutes of temper have ruined my comeback. Sometime you do things in a fit of temper. I will explain the situation to everyone and apologies. I will try and make it back for the series against South Africa next month.”

My question is why man? Why? How can you do something like this to your fans and above all to yourself?

My personal opinion is that the guy is cursed. His life is surrounded by controversies. I am sure that if he was present in the last world cup. He would have conveniently blamed for Bob Woolmer’s death and would have been spending his last days in some West Indian prison. But than Bob Woolmer was never killed, some stupid doctor sensationalized the autopsy result.

I am afraid this looks like an end to Shoaibs career and we will always remember him as a bowler with plenty of talent and speed but paucity of professionalism. How unfortunate

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