PakPassioner Interviews
By Saj and Umar
January 13 2005
In this section we interview a fellow PakPassioner and find out some interesting stuff about them. All posters are welcome to ask questions and all those who have volunteered to do so, will be interviewed in due course.
The Umar Interview.
Q. All little boys have an image of what they would transform into as an adult. If little Umar of the past met the deviant and incorrigible Umar of the present, would he be disappointed, disgusted, or possibly proud?
A. Well, as a kid (pre 10), I didn't really have an image of what I would like to become when I grow up. However, the image I had of myself from 12 to lets say 17, is one that I have done justice to quite a bit, I would say. So the answer would be, Definitely Proud.
P.S The word 'deviant' is not one that I would use but incorrigible and eccentric can certainly be considered as mots juste ;)
Q. Your hero Oscar Wilde once stated, "Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess." Is this attune with your philosophy on life? Do you feel that those who force moderation upon themselves are doomed to be unmourned and forgotten?
A. Not my hero but definitely someone I appreciate. As for that statement of his, I would say that I definitely work on that principle but only when I feel like it. Force in such cases is never good, be it for the cause of moderation or extremism, so those who force it upon themself are definitely heading for a mid life crisis if not a premature one. The heart would catch up with the mind at some pt. Better not repress too much ;)
Q. And what's your opinion of diplomats, especially as you've been branded with this label by many posters, including myself.
A. Generally, diplomats are a bunch of darned hypocrites and smooth talking criminals and I would be damned if I became one. I have tried as much as possible to ensure a certain transparency in my thoughts and acts and whenever I have erred, I have apologied, if I have gotten the chance. Hypocrisy is unforgivable. The only hypocrisy that I sometimes subsribe to is (during courting generally) what I would call, Positive Hypocrisy which means that I might lead the person to assume that I have no redeeming qualities and am a thoroughly bad person. This makes it easier for me to be myself. Expectations are already at a low point as it is and so I do not have to worry about my reputation or the other person's perceptions. Makes life easier, I tell ya.
As to the fact that I am called a diplomat here definitely irks me but what can one do. I am certainly not going to change my stances to fit others' opinions.
Q. Though you've led us to believe you're a lover, not a fighter, have you ever been involved in a serious altercation? What was the cause, what was the result, and do you regret it in retrospect?
A. Twice to be exact. Both times I wasnt at fault in the given circumstance but I would say that I had it coming to me.
The more serious one was back in Karachi where a few of us were sitting. Two guys were sitting opposite me, staring at the girl in the balcony and I happened to pass a few comments on one of the guys who was a friend of mine. The other person thought I was insulting him and later when she had departed, came up to me and smacked me right across the cheek. I tell ya, I could hear whistling in my ears but when i tried to hit back everyone jumped in. I did manage to hit him in the netherlands though and then later when I would go out of the house, I would make sure I would recite Ayat ul Kursi just to be on the safe side.
He was a tall muscular guy of about 19 and I was a rather frail shortish lad. As to why I got hit there, I am not sure. Maybe I inspire a certain sense of inferirority in the other person or maybe they just cannot keep up with good ol' wit, who knows. One thing I did learn as I grew up was that while I cannot be Luca Brasi, I certainly can be Don ;)
Its very important to surround yourself with those that exercise some political clout in the circle you move in.
Q. What inspires you in your everyday life, besides of course moderating a cricket message board? Do you have a muse?
A. The fact that muse is being mentioned along with the job of moderation doesnt speak very well of moderation now does it?
However, that being aside, not nowadays. Havent met a really 'musesque' woman to be honest and the good, pious, understanding women rarely inspire the artist.
As to the question re Inspiration: A beautiful Woman!
Is there anything better ? ;)
Q. If I remember correctly, you're a skilled classical guitar player? What was the original impetus for acquiring this enviable talent? Why classical guitar and not the more popular varieties, especially since I can imagine you as one of those long-haired weeping acoustic wailers.
A. Why thanks, I wouldnt want another person to say I have a husky voice now would I ;)
Not very skilled in all honesty but I can strum if it be. The original impetus would probably be Liona Boyd. Though lately I have moved onto more contemporary stuff. Theres something soft and serene in the sound of a classical guitar. Almost surreal.
Q. Some may accuse you of being too focused on Western philosophy, art, and its acheivements in general. Do you feel that this is a result of your schooling, your relative unfamiliarity with other cultures, or has just Western culture accomplished more?
A. Well, not entirely accurate. I would say I am quite familiar with nearly all the great Urdu poets and have read translations of men like Rumi and Khayyam as well. For philosophy, I think the Quran suffices me and then add Confucis to it and I think that might be good enough there. Art and to a degree prose are two areas where I am literally ignorant.
As to why I never schooled myself there, one would say environmental factors count for a lot and there's only so much I could have done in so little a time. Perhaps in another decade.
As to why I do not bring up Urdu poets or such things on PP, the reason is that most of them are brits, the rest are in NA, so its highly unlikely that they would know much about our works.
Q. What makes Umar cry?
A. The tears have dried up now. However, in the old days, religion would catch up with me every now and then, enough to produce a few tears here and there. Much as I wanted to, love never made me cry. Soemthing to look forward to.
Q. List 10 of your favorite works of art, be it a painting, a poem, a play, or even a movie. Next to them, use one or two words to concisely describe how you feel about each.
A. Hmm, not sure if I can list 10 though.
1. Sistine Ceiling - I would say one of the two greatest works of art by a man who refused it initially saying that he wasnt a painter and should not be asked to do it.
2. War and Peace - The novel by Tolstoy. You cant help being amazed at the man's energy, his expertise and his understanding of so many different psyches really. Such knowledge of the human heart is a wonder.
3. Brothers Karamazov - By Dostoevsky. Again, such understanding of the darkness of human hearts.
4. Shakespeare's Sonnets - Nothing expresses love better than his sonnets.
5. The Code of the Woosters - By P.G.Wodehouse. Pure Joy.
6. Poetry of Mir - So much pathos, subtle wit and such expertise.
7. Time - Pink Floyd. Absolutely Brilliant, love the guitaring in it.
8. Vissi D'Arte - Aria from Tosca (Opera by Puccini). So moving really. Haunts your very depths.
9. Donne's Sonnet 14 - Such a moving sonnet about death.
10. Beethoven's 9th - The greatest piece of music ever written and along with Sistine, the greatest work of Art.
Q. Who do you feel is the best Pakistani artiste, ever and Why ?
A. Hmm, if we count Mir or Ghalib as one of us, then Ill have to say Mir for sure. For the simple reason that he understood the many facets of the human heart very well and people might attribute wit to his work but I disagree.
If not then I would say that Manto is it for me. He broke the rules, had a good command of his art, ridiculed and exposed the stupid morality of the masses and stood by it. Art for life perhaps but still worth it.
Q. Whom do u see as THE cerebral cricketer of our generation?
A, If by cerebral you mean intelligent only then, Ill say Wasim.
Q. Why are u inspired so much by wasim akram?
A. Probably because I am an artist myself and for me, he managed to elevate the tedium and skill of bowling to the planes of a higher sensuality - Art. Time and time again, he would remind to the seeking eyes, what genius in real life is like. Temperamental, Erratic, Brilliant and one who understood that old adage "Art for Art's sake". I dont see him as a role model for the daily rituals of life, he was an artist and thats where our limits should end when we judge the man, I think. Moral high handedness might suit some but not most.
Q. Where were u wen we won WC92?
In our dining room, with my younger brother. When Wasim bowled Lewis, I knew he was the man!
Q. Does reading so many books hurt?
Ha ha! Generally the q is does Love hurt ;)
I did most of my reading from 15-20. That was the most inspired period of my life. There was no limit to curiosity, everything was there to be redefined and challenged. There was no social convention or age old wisdom that could not have been questioned. At that age, either everything hurts or nothing hurts. You could conquer the world or you could well be drowned amidst the confusion of your own psyche. Most, infact nearly all of my reading comes from that era. Now i merely speak from memory.
And such is the stupidity of the masses that if I said something good, they wont give a hoot but if I said that some great famous man said it, they will go "muqararr muqarrar".
Q. Umar, if you were to appoint PCB chairman what changes would you bring about to improve domestic cricket as well as players? what would be the criteria of selection for the national side???
A. Firstly, I do not know much about our domestic structure, so it would not be intelligent of me to propose anything there. I have seen the results of it all and its fair to assume that its gasping its pneumoniaed breaths though.
Criteria for national side - good q. Temperament, intelligence and then skill. Most importantly, the lust for power.
Q. What reforms would you make to Pakistani Cricket to improve its standing in Test Cricket?
A. I think a good basic move would be to make sure we play more tests and simultaneously arrange more international tours for the A teams and so forth. Secondly, do not be afraid to kick out rogue elements. Thirdly, get a man for a captain!
Also, I would make them go to see a shrink.
Q. Do you think if our cricketers read more books, including the holy Quran, they would be better cricketers?
A. If books can encourage them to think for themselves and motivate them to succeed then sure but that is not always the case. Books are no substitute to thinking or desire, they merely assist the one who has already decided to embark upon a certain path. Quran's translation should help but then if we're talking purely from a cricketing perspective, a few Surahs should suffice.
Q. If the Pakistani cricket team was a play what play would it be and who would play the leading characters?
Liked this q :)
Since Shakespeare handled human weaknesses and failures like probably none else, I would say my choice of dramatist would be the Bard himself. However, Beckett, who was an exponent of the "Theatre of the Absurd", wrote "waiting for godot" and I think that play would depict the malady quite well. Inzi nowadays reminds me of Hamlet with his, "To be or Not to be" stance.
Q. How old are you Umar?
A. Annie thought I was in my late 30s for petes sake. Im almost 26.
Q. Who is you favourite indian cricketer (doesn't have to be one of the current players)?
A. My favourite indian cricketers would be, Nehra and Balaji.
Q. Who is all time favourite bowler/batsman/all rounder and why?
A. Wasim as a bowler, Imran as an all rounder and Richards as a batsman.
Q. Cricket is not your favourite sport, squash is. What makes squash a better sport than cricket according to you?
A. I prefer squash probably because I got exposed to it a lot earlier and had the fortune of watching and indeed learning a few things from the Great Khan himself. I think its better than cricket because its all about your strengths and weaknesses. Theres no question of external factors influencing the proceedings. Theres no blaming the umpires, the pitches, the overcast conditions, the tosses and all that jazz. The end result is a derivative of your skills and greatness and nothing else. Also, youre in very close proximity with the opponent and you have to ensure that you dont get intimidated by him and his aura. Youre continuously fighting that intangible and trying to come back from difficult positions to a more winning one. The proximity in particular enhances the intimidation factor, on the other hand you could well be playing a beautiful person of the opposite gender and in that case it only adds to the joy of things.
Most importantly nothing releases anger like hitting a small black ball against the darned wall that just wont budge .
Q. What is your honest opinion of Shahid Afridi?
A. Hes a good entertainer. He has that verve which distinguishes him from the other insipid players of our team. Lately his bowling has improved a tad and like BW said, he is an impact player and I agree with it. Not sure about playing him in the tests just yet .
Q. Very hard to rile you up, I've noticed. What's the secret for this equanimity?
A. Ha ha! Shaw's words usually get me thru : " Those who Understand evil, pardon it" ;)
Generally, I have to remind myself that the other person doesnt know me and he is definitely entitled to misconceptions and false perceptions about me. Secondly, he is not important enough for me to get too riled up over.
Q. why do u love glen mcgrath so much as a cricketer?
A. What a housewife eh? You have to aprpeciate a good mechanic, dont ya?
Q. Why do you have so many aliases...is this a sign that u are uncomfortable with your persona and feel to allieviate your shortcomings by projecting yourself in this multifarious manner or are u just vain?
A. Genius is always vain, boysie ;)
Different aliases are a reflection of a restless mind not of an uncomfortable one per se. It also depends on whom Im reading at the moment. A rose is still a rose no matter what you call it ;)
Q. When did you first get into Cricket ? (Watching / Playing) and What are your reasons for Following Pakistan Team?
A. I think somewhere around 86 or 87, but dont have much memories of the game pre 92. Why do I follow our team? Nationalism, I believe and secondly I am not particularly interested in Cricket to be honest.
Q Why do you feel Asian Families tend to encourage there children in Science, Maths, IT type degrees but discourage them when it comes to Arts Degrees?
A. Money! You cant live without it and indeed you shouldnt try to either. I dont have much regard for leftist bums, the popcorn kids or Generation X. Also, I dont think its important to do a degree in Arts to educate yourself about artsy stuff. You can do it on your own without going to the Uni for it.
Another thing to note is that most of the asian countries are third world countries and they havent collectively experienced a good comfortable life. Art then is a luxury and indeed freedom itself. Something that Art tends to inspire. On the canvas, the paper, the piano, youre an individual freed from the tethers of everything but your Choice.
You cannot encourage art or other surreal joys of life like love because survival takes precedence. However, keep in mind that this is an ideal situation for the genius to develop. First world countries will rarely produces geniuses and when they do these fellows will most probably be ones that have lived a difficult and exhausting life. And as it happens, Genius is an exception and not the general principle.
Career choice is a tricky one. You have to balance your interests with something that will be profitable as well, otherwise you just might be heading for a good healthy Mid Life Crisis.
Q. Do you think the two type of degrees are looked on with equal value?
A. Sadly they are not. If you take the monetary factor out, then both have their problems and issues. But to think a person who has done IT or Science is more intelligent and a person who has done Bach in Lit more informed may just be false and we should realise that. Our society is a darned stupid one and lets admit it. Hypocritical conventions camouflaged as religious pronouncements. Couldnt resist that shot ;)
Q. If not how would you try to persuade a parent?
A. I am not sure if I would try to persuade a parent to tell their kids to do something which wont result in a money making job if they dont have enough themself. However, I would encourage the parent to instill in their children a certain thirst for knowledge and taste. How I would do it depends on the parent. One must also not forget that you cant reason with those that refuse to think. Our nation has an aversion to thinking. They suspect its worse than death. We breed mediocrity and foolishness and then complain about it later. The previous generation was a criminal loss as is this one if only to a lesser extent comparitively speaking and so will the next one be as well. Sad state of affairs.
Q. Are you a Pakistan Cricket Fan for Life, Regardless of Results, Performance?Or is there a stage where you will stop following them if they fail to improve?
A. To be honest, I am not really a cricket fan! With Wasim's retirement, the slope of interest has been heading towards Australia. Other than that, I wont disown the losers even when they are pathetically bad :)
Q. What was the darkest, lowest point for you as a supported of Pakistan?
A. 99 Final, what a damned performance really.
Q. How does defeat of the national side effect you as a person?
A. Very good q indeed. If they win, it surely elevates the spirits, if they lose then I console myself with the thought that its just another day at the park
Q. Do you think it is wrong to go into a Test Match with the aim of getting a Draw against a team like Australia or would you always select a side to try to win the game?
A. Go for the Kill. Win is all that you should be thinking about. Draw is as bad as a win if not worse. Any team or captain that approaches the match thinking that a draw would be a moral victory is merely thinking rot and should be lynched publicly. Theres no such thing as a moral victory, if you put up a good fight then you deserve praise for that but its no moral victory let me tell ya. If you're good enough to draw, youre good enough to win.
You're never going to succeed if you decide to go for the next best thing. You must think that youre better and greater than what you really might be if you want to succeed in life. The desire to think that you will draw it out and that will be good is, mind you, not only a failure on the part of the team but also on the part of the majority of our nation. Most of us would inwardly be pleased with it and indeed advocate it as well. It is then fair to assume that the captain is also a product of our society.
Shaw once wrote "The progress of the society depends upon the unreasonable" , maybe we need to learn that.
Q. What do you think Bob Woolmer has brought to Pakistan Team, and how would you evaluate the teams performance since he has been in charge?
A. Too early to say anything yet really. Patience is a virtue or a vice depending on where you are ;)
Q. How long do you think the 'Rebuilding' Phase will take and when will Pakistan compete with the likes of Australia and win Tests and ODI's against them?
A. We might become a good ODI team I think but a good test team the way we are carrying on is wishful thinking. Poor and uninspired leadership, insipid players, pathetic domestic scene. Not exactly the ingredients of a sumptuous meal eh ;)
When will the "rebuilding phase' end? I think I would be fine with giving them 2 more series for that.
Q.Who in your opinion is utimately responsible for the Success and Failure of the team and who should be held accountable at the end of the day?
A. If we lose because of our batting, then the players themself. If we lose while we were fielding then the captain and to an extent bowlers.
Q. Umar, I know you are a very good Squash player and ranked in the top 50 or so in Canada (unofficially).
If you had the opportunity to play Squash Professionally who would you like to represent Canada or Pakistan, and give your reasons.
A. Tough call. For Pakistan because of Jahangir. I was inspired by him, learnt from him a bit and so its fair that Canada didnt really contribute to my growth as a squash player. I would play for Pakistan in the given case.
Q. What do you do in spare time
A. If i am not falling in and out of love then movies, frasier and books. If love then writing poetry ;)
Q. Varsha : When people know that smoking is bad for them, what would you say makes them still want to smoke?
A. Well little one, its good to have a vice when youre young innit ? ;) Habit and boredom are two factors personally that I can think of .
Q. What fuels your interests for the Arts ?
A. A desire to excel, appreciate the wonders of the human sense of creativity and for pure aesthetic pleasure.
Most importantly, for a Pure Moment.
Q. Do you think a person who is not interested in the finer things of life like poetry ,art and classical music, is in any way inferior to one who does?
A. Depends on the reason. If they dont even want to give it a shot and choose to stick to their ridiculously ignorant ways because they like that about themself then yes they are inferior, period. If they choose to not like it after having tried then its reasonably acceptable. However at the end, I would say that most people dont try hard enough to cultivate their senses. Not all classical music or poetry or art is uninspiring or dead. It takes a bit to cultivate yourself. Very rarely do you enter the world with a taste for a good Painting, a strong Cigar, a moving Concerto, a pregnant prose and a dancing poem.
Art (all sorts) is perhaps the highest plane of sensuality and surrealism. It makes you appreciate the finer things, the different perspectives and subtle elements of life. You get into it to be elevated, to be moved and to be inspired. Later as you go along, you learn to study them and analyse them for what they are and not 'ism' they represent.
Art has also acquired a certain reputation and we tend to associate it with the stereotypical people who are into such stuff and if we dont like such people then we develop a distaste for art as well.
Q.What do you use more often....the head or the heart?
When i was younger, it was definitely the heart, now, I am trying to find a happy medium between the two, I would say.
teens and plus 40s are the same in a way. its this middle period that is the issue (both also expect you to acknowledge them unconditionally)
Q. how can you tell the nature of the person depending on whether they use their head or their heart?
A. The ones that use their heart are generally more impuslive in their acts but the mind ones are more calculating. Also at times the heart ones come across as more warm and at times more naive in the matters of the world. But this is not a definitive yardstick in any way. People are difficult to categorise to be honest merely for the fact that they shroud themself with fogs of confusion and you have to cut thru a lot to get to the real thing.
Q. Umar seems u have many female fans here and i thought i was the only one Seriously can't wait for ur interview.
A. Thanks for that one Riya :) If i had known you were a fan, I would have sent the others away ;) Just kidding.
Q. My question is who do u think will shine in the forthcoming ind-pak series from pakistan side and why???
A. I try not to predict generally. However I can tell you whom I would be looking out for though. Pakistan's 3rd bowler after
Akhtar and Kan and then Butt and Umar. From the Indian side, Id like to see Balaji and Dravid personally.
Q. who is the greatest Philosopher in your opinion and why?
A. Well GA, cant name one per se because the one who came before others would definitely have an edge merely due to the temporal factor. That being said, Socrates, Kant (never read (present tense) his works, read the commentaries), Schopenhauer and then Nietzsche.
Q. how did you feel when you were awarded the prestiguous post of Moderator of PP ?
A. Well it all started when you started a thread wherein you wanted me to email you. My first thought was oh oh, what does this serious person want? I dont think I have really transgressed in my opinions. Then I thought maybe he wants me to be a Mod because I can remember a few posts to that effect. Then when you emailed me with the proposition, I thought now this is a man who has a good eye for Genius ;)
I was happy indeed for the simple fact that I now had more power and I could assure that it wouldnt be abused as such in your absence. So the fact that I could prevent abuse was comforting. The fact that I have not always succeeded is another issue and part of life. One must keep trying.
Q. What do you think you have brought to PP, in terms of moderation and as a poster ?
A. I personally think I have brought nothing to PP. Maybe to a few PPers, I have given them a sense of what Genius is like
ha! but other than that, I have tried with my OT threads and I assume not succeeded a hell lot. As they say,
Life is stern and life is earnest ;)
My main concern has been justice and as a moderator, I think i have atleast tried to define 'grace under pressure'
Q. what sport do u think is the most difficult to play and succeed?
A. Difficult question. Depending upon your natural orientation, anything could be easy and conversely difficult. Personally, I find Cards to be rather problematic.
Q. Have you ever felt there is something missing from your life but you never come to know what it is? It just feels there's something you need and don't know what it is?
A. Hmm, At this point, I certainly miss that fire of youth. As for the second part, I hate confusion and so have in my entire conscious life, been confused only twice about myself. Both times, the girl in question was a very sharp one and I was young. I do know the things I need and so I am not on a holy quest to find out as to where I went wrong or why am I not the way I am ;)
Q. What do you like more, input (listening to others) or output (talking to others)?
A. Depends on the person. I usually prefer listening(not necessarily input). I allow very few to give me input basically just as I am very exclusive about the friends I keep. People generally think I know less than I think and give me advice from time to time and well it amuses me to think that they think I know less than I think I do :)
Call it arrogance or pride but I wont even be tempted to even defend it, such is this arrogance and no I am not joking either ;)
Q. How is a picture worth a thousands words?
A. Some questions need to be answered with a q. Now then, how is it not?
Q. If you were given one chance of making a difference or change in history, what would it be?
A. I would have to be well versed in history to say something intelligent about that and thankfully I am not ;)
Q. Finally, write a short paragraph on what 'you' think about a PPer, entralinks.
A. A bright lad, questionable sense of humor sometimes but witty and sharp. However, GA might be right about him . ;)
Q. Umar, why did u pick Dalhousie for CS (when UW is clearly better )?
A. A whimsical and an uninformed decision. The guy who sold this idea was the main problem ;)
Q. Who has had the most influence on you (in general)?
A. After my own curiosity and a sense of greatness, I would have to say Bernard Shaw ;)
Q. Who is your favourite historical character and why and if you had to go back in time, whom would you like to be?
A. Napoleon. A man with a vision and resolve. He also liked a certain thing that I personally love ;)
A. I dont know if I would like to be him though, maybe Michelangelo.
Q. If you could go back in time and witness anything that happened in history - what would it be?
A. Michelangelo painting the Sistine Ceiling or on board Napoleon's ship during his voyage to Egypt.
Q. What is your definition of love?
A. Difficult to define. When I was young and courting someone, I had defined it as the strongest positive feeling. I see no reason yet to change that definition, though I did see a few reasons to change the principal it was addressed to :)
Love is the only thing that can move us so much perhaps.
Q. Who would you rather be out of the following, Don Corleone or Carlito Brigante?
A. Don Corleone ofcourse! No question about it. To cut off the head of a beloved horse and make the person fall at your knees, what else could you want ;)
However, if you can promise a girl friend as sublime as the one Carlito had, I might consider it. Till then the great Corleone it is.
Q. How would your rate your self as MOD of PP?
A. I think I am the best there is boysie, can there be doubt about it? ;)
Q. What do you like about Cricket? other than drink beer and watching full test match
A. Never beer, never beer, cognac maybe or a nice Shiraz with a Monte Cristo No. 4 but never beer ;)
Fast Swing Bowling.
Q. umar this was the result of the uncle title and the age prediction wasn't it...
A. hell yes.
Q. do u have siblings?? older younger etc. or are you an only child...
A. One younger brother.
Q. do u live with ur parents, and what is their meaning in your life...in other words, how do u see their contribution in your life, in who you are...
A. I have lived with them for a mere year in the last decade. As for their contribution, my mother liked reading and encouraged it whereas my father encouraged confidence even when I revolted against him. But all my formative years were spent without them in a away so its fair to say that my tastes and interests are entirely my own and unshared by anyone in the family ( I have made my entire family listen to arias only to get that stare from them).
Q. who do u look upto in life (person cud be living or dead)....
A. No one. I am a man unto myself and it has always been that way. If you must, then Michelangelo is something to look upto.
Q. u do realize that umar is trying to upstage u guys (i.e. the other mods)
A. There arent enough women on this forum to assist me ;)
Q. Who are your favourite poets?
A. For beauty - Keats, wit and intelligence with passion - Donne, Love - Mir and Shakespeare, Seduction - Byron and in
general - Yeats.
Philosophers - Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
Q. What made you stop using smileys for a while, and what makes you use them now?
A. An experiment about the intricacies of communication over the net. Why do I use again? Experiment concluded.
Q. Umar do you think if Van Gogh hadnt sliced his ear he would have been famous?
A. An excellent question. The answer is probably not. Most people look at what a particular work of art represents and not what it is as a thing in itself. I find that approach to be stupid if not pathetic.
Q. What music are you into?
A. Take out R and B, rap, country and disco and the remaining is what I like.
Q. Umar do u think inspiration is a lateral form of intelligence?
A. A thought provoking q. I do not think so. Inspiration has certain qualities of intelligence but while intelligence is not whimsical, inspiration is.
Q. What were Shakespeare's last words?
A. Would you believe it, I havent been able to find an answer to this. The chicken thief's last words were not recorded. Ha!
Q. What was the best thing before sliced bread?
A. A loving wife ;)
Q. Why do you think shakespeare is famous?
A. Others are worse. They say that Marlowe had he lived long enough could have been greater and from what I have read of his work, I suspect it too. Keep in mind if Keats had lived long enough, he might have surpassed the Bard's poetry.
Theatre is a difficult art and so Shakespeare's achievements cannot be belittled but I would rate Sophocles higher than Shakespeare in tragedy and Aristophanes in comedy.
Q. What are your views on 'kids on marriages'?
A. Miss that thread was an excellent one.
Q. Do you think that some (many) readers of this site may regard you as an oddball? If so, how does it feel?
A philosophical fait accompli, or yet more contribution to angst?
Enlighten please!
A. A brilliant question sire. Takes one to know one, FP ? ;)
Definitely a Fait Accompli. I wasnt going to change my ideas or stances because those around me thought that I was being eccentric and absurd. A sense of greatness perhaps ensures perseverance.
Q. Since you are the youngest mod here, what does it feel like to be working with the other old aged, white haired mods?
A. It feels young and sometimes old ;)
Q. Umar: what do you think of stereotype that men shouldn't cry? Or that if they cry they become 'less of a man'?
A. They should definitely cry when they feel like it but in private please ;)
Q. I know you are an admirer of Leo & Michaelanglo but what do you think about Picaso and salvador Dali..
A. HATE Picasso. Couldnt paint properly so came up with intellectual mumbo jumbo to fool the world. What a loss. However, I do like some of Dali's works but same feeling about him as well .
Q. Do you think Socrates was gay ;)
A. As I understand it, the male greeks believed in "Men for Pleasure and Women for Survival". So perhaps we can draw some conclusions there ;)
Q. which is more important, intellectual stimulation or physical ;)
A. If youre into arts then both are equally important with the physical one slightly more so. Otherwise, it depends on you really but I would say if youre straight then Men tend to stimulate you more intellectually and women more physically ;)
As for MIG's following question, I would say that if you promise to put into application the implication, I would answer it in detail ;)
Can you also supply the following:
1. Visa/Master credit card number
2. Billing address and location of spare house keys
3. Expiry date of 1
4. Vacation plans.
--------------------------
The Farid Interview
1. Please tell us a bit about yourself, it could be anything that you want
to share with us
My first meeting with cricket was about a decade ago. I was in my Nana’s
house in Pakistan and he was watching a test between England and Pakistan.
I didn’t have any idea what was happening but straight away I started to
support England. I didn’t watch the match, as I realised it had been on for
about 3 days but every time Dominic Cork got the ball I made sure I was
watching. His sun cream and charisma made him my first ever favorite
player.
2. I understand you play/have affiliation with Surrey U15s
I played for Surrey u12 and u13 but a poor second year meant I didn’t get
trials for u14. At the end of last year however I got given trials for this
year’s u15 team. InshAllah I will get in. I have represented my division
however for the past three years. (North East and Central League)
I started off as a wicket keeper, but at the age of 9, my coach told me
to field for one match. I came on to bowl and took it a wicket first ball.
I never kept again. I broke the record for most wickets in a season (21)
(which was held by current Surrey player Tim Murtagh) bowling huge in
dippers. Then suddenly one summer i put on lots of pace, and lost the
ability to swing the ball. I opened the bolwing at a terrifying pace for my
age but very harmless to the wickets. Just last season i refound my swing
and managed to add an outswinger to my pace. So i hope this year is
successful...
When i was breaking bowling records, i could only play one shot. The sweep
to fast bowlers! But whilst my bowling deteriated my batting improved and
once whilst captain of my school, batting at 3, i scored 61* of 20 overs out
of a score of 85-9! Amazingly we won! Last year i hit 4 sixes in one over
against anohter Pakistani which made me think that i could be a hard htting
opener. So once again, i hope this year is the beginning of Farid the
all-rounder...
Q. Depending on what you are, what is your criteria for a good player of
your type?
A. All-rounders my age have bits and pieces moments. One match they could
hit 50* and get slaughtered with the ball and the next the complete
opposite. I believe a player must keep his two games completley seperated.
When bowling believe bowling is his job for the match and try and take
wickets. And whilst batting think as yourslef as Inzi batting for Pakistan
as a number 4. Not as an Abdur Razzaq, so if you get a 20 odd with the bat
you have done your job and are just a 5th seamer.
3. your favourite Pak player and non Pak player and why they are your
favourites ?
Even though his moments of madness sometimes leads to Pakistan’s downfall,
Shahid Afridi is the man for me. Every time he gets a quick 40 odd we are
all guilty of saying “Afridi is a new player” and draft him in to our World
Elevens! No one in World Cricket can excite you so much.
Non-Pakistani would have to be Brian Lara. His wand of a bat and his
amazing back lift makes him a joy to watch. When he was on about 140 odd
against England this year, you could tell that he wouldn’t let it go and
ended up reaching 400. He is also a good captain.
4. favourite cricketing moment?
I can’t think of one clear favourite moment but I remember being very happy
when (in no particular order):
1) Pakistan beat NZ in 99 World Cup semi final.
2) Saqlain getting hat-trick against Zimbabwe in 99.
3) Shoaib hitting 100mph against England.
4) Every time we beat India (although it is starting to get tiresome)
5. Who has the best county youngsters at present, and which players at
your age group should we look out for?
I’m not sure who has the best county youngsters. But I am fairly sure Surrey
is up there. The only time I remember losing cleary was against a
Representative Eleven in Guildford. In Surrey, at my age group there are
loads of talented players. Watch out for Matt Symes, Rory Burns, Tom
Lancefield, Tom Windslade.
As a youngster how do you perceive cricketers - idols, role models, or
just sportsmen?
I think it depends on who the cricketer is. I remember when all the
Pakistanis my age saw Shoaib bowl he would have his chain coming out of
shirt, flapping about. Straight away we all went out and bought chains and
wore them when bowling. Also the Imran Farhat bandana whilst batting, or
the Afridi cap under helmet caught on. If a player has something unique
about them, he suddenly becomes more than just a sportsmen.
6.Your favourite PPers and why?
I don’t post nearly as often on PP as I do on other sites, so I don’t know
much about anyone. Although the guys who I play and lose to in the Pool
Tournaments are nice guys, and I know Amjid Javed has legendary status
spending all day on PP ;)
7. Which player do you look up to and why?
This may seem harsh, but I do not look up to any of the Pakistani players as
people. As individuals I think at times they can start to think to much of
themselves. I have met Saqlain on a few occasions and he is friendly. At
Surrey I have been taught by Gary Buthcer (Mark’s brother) and he is quite
cool. In terms of playing style I like Ponting and Waqar.
How big a part does spin play in cricket?
In the sub-continent spin wins matches. To have a Murali, Qadir, Saqi
instead of a Giles, Croft or Tufnell is a huge advantage. If you look at
Kumble’s record the amount of wickets he has taken in Asia is phenomenal.
Any young spinners comin up in your age group?
Tom Windslade is the one to watch. He is one of the best finger spinners in
the south of England. Also, once when I was playing in the Isle of Wight in
a tour match, they had a young Asian spinner. He was turning the ball miles
and skittled us out with his of spinners. What struck me was the amount of
variation he had. All I remember about him was that everyone was calling
him Saqi.
8. It was a long time ago that I was 15 and as you grow old you tend to
forget how it was back then, so tell me what is it like to be a 15 yr old
boy? What kind of pressures do you face, what kind of hopes do you have
from people or friends?
I’m 14 at the moment. Asian’s im my opinion face the most pressure. 10
minutes ago, my friend knocked on my door to ask for a tape ball and if I
wanted to play cricket. I know that if I am out there now practicing
cricket with them I can make it to the top. However, I am at home because
my Dad and Mum want me at home studying. Friends want to do the best stuff,
whereas parents seem to want to do the sensible stuff.
9. What are your areas of interest and would you like to tell us about
some of them?
I love football. I support Chelsea but because they are so expensive I go
and watch Palace up the road. I think that what Chelsea are building at the
moment may result in taking football to a whole new level. I hate swimming
lessons, but enjoy swimming. And if you gave me the option to be on the
Bahamas, London or in Gulberg playing cricket with my cousin and his friends
in a gully I would take that option. It is there were I learnt my tricks.
10. What are the causes for Pakistan's poor performance in Australia? Do
you think Inzi is a good captain and why?
No team goes to Aus expecting to win, but for some reason we are all
shell-shocked we lost. Australia are simply too good. 5 years ago, if some
commentator mentioned Pakistani cricket, a non-Pakistani would think of
swing, pace, passion etc. Now they see that we can’t even fill a stadium
for a test against India. I believe Pakistan need a one superstar to
re-sparkle everyone’s love. Salman butt could be that man, but I would love
for it too be a bowler to carry on our tradition. I think that Inzi is an
ok captain. The only good thing about him is that he may play the odd
heroic captains knock here and there. We all know he lacks charisma. I
also believe we don’t have a ready made captain in the wings. The captain
doesn’t have to be the best player…
11. Your thoughts on PP
Like I said before, I don’t post much on PP but I know that is the home of
some of the kindest people on the net and most passionate (at times crazy)
Pakistani fans. Some stay up all night watching Cricket and adding updates
to Amjid’s thread. It is the home of Pakistani cricket on the net!
Jive Jive Pakistans question:
who will the future stars for pak for u?
You all know alot more about Pakistani domestic cricket than me so i dont
really know. Names who i think will be big are Salman Butt, Abdur Rauf,
Danish, Hasan Raza, Irshard.
Farhads question-
How does it feel being a Pakistani in the Surrey cricket set-up? Ever
noticed any discrimination from high up?
How are they rating Chucky's chances ... as much as they rated Saqlain?
No discrimination at all at Surrey. Infact in my age group, year above and
year below there are atleast 5 Pakistanis alone in each squad. I think the
reputation of Waqar and Saqlain playing fro Surrey has definetly helped. At
my school however, 3 years above me there was 2 Pakistanis, and one Sri
Lankan in the team. Come the tour of Australia for them, all 3 were chosen
and instead a scorer was taken. If that isn't racism i donno what is!
I can't say much abvout "Chucky", excpet he will have to do alot at Surrey
to be mentioned in ht same breath as Saqi. Im just a youth player, so i
can't say what they expect. Although there was a sense of excitment when he
joined.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Saqlain_Doosra Interview
1. A bit about your self would be a good idea. I assume you’re in the 20-25 range?
A. My full name is Mohammed Jamil and I’m 22 years old. I live in Birmingham, UK. I’m a full time student, studying at Birmingham University. My hobbies are playing and seeking knowledge on sports(cricket etc), going out and having good time.
2. What sparked your interest in cricket? Would you say that its in our blood?
I have been playing cricket since the age of 6. What really got me into cricket was watching Imran Khan pick up the 1992 world cup. I can still remember Wasim’s 2 deliveries to Lamb and Lewis.
To some extent, it is in our blood and we grow up watching cricket.
3. I believe that you are an off spinner and play at a certain level. Would you like to tell us a bit about it?
A. It’s true that I’m an off spinner. I started as medium fast at young age, but my built was not suitable for fast bowling and I realised that in 1994 as young kid, I learned watching my cousin trying some spin. When Saqlain burst on to the scene in 1995, I managed to see his bowling and that’s what inspired me. It was not till 2000 that I started bowling spin and only spin, no medium pacers since.
I play in the Warwickshire league and it’s not that good a league. It has become too easy to get wickets there due to helpful pitches and batsmen who are not able to read spin generally. There is no help from fellow players on the field and fielding is as good as Pakistan's. I will be moving on to higher league this year. I was offered a game by one of the top clubs last year but couldn’t play. This year hopefully I’ll get more Professionals out. Love bowling to Caribbean players, especially pros.
4. My knowledge of off spin is virtually nil. Would you care to expound a bit on the more common tricks that an off spinner employs and how does one usually go about bowling a Doosra?
A.
The following is from Channel 4 site on off spin:
The release of the off-break and the arm ball look quite similar from the batsman’s end, but up close they are subtly different. The off-break is spun with first and second fingers and wrist rotating to the right, the seam spinning at right-angles to the batsman. Ideally, it should land on the seam for extra purchase. The more spin imparted, the more the ball will ‘dip’ in flight, landing earlier than the batsman expects. A spinner who gets a lot of dip is described as having ‘a good loop’. Sri Lanka’s off-spinner
Muralitharan imparts so much spin the ball dips alarmingly late in flight.
Now I’ll give you my own verion of it. Off spin turns from off to leg for a right handed batsman. I bowl it by using my first and second fingers. To get extra spin I use the thumb and only turn it with it if I feel that the batsman is reading it out of the hand. It will turn more and be more effective if it is given mor air(loop).
5. Your thoughts on saqi's success, his recent drop in form and his future? Would you agree that he’s been 'figured' out by the opposition and is not so much a force as he used to be since he was never a big turner of the ball in the first place.
A . Spot on Umar, his lack of turn cost him. He was great at working out oppostion. Some times his doosra turned more than his off break. Since the last Australian tour he has not been the same bowler. Since than all the player realised Saqlain is not huge turner of the ball. They play him as slow bowler and his doosra is not effective any more. There is also a change in the way he bowls it as well, which is also easy to read. He will always be remembered as the one invented DOOSRA. The only international player not to chuck his doosra.
6. A good way to counter an offspinner like Murali? What should the batsman do and why do you think Pakistani players fail to perform well against him and Shane?
A The Pakistani batsman use two method, smash or block and I don’t think, it’s the correct method to use against spinner and not against 2 of the world greatest spinners. They need to be positive but not slogging mod. All I can say is that Pakistanis don’t gives spinners due respect, regardless of the level they play at. They all pay the price, infact all my mates think that spinners are a waste of time.
7. nadeem asked the following:
SD what do u think imran nazirs chances of a comeback yaar?
and do u agree with me when i say that nazir is th most gifted young bat in PAK?
A. Nadeem he should be playing in VB series. He averages 55.50 against Australia in Australia. That was against McGrath, Gillespie, lee, Warne and Shane Watson. Not to forget he played full 50 overs as well.
There is no doubt about that. He has every shot in the book and in full flow he’s great to watch. I think he needs to be looked after really well. Not throw in for 3 or 4 matches and thrown back out again. If he was from a rich family he might have been in Pakistan's squad now.
Q. Do u see any upcoming young talent in PAK?
All I see is average/scorecards on cricinfo and we know how poor Pakistan domestic cricket. I can’t really say much about any domestic players. Ask muddy if you need to know about any talent.
8. WIY asked:
SD - have u seen sufyan munir bat? if so what are your views on him
also how about the express duo of yasin bari and rizwan akbar?
No I have not and as I said in the previous question I can’t say much by checking their domestic record. I’ve heard lot about Sufyan from others on PP. lets hope he gets his chance if he’s good and I mean good.
9. AA asked:
Is there a Saqlain Teesra coming ?
I’m still developing teesra, I’ll definitely put the video on PP of my testing. I’m sure you won’t mind facing while I test my Teesra.
10. MIG asked:
Do you see a role for a specialist spin bowler in ODIs? especially one who cannot bat well in an ODI ?
For example, would you see Kaneria in Pak ODI or would you rather see his position go to Malik ( action permitting ) ?
A. I think a specialist spinner is most important in ODIs. At the end of the day his job is to bowl well and not to perform the tasks of a batsman. The last thing one wants to see is a specialist spinner losing his place to a batsman who can roll his arm over for few overs.
11. Amjid asked:
do u think players like harbajhan and malik who chuck should be banned from ever bowling again?
A. Good question Amjid. If they have a small chink which they can fix and bowl within limit, then it’s fine. If they can’t then there is no way they should be allowed to bowl. I think they both are like javelin throwers. Big chink.
12. GA threw this one at ya:
when you dyed your hair, was there a family outcry???
A. Mum wasn’t happy at all, but my dad was not bothered and he said to me its fine. He knows its passion. Although small brothers and sister loved it. None of the uncles saw me with green hair so it’s all good.
13.
Fessal: Are u called Jamil by friends and at home or called just Saqqy boy.
A.
I have few names:
Jamil
Menha
Murli (all my team mate, for the turn I produce)
Saqi(cricket)
James (at work)
Q. and why do u change your sig pictures so often?:?
A. I like to make statements by changing pictures in my signature
14. Your thoughts on match fixing?
Who ever is fixing matches should be locked up and not just banned for life. There is no place in cricket for cheats, any kind of cheats. By cheat I dont mean those that appeal for lbws or faulty catches. I mean cheats who harm the game.
15. Whom would you rate as Pakistan's greatest fast bowler.
A. I’ve not seen too much of Imran or any bowler in late 80’s and post. For me it’s Wasim Akram. Always enjoyed watching his bowling from very young age and then 1992 made me his big fan. Although his match fixing scandals never made me have him as role model.
16. and Finally, what are your other areas of interest and would you like to elaborate on any one of them?
A. I don’t have much to say, but I’m hoping to travel the world one day and see different people in different environments. I thank my Allah for giving me so much. If I can help poor and do something good. I wanted to do triathlon but can’t get off my 4 times eating.
Spend too much time on Pakpassion and never free during day so at the moment not much going on, other than visiting gym.
Thanks for your time :)
Youre welcome
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Nadeem Interview
Note: The interview was conducted in rather an informal manner, so pardon
the minor bleeps. Thanks
Umar says:
1. Care to tell us a bit about yourself?
nadeem says:
Well my name really is Nadeem lol. I am 35 and I live in London. I work for a Govt. organisation which shall go unnamed but primarily I am a software engineer.
nadeem says:
I've had a mixed upbringing. Partly here but formative years in Lahore which I am very thankful to Allah for.
Umar says:
2. I must say the guys have asked a few qs from you and so here goes
whose your all time favourite pakistan fast bowler?
whose your all time non-favourite pakistan bowler?
nadeem says:
These are two very good questions actually. Well my favourite Pakistani fast bowler has to be Imran. He was guts personified. From 1971 to 1976 he was in wildnerness cricketwise. He honed his skills at Oxford. He worked on his functional and mental strengths there with vigour and ambition. He came back with a bang in 1976 and decided to bowl fast as compared to military medium which was the order
nadeem says:
of the day in the subcontinent. People like Garth Le Roux and Mike Procter persuaded him that no matter what the PAK authorities said he just had to give express bowling his all. He never looked back. He played in the World series against the best quicks of the time and came out a great bowler. But then he discovered that the keeper and fielders could not cope with his constant barrage of 95 mph stuff. So he started practising 5 hours a day bowling at one stump to take fielders pitch and everything else out of equation. He developed indippers, leg cutters yorkers you name it. By 1982 his PWC ranking was 928 which is simply put awesome. Not only was he an amazing performer he also taught wasim and waqar everything he knew.
Umar says:
and now the bowler you dislike the most
nadeem says:
Ahahaha i should be diplomatic shouldn't i but i really can't lol. Because as long as I live Rashid Khan's ugly action will keep on playing in my mind. Due to dearth of fast bowlers in the subcon owing to dead pitches and institutionalized negativity we never really had another genuine quick until Wasim arrived. So till that time we experimented and trust me PCB threw some right weirdos our way.
One such case was Rashid Khan of PIA whose action looked like he was losing all his limbs along his runup. It looked like his body parts were disintegrating after our own eyes. And the action was like Kermet fighting for his life in a toilet. I think those few batters who got out to him did so because they pi.ssed themselves laughing more than anything else before our own eyes*
Umar says:
would you say that wasim was faster than imran?
nadeem says:
Umar this is a very good question. Imran says that in their 1988 tour to WI waz was the fastest on either side during the series. Now although Imran was 36 the WI brigade had Grey, Patterson, marshall etc. To be honest I think that at their very quickest waz was quicker. Umar, waz was a phenomenon, a talent the likes of which have never been seen before.
Umar says:
Pls elaborate
nadeem says:
Let me put it this way. I was actually playing cricket at the same time wasim was. Word was theres a really nippy lad bowling in tape ball tourneys in innner Lahore. So i went along to see him. And trust me the 17 year old wasim was naturally better than several international bowlers of today. After that he was very fortunate to have a mentor like Imran Khan who polished his natural gifts. But
nadeem says:
Wasim's natural talent was just so off-the-scale that Imran had soon run out of things to teach. I mean this guy could bowl 7 different deliveries in an over. The 6th and seventh being one delivery which swung one way and seemed another lol. Many people dont talk about Akram's bouncer but let me reassure you that he had the most vicious bouncer in cricket history alongside Marshall.
Umar says:
acha??
nadeem says:
What people don't understand is the secret of Wasim's versatility and wizardry. Actually it was all in the wrist. He could do things mere mortals can't even dream of because his wrists were so flexible. His wrist action has been the best ever. People like Walsh and Mcgrath copied it off him. I mean, at the last moment, he could outswing it, inswing it, do anything. He could take your wicket at the last moment and that is genius. Plus there was his disguise. Due to his whippy action you could never tell whats happening next. Plus he was always shifting the ball from one hand to another during his runup. Thats another thing Imran taught him.
Umar says:
this begs two qs and one mght be controversial in a way
nadeem says:
please go ahead
Umar says:
why imran over wasim then?
nadeem says:
Because in Imran's era there was no encouragement for express bowling. THe pitches were prepared for spinners. There were no facilities to train properly. Imran had no mentors. Yes people name Sarfraz but he was hardly a mentor. Plus Imran's mental toughness was just extraordinary. You and I would get discouraged if a 5 year old graft in England gave rise to increased speed only for the fielders
and keepers to spilll everything because they had never seen 90 mph in PAK before. Instead what does he do? He goes out day after day in Lahores 45 degree temperatures and bowls to a stump for 5 hours at a stretch to take pitches and fielders out of the equation. Yes Sarfraz had discovered reverse but it was useless with his 75 mph speed. It was Imran who made fast bowling sexy.
It was Imran who laid he legacy for the two Ws to the extent that he talked to various counties and negotiated contracts for them. Can you see Wasim dooing that for anyone?
Umar says:
well should that be taken into account if we are to judge the bowler and not the man?
nadeem says:
Plus Wasim learnt verything from Imran including slower delivery, conventionl swing, reverse swing vetc
nadeem says:
No but i have detailed reasons above as to why i rate imran as better. Yes Wasim had more variety but the magnitude of imran's swing was always greater than wasim's and waqar's was greater than both of them put together. Essentially, in reverse swing the quicker you are the whippier you are the greater the magnitude of the swing.
Unfortunately wasim had to vary his speed a lot as his action never allowed him to hit top speed constantly
Umar says:
the second q and dont be diplomatic: waqar or wasim
nadeem says:
Waqar without a doubt and when I say Waqar i mean Waqar pre injury. Pre 1991. After that we saw only a shadow of a shadow of a shadow of Younis. Do you know that for the first 33 tests Waqar's SR was only 36. Thats mind boggling mate. He hwas frightening. I have never seen anythin like it. If i were to say that I am privileged to see one player in my life that would be Waqar Younis.
nadeem says:
Umar injury and mismanagement robbed us of the greatest sight in fast bowling , the Bradman of fast bowling.
nadeem says:
And trust me when i say mismanagement I am being very diplomatic to certain people
However facts being facts waqar did get injured
Hmm put it this way
For mental toughness and never-say-die attitude imran is my favourite
For wizardry, genius and variety wasim is the obvious king of swing but....
the way waqar swallowed every trick in the book before 20 and was numero uno by then is just amazing. I shudder to think what he would have achieved if he hd remained fit
But the final truth is......
Imran and Botham say that Wasim was the most gifted cricketer ever since Sobers
Truth is he never really performed to even 70% of his ability whereas waqar and imran did. If Wasim was to do that no one can come anywhere near him simply because, IMHO, he is the most gifted cricketer ever
Hope i have answered u properly lol
Umar says:
you indeed have sire
Umar says:
though this q comes late, whats your benchmark for a good bowler and do yu think Sami in particular fits the bill
nadeem says:
My benchmark for a good bowler is unpredictability. Sami is extremely gifted make no mistake. But whn hes not outswinging it he is so easy to play. On those days he starts bowling short as well. Sami needs a session or two with Imran and he'll be right as rain, trust me.
Umar says:
would you say hes a good thinking bowler
However let me add before I proceed, I told you just now that the sign of a good bowler is predictability right? now i'll tell you whats the sign of the greatest bowlers. It is the fact that although they are predictable you still can't do anything. I mean batters knew that Bond and Waqar, in their prime, would rain 95 mph reverse swingers on them but they couldn't do a thing. THat a sign of extreme greatness. Waqar took away people's manliness through sheer force of speed and accuracy. No tricks neded.
Sami was not a good thinking bowler but he has the heart of a lion. Now hes putting a lot of thought into his bowling in AUS. Long may that continue
Umar says:
Do you think he has improved as a thinker?
nadeem says:
Slowly but surely yes. He has recognized that his strength is outswingers outside off and hes bowling to his srength now. More skill will come if Imran spends a session or two with him. I mean look at the transformation in Shoaib after the thre hours he spent with Imran after Jubilee Cup.
Umar says:
your thoughts on Gul and Shabbir
nadeem says:
In 1999, Shabbir was a 6'7'', 150 kph bowler. Hats the stuff of dreams mate when you think about his bounce and accuracy. Now he is mediocre though which is a pity. But amazingly he is the only bowle in the world since wasim who can reverse it both ways. Gives you some idea about the fast bowling talent we have in PAK.
GUl, its early days yet. He has skills and patience. But he needs to add 6 to 8 kph of consistent pace once he comes back into the fold of things. And for that he'll have to sort out his lead arm.
Umar says:
when fit should we play gul or kaneria
nadeem says:
Kaneria definitely. Gul will have to do something very special to dislodge kaneria. I am very excited about kaneria. Greatest leggie we've had since Qadir.
Umar says:
so what would your ideal test lineup be
nadeem says:
Imran nazir, Butt, Hameed, Inzi,YK, Youhana,Akmal, Sami, Azhar, Shoaib, kaneria
Umar says:
and three qs from Sameer
1)apart from imran nazir and salman butt who are your favourite young batsmans?which you think will be superstar for their countries in future.
2)what will be your advice for karachi express aka mohammad sami.
is he mentally weak or his problems are technical.
3)what do u think of shoaib malik?is he our best young player or will he continue to struggle on bouncy tracks.
nadeem says:
let me have a think please.
Umar says:
take your time sire
nadeem says:
FRom what i have seen Fawad Alam looked good to me but the record books suggest that Bin Nasir should be there right now. I have seen Bazid Khan, good leg side player. If you were to push me for an answer it would have to be a tie between Bin Nasir and Shoaib Khan depending on whether the selectors wanna go for wham bam or innings building approach.
Umar says:
whos shoaib khan?
nadeem says:
Shoaib Khan is a batter in our domestic.
Malik is very gifted but his stance needs to be a bit more side on. That way bowlers wont be able to open him up with short stuff. Our best player in AUS was a guy with a closed stance called Ijaz Ahmed. I am not recommending that but anything is better than Malik's open stance and pre judged lunges.
nadeem says:
Malik needs to play pace on merit. Simple as
Umar says:
so heres a q from Tapioca
Umar says:
he gets the feeling yorue short tempered and I have a tehroy that tall muscular men generally are, why do youthink so?
nadeem says:
Ahahahaha. I am a bit short tempered but nothing I am proud of. I often think and speak from the heart so when i see that its not being reciprocated i react. Its very naive but thats me lol. Well no harm done cos its not as if i'm running for office now is it lol
Umar says:
ha ha
Umar says:
so are tall muscular people generally short fused?
nadeem says:
Yes generally because the body is always in a ready-to-prowl tensed up condition. It gives u a non-nonsense mental attitude as well which is n