Thank You Bob, Thanks Inzi!

Dear Muzammil,

Nice attempt, but nothing tastes better than the truth. Here is what Shaharyar Khan had to say about Inzimama and Bob`s relationship:

``The second obstacle that Bob faced was control of the team. Here he found that the captain`s spiritual hold on the team prevented his holding full sway with the players, especially the senior members. Bob had some cricketing differences with Inzamam-ul-Haq but these were addressed through dialogue and mutual understanding, even though for days the captain would go into a brooding silence while Bob attempted to overcome the problem through rational discussion.

The more serious issue was that Inzamam was not only the cricketing leader but the spiritual talisman of the team who expected - and was mostly given - total obeisance by his team-mates. I recall Bob telling me, several months before the England tour, that he was severely hampered in addressing team issues because the players were constantly at joint prayers - at lunch, tea and after play. He said he never got a chance to coach the team. I advised him not to interfere in religious matters and to work round the issue. Several weeks later he came to me and said that he had appreciated my advice and added that he had found that praying together several times a day had let to bonding and a welcome team spirit in the team.``

Too much time spent on the rug when they sud have been in the nets playing cricket, the reason they were selected and paid money. Ofcourse that is missed by the bigoted Tablighees who will take the money and fame but not the blame or responsibility that comes with this position.

What if Bob hadn`t died? Would he still been a hero, requiring long thank yous? Just asking. us Indian and Pakistanis are a curious lot.

#1 rf bismillah sahib, why blame poor injy? he is merely a spokesman for a powerful product. its the product that is inherently apealing and wins over cricket.

#2 by Love2love

I`m sure a lot of people would have called for Bob`s head, just as folks in India are calling for Greg Chappell`s. In the subcontinent, a man becomes good after he`s dead, while alive, he`s good for nothing.

Just look at the great Imran Khan. While Bob was alive, he was vociferously demanding Bob`s removal, now he says on NDTV that the coach could have only done so much and that it is the players who have to perform, you cannot expect the coach to go out on the field and play for the team.

#1 by rf786 on March 26, 2007 3:45am PT

Yasser,

Amer is perhaps responding to Nadeem`s write-up here. I dont think Nadeem has any objection to anybody having his/her religious beliefs but as u agree is with religion being mixed with sport.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2042803,00.html

``Six months ago he (Bob) was very frustrated that the team was always at prayer, at lunch-time, at tea-time and after play and he was not able to get through to them on cricketing issues,`` confirmed Khan. ``He was worried that it may affect his ability to interact with the team and the training schedule, but eventually he said it was something he was prepared to live with because it led to bonding in the team.``

If I can share my view on Indian team, Dravid visited RSS headquartes recently. It makes me as furious as u guys are abt Inzi doing what he had been. If both of our teams are effed royally in West Indies I am not surprised. In India`s case it`s more of the case of the players clinging on like son-in-laws and politicians running the game i/o ex-players.

Oz like professional attitude wud never come to our lands.

Re: # 3

Jang Sahib,
Problem is not with the dummy spokesman but the dumass captain. You can be religious or non-religious that sud be a private matter, nobody`s business. But when we compromise our main objective then there is a problem.

Re: # 5
In Pakistan`s case, it has been the Tablighees who have been running the show thus the complete prostration by Pcb management. No one wants to confront these religious zealots which is very clear from the advise Shaharyar Khan gave to Woolmer, do not offend their sensibilities and try to manage your job. Well, we all know how well the job was done and its carribean performance.

Re: # 7

I wonder why not the Tableegheezies hold this game of cricket as a satanic pastime (`Lehwo-lehb` in Quranic terms) as Dr. Israr often proclaimed. But perhaps they believed more in the famous Bollywood dialogue ``Namaz meri farz he aur cricket mera pesha``.

A little off the subject of the article itself, but hey, guys, when favourites France and Argentina, and Portugal too, exited the 2002 FIFA WC in the very first round (which, like the present ICC WC, featured groups of four teams, two of which would qualify), I don`t think anyone looked for reasons other than bad form (on the day), maybe a little bad strategy, and a modicum of bad luck to explain these ``shockers.``

You have a bad day. That`s life. $hit happens. No one questioned Pakistan`s good performances in England (yes, in England!) and S. Africa not more than half a year or so ago. Nobody then suggested that the religiousness or religiosity of the team was hampering its performance. (And how could anyone make such an assertion, with Yusuf playing like a man... er... possessed!)

C`mon guys... give it a break already. We lost ONE match to a minnow that happened to play very well that day. There`s no shame in that. Cricket is chancy.

By all means, scrutinize the match for evidence of foul-play. (This, because of the known prevalence of match fixing). But let`s get off this high horse that seems to presume guilt until proven innocent, and sees a bogeyman in every instance of public religiousness, or even religiosity.

Oh, by the way, good article, Ahmer!

I confess I hadn`t read the article before posting the first of my posts here. Having read it now, I think my first post was rather redundant. Apologies!

That said, the author writes: ``If your sicko Molvi Sahab molested you while you were young and you have acquired animosity for Islam because of that, then direct your anger towards that individual rather than the religion itself.``

It`s a little unfair to think that anyone opposing religious exhibitionism or with that they deem religiosity (not religiousness, mind you!) does so for personal reasons. And, Ahmer, you also do no justice to Maulvi Saab by perpetuating a (very) negative stereotype of his character.

But you are right on the money when you write: ``Besides how come no one ever discusses the length of Harbhajan’s beard, is it maybe because after 9/11 all kind of absurd prejudice is fair game ONLY when it comes to Islam & Muslims?``

Ahmer I like your other articles but you and PM are completely wrong. First of all nobody is blaming Islam for Pakistan`s misfortunes. But the problem is them not doing their jobs because they are more interested in their praying than playing. Problem is not Pakistan having the worst day of their life against Ireland but the fact that they looked at peace after losing (they were more devastated after Inzi`s retirement than after the loss). The problem is giving players like Rana and Imran Nazir chances to play world cup instead of deserving players because those two belong to the tableeghi jamaat. The problem is Junaid Jamshed travelling and preaching the player when he knows nothing about competetive cricket. I urge PM and you to understand the difference. Because of people like you two others are always scared to say anything when it comes to religion. These players especially Inzi have hijacked our beloved game and made it into a mockery and you guys are still sitting on your high horse of religion telling everyone that it is OK for them to lose Ireland and it is NOT ok to blame their affinity to religion on this loss. It is the only thing to blame. They dont care anymore whether they lose or not as long as they have daris. That is what most people have a problem with.

Are you freaking kidding me that we should give a hero`s farewell to this idiot Inzi. You must be out of your mind to suggest that after this display in South Africa, India, and now the world cup we should sing praises for this guy who should have retired from cricket a year ago. Maybe then it would be appropriate. But he stayed in cricket for a year to convert others to his idea of Islam and for no other reason. he had no desire to win and he feels comfortable in retiring now because he has enough of his followers join the tableegh. Stop thinking that Pakkistanis are idiots who should stand up and clap for this nincompoop who should now leave everyone in peace and just vanish.

No matter what you say dude ... Inzi is not a `LEADER`, he simply does not possess leadership skills. There is always a body language of a captain ... A captain has to be aggressive and someone who constantly motivates the team etc ... Even if the batting failed, Pakistan is a strong team to bounce back with the bowling attack ... Inzi simply lost the game before the start of the batting... The team spirit runs with the body language of the captain ... Inzi was a dead meat in the field... his face indicating to the batsman that yes have lost ...

All I have to say regarding this article is -- thank you Bob no thanks Inzi.

i wonder how ppl share such crap on chowk .........
man no need to beat about the bush ....the thing is we `ve lost the match and thats it ....
no matter how talented Inzi is or was ..... its all about performance and everyone knows wht he did so he must quit cricket and thats what he did ....so Thanks Inzi
no issuses that he was a man of crises ...he did alot for Pakistan but the thing is now he can`t(coz he is over-age) ....you can`t compare Inzi with Hogan(who enters in the Arena and crowd starts shouting ) because its not WWE ..its cricket dude ...
nywayzz about Inzi leadership sorry to say he was not a good captain ..... i think Kaptain Mirza could b more fruitful than him ......so face the relaity and lets stop sharing all those silly excuses ....
`ve fun
n keep chewing Pan ....