Hell’s Angel

Actually Akhtar is the only pakistani player with a high recall value...rest of the team is rather mediocre . None of them are even worth a mention. I dont sense too much excitement in India over this series. Most people have found other interests - Formula-1 racing and English Premier League for instance.

So cricket basically has to fight for attention now. Only the lower classes (the johnny-come-latelys) are still crazy about cricket.

Take me - when I was a kid I used to know the average , highest score , number of 100s , wickets ..every meaningless stat cricket can conjure ..of every cricketer on the planet. But then they began to show European football matches live on TV and brought to our homes a far more exciting sport....and today I barely know the names of 5 or 6 members of India`s own cricket team. Never mind Pakistan`s team. Haven`t seen a full cricket match for last 3-4 years although its on TV all the time. And trust me - most upper class people in urban India have lost interest in cricket.

Re: # 1

``I barely know the names of 5 or 6 members of India`s own cricket team. Never mind Pakistan`s team. Haven`t seen a full cricket match for last 3-4 years although its on TV all the time.``

Yet u`re telling us about Akthar`s recall value and what not...hehehe!
Ill probably count myself as upper middle or lower upper class but i do know all the averages and statistics for current and past players.

Cricket aint ur subject avenger, so dont talk about it!

In Punjab, they use a term “Talanga” for people like Shoaib. They never grow up. As they grow old, they become more unmanageable. Shoaib is a classic case.

“The problem is that we won’t play ball. His is the voice of protest”
Are you being sarcastic?

``we won’t play ball``
we like to play ball but
I think ``he`` won`t play ball.

“He is the voice of protest! “
Half the time he has no idea what he is talking about! People write interviews for him. I hope you are not naïve to accept him on the face value.

My two pence impression of Shoab........Shoab is `BAD` because he refuses to consider India as an enemy state...he is `BAD` because he refuses to continously bow down before the arrogant Paki authorities and the mullahs......and he does not yell ``Death to Infidels`` every time he bowls those hurricans.....he has more Indian (and Hindu!!) friends than any of these Chowki Pakis.....he loves India...and Indian Models ofcourse....and Sachin Tendulkar is his friend!! All this is extremely uncomfortable for the Paki Generals who head the PCB!!

Do we need to know more as to why he was dropped??

My two pence impression of Shoab........Shoab is `BAD` because he refuses to consider India as an enemy state...he is `BAD` because he refuses to continously bow down before the arrogant Paki authorities and the mullahs......and he does not yell ``Death to Infidels`` every time he bowls those hurricans.....he has more Indian (and Hindu!!) friends than any of these Chowki Pakis.....he loves India...and Indian Models ofcourse....and Sachin Tendulkar is his friend!! All this is extremely uncomfortable for the Paki Generals who head the PCB!!

Do we need to know more as to why he was dropped??

Shoiab needs to be made captain. Regardless of the spate of victories or defeat of the team the past decade, the team needs an angry over-emotional captain. You may think this is a crazy statement despite all that`s happened, but it`s not.

Shoaib opted out. I think he always has displayed motivation issues. There is always a different side to the story, but you have to play. The show must go on. From a personal perspective his decision may make sense to him,but in all other contexts, if his withdrawal has anything to do with anything else than fitness,(and people have been known to play when not fully fit in important matches) ,then people are correct in criticising him.
rozaiba, I doubt he wants to become a captain or would accept captaincy happily if offered.

Dear Farzana:

I profess my ignorance (although there is no reason why that would stop me from delivering a long lecture on this issue) that I had not previously heard of this person Shoaib Akhtar. His name sounds like SHOW-AIBE (as in “display your faults”), which appears to have negative connotations. However, the fact that he may be willing to put those characteristics on open display (and perhaps even offer some of them for sale) could also be taken as a sign of forthrightness. Therefore, he appears to have a rather complex personality.

So, as part of my (continuing) relentless pursuit of knowledge, I decided to check up on him. After some careful research (consisting of googling for 5 minutes), I found that his physical looks are okay (what with him resembling a little the current president of India, at least hair-wise, only perhaps younger). But I also encountered harsh quotes like “Cricket, being a gentleman`s game, has no role for such arrogant characters”. That really perked me up, since it conclusively proved that indeed there are some “gentlemen” still around (I had thought they had all been shown the door by “gentlepersons”). However, the next line of that article really clarified things for me ``It`s more than a game. It`s an institution.`` Since we are talking about an institution here, why should there be any surprise if we run into characters who ought to have been institutionalized?!

By the way, I am very distressed that you brought my poor Laloo into this, as if the poor fellow does not have enough pains as it is. Believe me Farzana, we feel HIS pain (and MANY have felt that for a long time, again and again, the gift that kept on giving!)

I would love to stay on a little longer and give my deep insight into additional issues I know nothing about, but I happen to be on sabbatical. I must say though, that it is great to see you back in form and talking about (relatively) lighter issues (although Mr. Akhtar may not qualify as light - looks like at least 250 pounds (115 kgs) to me!).

Sincerely,
BeeJay (still on sabbatical)

Interstingly...as per our Paki Mullahs Actress Meera is also `BAD` because she makes friends with Indians and does not work for Jehad in Kashmir!!!

Farzana, admit it, either you have a huge crush on him, or he broke your heart. With the stringent acidic words you describe him, can only suggest one of the two. You speak of his flauntness and his shodiness. You know nothing of how he actually spent hours in the daunting heat of pindi summers on those fields to get where he is. You know nothing about his background, or how he made his way through the beauratic system to prove himself. You can sit back in your cozy world and criticize the guy, but don`t hide behind the curtains of intellect to do so. You know nothing about cricket, or sports for that matter. I couldn`t care less about what you think, but once in a while when some no one like you tries to take their frustations out on someone like this, it pisses me off. Get a life.

Oops! Forgot the link....Here is the complete news about Why Meera getting friendly with Indians is `BAD` for Pakistan.......the same goes for Shoaib as well!!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1039954,curpg-2.cms

`Meera should fight for Kashmir too`

Sayed Munawar Hasan, Secy of Jamaat-e-Islami, spearheading the movement against Meera in Karachi, on the `ideology` of Meera`s kiss.


Yeh mudda kiss ka nahin hai... Everything is a political issue. Why is India trying to confuse the Kashmir issue? Why should there be a cricket match in Ahmedabad? Why is Meera in Bollywood? Why is she not fighting like us for the Kashmiris` freedom and human rights? Doesn`t Meera know and understand the tehzeeb of her culture? India and Pakistan are two different countries, two cultures. We have different definitions of shame, respect; different boundaries for our women; different ideologies. According to us, Meera should not be in Bollywood. The kiss is not the issue here. Kashmir, cricket or a kiss... there is a political angle to everything.

Re: # 10
er...did I miss something? I thought this wasn`t a criticism of Shoaib.

Shoaib`s case is not exceptional! Majority of the Pakistani youth are struggling along the same lines in their individual capacities. The problem is his lack of professionalism. There cannot be any excuse of boozy late nights before a full day of cricket ahead. The only reason he has made it thus far is is skill in cricket. He has to focus on his game to acheive emancipation! Living in gloomy old england is hardly going to make him happy!!

Its never too late and its never too bad. For me, its a case of human resource mangement. Either some big shot in the board or the captain must be capable to manage different sorts of talents.

If it is only the lower classes that watch cricket (though what is wrong about that anyway?), then how does one account for the huge bets -- Rs. 500 crore already? It has just become trendy for these social upstarts to sit in five-star lounges over champagne brunches and cigars and watch Formula racing. Btw, check out the F-1 strivers in India; they are huge cricket fans. I know!

Shoaib is considered BAD because he does not follow rules and not because he loves India...and Hindu models etc don`t count, considering Imran Khan was not quite as pure as driven snow...phew, and I am accused of conspiracy theories...

I read somewhere that if Pakistan lost this series, then Shoaib would be made captain. If they won, then Shoaib will be in sh!t street...Rozaiba, I agree that an emotional captain is better than those technicians.

I don`t understand what boozy nights have got to do with performance. Let me quote what Saurav Ganguly once said he would tell his players: ``You do whatever you want after the game, don`t come back to the hotel, don`t eat, don`t sleep, that`s not my problem. But from 10 am on the ground, from the first over to the last over, I want your 100 per cent.``

There is a typo that has changed the meaning of a sentence. It should be ``He won`t play ball`` not ``We won`t play ball``. Thanks Soulat for noticing it but I believe what Shoaib says in interviews. He speaks his mind...and I am naive!

BeeJay: I shall spare you since you are on sabbatical (though you have managed to take a look at him, weighed him and analysed his personality in this period!) Never mind that you are wrong about the first two. He is attractive in a ruffian way, which is hardly what Prez Kalam is. He is certainly not gargantuan; for that you will have to check out Inzy (now, don`t go googling for him as well...)

And this not a light issue for me...

Amrita, thanks...I was beginning to look between syllables for my alleged criticism of Shoaib...

#10: This is your first post on this site. After registering a year and half ago. I know how it must feel to hold back this long; hope you are feeling better after having finally `pissed off`.

The only reason that a polarized society like ours deals with someone like Shoaib in such manner is because of his class. Yes... I said it. Shoaib unfortunately wasn`t born in the higher echelons of the Pakistani society like our hero Imran Khan. That is why someone like Imran would be praised as a national hero who`s good looks have become a national pride. On the other hand if Shoaib wants to attend a party he`s taken to the committee and asked to explain himself. Imagine if he was an elite-born Aitchisonian who attended the same fashion show. I think the outcome would have been different.