The Street Fighter

M,M,

A great effort and almost a comprehensive article about Pakistan`s greatest criketer. I dont like those who just call him the greatest batsman. He was a complete cricketer. A unique skilled batsman who could play in all and every situations. A wornderfully and energatic fielder, a successful captain, a valuable assistance captain and as a senior player who was better teacher than him??

He was a matchless plalyer but we always treated him worngly. As a coach he done wonderful job but what we did with him, We kicked him out. Very bad.

Stunning..absolutely stunning! This article

encompasses all that I and certainly millions of

other fans of the Great Javaid Miandad would have wanted to hear about him. Miandad, you will always be alive in the minds and hearts of us who have grown up watching you bring life to the game of cricket.

I could not find sufficient words to praise such a great cricketer...yes one and only Javed Miandad

Most remarkable! I mean this THE best written article on Miandad I have ever come across. Mofeez has amazing recollections of Javed`s career and I was thrilled to read his narration of the famous ``six`` in Sharja. Another interesting remark that I loved was the twist on the dialogue from the film ``The Devil`s Own`` with Harrsion Ford and Brad Pitt. ``It`s not an American story...`` very apt. We never appreciate our heroes. Take Jahangir Khan, for example. The champion was the most decent athlete ever. He remained undefeated for what 8 or so years. Give me any player from any sport who can claim the same. And what did we do with him. Eh! A canadian company made a documentary on him. We were too busy chanting death to somebody to pay any attention.

Yes indeed Miandad was the one. I would like to add a few more incidents to the article.

In the 1992 series of Pakistan in England. The English after a long time brought in a right arm leg spinner in their team,Ian Salsbury. The English commentators were as usual boasting about how good a leg spinner he was. Well in the first innings of one of the Test matches he was fortunate to get Miandad`s wicket. The English commentators bursted out of joy. Miandad was considered the best batsman of spin bowling (though he was equally good against fast bowlers), and Ian Salsbury a new comer took his wicket.

Well, in the second innings of the same match. Miandad was at the crease when Gooch brought Salsbury on again. He thought that Salsbury might do the trick for him again. In Salsbury`s first over, Miandad hit him for four boundries. No slogs, no irrational hittings. Simply four different ground shots to pass the boundry.

Critic
What is your point ?
Do you realize India and Pakistan do NOT tour any more ? Do you know there are no Ino-Pak series played anymore ? Would you care to enlighten us on the various causes (besides the politicising of the game) ?

read the part in my post about ``band-wagoning fans who have never played a game before and, therefore, do not know how to deal with loss gracefully``. When these fans politicize the game, you have no more game. THat is my point.

regards
RanaRansher

The hooliganism you mentioned is very selective. I remember cricket games in both India and Pakistan being abandoned b/c of crowd trouble though the two teams were not playing each other (Cricket world cup (`96) semifinal India vs SL, WI in Pak late 80`s or early 90`s ). Outside sub-continent soccer buffs do the same thing. In the last world cup British fans, unlike British team, lived up to their reputation. Outside the stadium they achieved what their team couldn`t inside the stadium - thorough thrashing of their opponents. Any political connection b/w Pakistan/West Indies, India/SL or England/Tunisia is hard to establish. Therefore to say that crowd behaviour is primarily due to the politicization of game is not wholly true.

I in no way deny your assertion. You are correct - partially though. I`ll repeat that political rivalries have brought intensity and liveliness to the games. Crowd behaviour in sub-continent has been a little abnormal in almost every sport. Political rivalry has only added to it. It`s not the cause of it.

I never read EVERY word from most articles on Chowk. This piece captivated me and kept me reading EVERY word. And I`m no cricket maniac.

Excellently written. Where are the heroes of today?

Fozia & Critic (and other political cricket watchers)
I don`t think there is anything wrong with that remark. I am not sure if you have gone to an Indo-Pak fixture recently. You will see what I am saying. There is such a big security concern. Unlike these other rivalries (Ashes, rugby, even English soccer...) in the Indian sub-continent the crowds are barbaric. THe players fear inury. Heckling and booing players is one thing. Harmless, really. Most players are mentally much stronger and beyond all that bullshit. But players are attacked with bottles, stones, anything !!. In Pakistan, Indian players are attacked. In India, Pakistani players are attacked. In Dhaka, Indian players are attacked. You can read news reports on the last couple of Indo-Pak features at these venues.
Moreover, it has nothing to do with place it is this bloody politics of the Indian sub-continent. Where partition(s),wars, terrorism,repression, religion,politics,separatism and the inability to deal with the past has left the people soul less. It has hijacked Cricket from the Cricket lovers.
Even in Canada, the crowd is dispicable. Security outnumbers the people and so almost everybody who flings bottles at the players is escorted out. However, scuffles break out in the stands. All you hear are religious slogans (its a goddamn game!! can`t religion spare anything!!) and negative cheering. ie when a player gets hit by a ball, the other teams supporters cheer. The more pain the player looks to be in, the louder the cheer. Its sick !! Its everything, but cricket. Trust me these people are not there to watch cricket.
In England in a benefit match for Imran Khan`s Cancer hospital, India was on its way to victory when the stadium was set on fire.
Most of these political cricket watchers have probably not played a single game in their entire lives and are just plain sore losers. THey all need to go back to primary school, play some games and realize that there is always a winner and a loser.
Politics is very different. The politics still thrives, just more people dead, more bombs. Why not let the game be a game ? Politicizing the game so far has done the following:
- There has been no Indo-Pak series in India or Pakistan. A damn shame since this is probably the only sport desi sportsman are pretty damn good at.
- Rameez Raja was sacked after last years Sahara Cup and the official reason given was that he was ``too friendly`` with the rival team ????
- The author of this article mentions the booing of Miandad by Indian fans. He does not mention the reaction of the Pakistani crowds and press. Pakistani players were receiving death threats. Akram was charged that he was bribed to stay out of that game. THis has removed him from captaincy and harmed his career in a big way. No player seemed to want to be captain after that game in Bangalore. You should have read some of their interviews. THey were not being harassed by Cricket fans. It was fans of a different sort.
- In Mumbai, Bal Thackeray prevented an Indo-Pak fixture by digging up the pitch. In his own statement he was reacting to flag burning in Kashmir. Whatever???.......just isn`t cricket.
I could go on. I am not denying you your politics. There are plenty of ways to express your resentment to anything. Do whatever. Write your articles, juloos nikalo, Fight your wars, bomb each other.
Just leave Cricket and Cricketers alone. Let the 2 teams play the gentleman`s game. Maybe if they played more often it wouldn`t be such a big deal. people would realize its just a game!!!!!!! a mighty fine one, though......
regards
RanaRansher
PS maybe they should have Indo-Pak gladiator matches with the ``fight to death option`` exercised by the crowd, instead. Maybe then one will be able to watch more cricket.

Re: RanaRansher, Khan

I was by no means condoning the politicizing of cricket…simply stating the reality of a politically charged region where cricket was often the only means of expressing dissent.Mostly in a harmless manner like flag waving, drum beating etc and I think that is ok as long as people don’t get carried away with it and forget that they came to watch a cricket game.
I happen to like cricket, have played it for many years and watch it for the sheer fun of it. I am not immune to the extra intensity of Indo-Pak matches, but does that make me a bloodthirsty fan? Heck, no :-)

Re: RanaRansher…. “watching news clipping of Hindu - Muslim riots instead. May give you more satisfaction.”…..

Funny, you couldn’t express your disagreement without resorting to such remarks and *you * are advocating de-politicizing of cricket?

Fozia

Sir, it`s next to impossible to separate politics from sports. In cricket the `Ashes` provide another example. Football has France and Germany. Chess game b/w Bobby Simpson and Boris Spassky during cold war serve another example. Rugby also has political touch of which I must confess my complete ignorance. I find it a very peaceful way of expressing one`s anger. It has only added to the intensity and passion w/o which these games would be watched with as much enthusiasm as Pole Vault during Olympics. However, what has happened in the sub-continent is an extreme form of politicization which is professed by only a handful of people - and this extremism is also fading as evident by recent Indo-Pak series.

Re: rana

I completely agree. The game has been overpoliticized by people who care far less for the game
than for the encircling polical clouds. This Sahara Cup bull in Canada is another pathetic attempt
at milking political extremisms - a mickey mouse one-day series instead of a proper test and
oneday schedule in either (or both) countries, always advertised as a bloody battle instead of
highly skilled, absorbing face-off. Needless to say, it therefore is rarely high skill obn display or at
all absorbing.

Most true Indian and Pakistani cricket fans while certainly savouring the extra charge of
politics/faith, focus on the performances, the game. The only thing we fans thank the political
charge for is that it sparks an extra intensity in the performances. But to make this extra intensity
the B. and End all instead of the chutney on top is moronic and sadly very prevalent.

Re: Fozia. No it was Mushtaq - he just burst out over and above Iftikhar and everyone else in the
box :).

Cheers.

Fozia (and other political cricket watchers)
Its people like you who have hijacked the `da beautiful game` from the rest of us sport lovers. `cause of these bandwagoning fans of cricket who can`t keep bloody politics out of it. India and Pakistan can`t play a series in India or Pakistan. Please, for heavens sake, watching news clipping of Hindu - Muslim riots instead. May give you more satisfaction. Leave the game alone.
regards
RanaRansher

Ah Miandad! How can we ever forget him or Sharjah for that matter.

I am also reminded of the one-day match between India and the West Indies held in Srinagar....a packed stadium, West Indian flags flying everywhere and life-size posters of Miandad and Imran hanging from the chinars surrounding the stadium :-) Cricket was not just cricket in Kashmir. Rightly or wrongly, it was also a mode of political expression and Miandad`s performance was ever so often instrumental in providing a jubilant ring to the stifled voice of an entire generation.
And yes, Minadad will be showered with rose petals in Kashmir anytime.

Re:..and Mushtaq`s (expert commentator) scream, ``It`s a SSSIIIIIIIXXXXXX!!``.

Hmm...I always thought it was Iftikhar who said those words??

Fozia

You may want to check out ``No Petas Please, We are Pakistani``. Its (ahem) not too shabby.

Brilliant! Just brilliant!

Romantic, passionate, and true! I was 11 in 1976 and watched Javed`s 206 in Karachi from the stands. As you said, one could feel even then that a legend had been born. Miandad came to Pakistan cricket after the team had wandered for years in the desert of mediocrity. I would add, though, that Imran must share equal credit with him for the 1976-77 revolution that turned Pakistan into world-beaters. Just as something special happened in Lahore when Miandad took guard to begin his Test career, something very special also happened in Sydney, in early 1977, when Imran bowled flat out for 12 wickets and victory.

The contrast in the styles, personalities and legacies of these two legends is easily explained, in my mind, by the different extent of angreziat, which in post-colonial Pakistan happens to be a reflection of wealth and pedigree. Imran grew up in privileged surroundings in Zaman Park, Lahore, and played for Aitchison and Oxford. Miandad grew up in the streets of Karachi. There can be little argument that because of this sad contrast Miandad has never gotten his due, and perhaps Imran has gotten a little more. The fact remains, nevertheless, that without these two the destiny of Pakistan cricket would not have been as it became. They have ascended, as it were, to the pantheon of cricket gods.

Thank you for a superb article.

saad shafqat