The Man they Called Mum&Dad

In 1972, Karachi was playing against another local club, the situation was tough & tense as the scoreboard read 18 runs short of win for Karachi on just 3 deliveries. A young boy asked the manager to call the captain back in the pavilion, as he was a defensive player and let the young man face the situation. The manager initially hesitated but then agreed to do so. Came out the 15-year-old youngster and Karachi won the match as he hit three consecutive sixes off the opponent's attacking bowler. Nor that young man, neither this world new then that he would be called the Mum & Dad of cricket in future.

In the next year, 1973, that youngster scored a triple hundred while playing for Karachi Whites against the Pakistan Railways at the age of 16. This world record has still to see a contest, by that mammoth 311 runs innings he became the youngest player ever to make a triple hundred in first class cricket. Still waiting for a call from the highest quarter for representing his nation the wizard went on proving his abilities to the world.

After two Years in 1975, that master was selected in the World Cup squad of his country Pakistan. Playing his first match against the giants of world cricket, West Indies, which was full of terrorist bowlers and killer batsmen, that man denied every bowler to take his wicket. While bowling in the same match he captured the prize wicket of Super Captain, Clive Lloyd. By that performance he made his presence on the field felt. When he came out to bat, the commentators were calling him Pervez (as he was playing in place of injured Pervez Meer) but it didn't took them long to notice that he was someone else someone wonderful and glorious.

The next year, 1976, Kiwis toured Pakistan for a three test series. In the first test match this youth made his debut, he came out to bat when Pakistan had lost Majid Khan, Mushtaq, Zaheer Abbas and Sadiq Mohammad at a score of 44, the scoreboard reading was 44/4 and Asif Iqbal was on the crease. The lad scored a scintillating 163 on his debut; he completed the ton with three successive boundaries on Richard Hadlee. On that occasion Asif Iqbal said that the young boy was even guiding him during their tremendous partnership.

In the second test that young man made the writing on the wall easier by hitting a marathon 206 not out against the poor kiwis who had the services of bowlers like Richard Hadlee and Peter Patherick. By hitting this double hundred he created a world record of being the youngest in the world to score a double century in Test cricket and this record still has to see a beating. It was the time when fans of the game and the pundits of the cricket world started to stare at each other quietly. Thinking and whispering about what is happening in the rough outfields of Pakistan.

In 1978, the Indian team, arch rival of Pakistan's squad, toured Pakistan and that popular man helped Pakistan win the series, and then he was included in the list of greats of cricket by wisden. In the later part of the year he was unable to score something mentionable against the West Indies because of the death of his Father Mr. Noor M. Miandad Khan. By that time he was considered as one of the best batsmen of the world, but the world was yet to see his best.

In 1979, The young man was appointed captain of the team by the board president Air Marshal Noor Khan, which many people thought, was not a wise decision, but I don't agree with them because that young guy proved himself to be the best. In 1981-82 he toured Australia with his team and gave a tough time to the Aussies and when Lilee kicked him he showed the guy that what happens when you kick someone of his status.

That year he stepped down from the captaincy for Imran Khan and accepted the place of his deputy and he was happy with Imran because Imran gave his advice a high place in his strategy making. The cricket world knew that the combination of him and Imran was unbeatable at any forum. Then these two professors of game started to lift the babes of the sport towards the destination, which was achieved after a decade of hard work.

In the next memorable season 1982-83, India again visited Pakistan for a six test match series, in the second test match at Niaz Stadium Hyderabad the maestro scored 280\\* not out thus created a world record of the highest partnership for any wicket in test cricket (451 runs) equaling the world record of Bill Ponsford and Bradman, which was set in 1938 against England. The master was stopped by breaking the record of Sir Gary Sobers by the captain Imran, who declared the innings when the wonder boy was sailing on 280 and going great guns. Imran did not even ask him for a particular time and the number of overs he can play, and that was one of the or may be the worst decision of Imran as captain of Pakistan cricket team. But the great man never complained about it, instead he went on making four more double hundreds in the remaining career.

In 1984, Imran Khan got injured and the captaincy was given to the master again and he proved to be the right choice yet again when he beat Sri Lanka 3 - NIL in the test series and also hit a double hundred against the Lankans. During this time he had played in all the three World Cups, which were held in England and helped, Pakistan to win but the lady luck was not with his squad.

In 1986, he suddenly turned the table of One Day Cricket for Pakistan around when in Australasia cup he showed the perfect way and combination to win a game of this level, In final India set a target of 245 runs for Pakistan and the cricketing brain made it possible for the Pakistan by hitting an unbeaten 116 with a six on the last ball off Chetan Sharma also finishing off the career of the poor chap. He was a real Super Hero by that time, people started to copy him all over the world, and he was given the names like Man of Crises and Master batsman.

The next year the extravaganza of the World Cup was held in India and Pakistan, he was again the 2nd incharge and he helped or rather steer Pakistan to the semi-final of the cup. But the luck again favored Australia when Pakistan was set a target of more then 250 and Pakistan's wicket keeper got injured, the master told Imran not to worry as he will keep the wickets, and he did it magnificently against the bowlers like Imran, Qadir and Akram, he kept the wickets for 45 overs then batted in the whole Pakistan innings and made 70 runs but in vain, Pakistan Lost, another chance missed, the nation shocked.

Next season he proved that he is the only man in the world who can not be dominated by any bowling attack and has the capability to cut down the size of any attack anywhere any time. He hit two hundreds in West Indies and hitting a double hundred in England and a hundred in One Dayer in England at Oval. In 1989 he was again awarded with the captaincy and he again washed the kiwis out in a three test series 3-Nil after hitting another double hundred against them in Auckland following a hundred in the same series, then in 1990 back came Imran and the bad back.

Then came 1992, when the team was announced on the national television for the World Cup, his name was not included, he got very dejected by hearing that. But Imran realized after losing two warm-up matches that Pakistan can't win without that man. He was called to down under and proved his fitness in the first outing in a warm-up match against Sri Lanka by hitting an unbeaten 80\\* at SCG. He scored the highest number of runs in that world cup after Martin Crowe who had the advantage of small grounds and home crowd, he scored 437 runs with 5 fifties in 9 outings. Winning the World cup was a dream come true for the great cricketer as he worked very hard for that through the years. After winning the world cup Imran retired leaving the mum&dad of cricket in charge. He went to England and crushed England by a 2-1 victory in the tests and on the way back home he crushed Kiwis by 1-0. But when he came back to Pakistan he was thrown away from the leadership, and his heart was crying on the manners adopted by the cricket board towards him, as the Pakistan Cricket future hanged in the balance.

In 1993, he agreed to play under his own pupil Wasim Akram, as he hit another hundred against the South Africans making brilliant stroke play on Allan Donald and DiVilliars towards Jonty Rhodes. After that match when Jhonty was asked about his failure in stopping those mastered shots he commented "I've got the legs, he's got the brain". In 1994, for the first time in his illustrious and brilliant long career he was dropped from the team by his own putrefied pupil, Akram. That decision cost Akram his captaincy and fame in Pakistan. The master batsman announced his retirement on 6th April 1994 while crying in a speech and the cricket lovers in Pakistan went mad, chanting "No Miandad, No Cricket" the then Prime Minister of Pakistan and President of Pakistan had to intervene in the happenings and request the batting wizard to reconsider his decision. He in the best interests of the nation and the cricket of Pakistan un-retired himself.

In 1996, he was selected in the World Cup squad on merit by scoring high number of runs in the trial matches in Pakistan. Wasim Akram placed him at sixth number in the batting lineup "what a waste" where he was of no use. He was no longer a young and energetic man, what he had at that time was charisma and experience to over come all the teams playing in the cup. In Bangalore, he replayed the scene for those who were children or not born till 1975 when he made his debut. Just Like the debut match he was denying every bowler to take his wickets and he was successful, In the debut match he batted on 5th place just like the Bangalore encounter. Pakistan lost the game in 1975 same happened in 1996, but was there any difference? Indeed a huge one, in the match of 1975, MIANDAD was coming to cricket whereas in 1996 MUM&DAD was leaving it.

For two years of retirement he remained behind the curtains most of time and kept a low profile. Then Pakistani cricket fans heard the surprising news that he has been called back to coach the reeling Pakistani cricket team. Under his coaching Pakistan won the Sahara Cup with a margin of 4 - 1, then Pakistan beat India and Sri Lanka in Tri-Nation Series held in India and the Test series was drawn with India. The new addition in world cricket Asian Test Championship was taken away by Miandad's men by beating the world champs comprehensively at Dhaka. Than he resigned after the success in Sharjha Cup citing pressing family commitments. Nobody is sure about what were the actual reasons behind that but it was the greatest blow to the most talented side in the world. He was denied his well-deserved credit for the hard work he has done with Pakistani cricketers and making them the world's best cricket team. One wonders why always Miandad has to go like this, isn't there any better way to say goodbye to the master. Perhaps they are of the view that Richard Pybus will fill the vacuum. I don't think so.

Players will come and players will go, but will there be any other Street Fighter , will there be any other never an out, will there be any other such charismatic wonder boy and will there be any other Mum&Dad of cricket? The answer is 'NO'.