General Cricket thread
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AZADPAKISTAN2009
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Decent match Islamabad vs Quetta but no new Pakistani player has emerged so far
Story of our Power hitter
Afridi (Pretty much semi retired in term of hitting)
Sharjeel (Pending paperwork review)
Latif (Pending paperwork review)
Khurram Manzoor (Unsure which team he is with )
Umar Akmal (Completely lost in PSL)
Ahmed Shahazd (Has not transferred his domestic form to UAE)
Only thing consitent so far Misbah as captain still steering his team clear
Story of our Power hitter
Afridi (Pretty much semi retired in term of hitting)
Sharjeel (Pending paperwork review)
Latif (Pending paperwork review)
Khurram Manzoor (Unsure which team he is with )
Umar Akmal (Completely lost in PSL)
Ahmed Shahazd (Has not transferred his domestic form to UAE)
Only thing consitent so far Misbah as captain still steering his team clear
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anant_s
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feel sorry for him. he is really talented young player and perhaps requires a bit of coaching on his temperament. I believe he plays too aggressively at times for his own good.
AZADPAKISTAN2009
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Umar Akmal , just does not have the temperment to be serious and take responsibility
Compared to the first season the input from Pakistani players has been minimal except from perhaps 1 solid knock by Kamran Akmal in frist match
The overseas players are certainly showing their better technique
High expectation players like
Compared to the first season the input from Pakistani players has been minimal except from perhaps 1 solid knock by Kamran Akmal in frist match
The overseas players are certainly showing their better technique
High expectation players like
- Ahmed Shahzad
- Umar Akmal
- Baber Azam
- Azhar Ali (Injury / sitting out whats the deal ? not sure)
AZADPAKISTAN2009
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PSL is streamed online I think by collaboration of some online company , I searched it recently as I wanted a bit higher clarity then what I was getting
RISING SUN
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Pakistan's Shadab has an Indian idol
It is a well-known fact that Pakistan and India are not the best of mates when it comes to cricket.
So it is perhaps rare to see a young and upcoming Pakistan player idolise and Indian leg spinner. And that is quite heartening and maybe, just maybe, things will only get better and better from now on.
Shadab Khan may have played plenty of cricket on the streets of Rawalpindi and Mianwali in Pakistan and is still taking those baby steps when it comes to serious cricket.
An emerging talent, the 18-year-old has represented Pakistan Under-19s and Pakistan 'A,' and impressed, so much so that, he has been picked by the Islamabad United franchise in the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL).
And although he didn't get any wickets in the first three matches, he bowled economical spells. Wickets did come finally, against Peshawar Zalmi, where he took two for 26, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.
Those two wickets were big ones too, those of Pakistan's Kamran Akmal and England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
Shadab revealed that like most spinners, he looks up to the Australian wizard Shane Warne but ranks Indian leg spinner Amit Mishra as his idol.
"First it was Shane Warne but now it is Amit Mishra," said Shadab.
Meanwhile, he was thrilled to get the opportunity to play with senior players like Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Sami as well as foreign players like Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Dwayne Smith, as part of the Islamabad United franchise.
"First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play with such senior players as part of Islamabad United," Shadab said.
And he said that for a youngster, the PSL was the ideal platform to make a mark and get into the eyes of the selectors.
"For a youngster, the PSL is important because if we perform really well, we would be on the selectors' radar," he said.
Shadab also said that it was a learning curve, especially rubbing shoulders with top quality international cricketers.
"I feel really good playing with Islamabad United because there are some top foreign players as well. And I've been trying to learn from them," said Shadab.
The youngster said that advice from the coach Dean Jones and captain Misbah-ul-Haq has helped him a lot, especially when it came to his bowling action.
"After the first match, Dean Jones and Misbah bhai spoke to me and told me that I was going wide of the crease a little bit. So, they asked me to try and be a little bit inside," he said.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/pakistans-shadab-has-an-indian-idol
It is a well-known fact that Pakistan and India are not the best of mates when it comes to cricket.
So it is perhaps rare to see a young and upcoming Pakistan player idolise and Indian leg spinner. And that is quite heartening and maybe, just maybe, things will only get better and better from now on.
Shadab Khan may have played plenty of cricket on the streets of Rawalpindi and Mianwali in Pakistan and is still taking those baby steps when it comes to serious cricket.
An emerging talent, the 18-year-old has represented Pakistan Under-19s and Pakistan 'A,' and impressed, so much so that, he has been picked by the Islamabad United franchise in the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL).
And although he didn't get any wickets in the first three matches, he bowled economical spells. Wickets did come finally, against Peshawar Zalmi, where he took two for 26, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.
Those two wickets were big ones too, those of Pakistan's Kamran Akmal and England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
Shadab revealed that like most spinners, he looks up to the Australian wizard Shane Warne but ranks Indian leg spinner Amit Mishra as his idol.
"First it was Shane Warne but now it is Amit Mishra," said Shadab.
Meanwhile, he was thrilled to get the opportunity to play with senior players like Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Sami as well as foreign players like Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Dwayne Smith, as part of the Islamabad United franchise.
"First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play with such senior players as part of Islamabad United," Shadab said.
And he said that for a youngster, the PSL was the ideal platform to make a mark and get into the eyes of the selectors.
"For a youngster, the PSL is important because if we perform really well, we would be on the selectors' radar," he said.
Shadab also said that it was a learning curve, especially rubbing shoulders with top quality international cricketers.
"I feel really good playing with Islamabad United because there are some top foreign players as well. And I've been trying to learn from them," said Shadab.
The youngster said that advice from the coach Dean Jones and captain Misbah-ul-Haq has helped him a lot, especially when it came to his bowling action.
"After the first match, Dean Jones and Misbah bhai spoke to me and told me that I was going wide of the crease a little bit. So, they asked me to try and be a little bit inside," he said.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/pakistans-shadab-has-an-indian-idol
anant_s
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Sana Mir - Trailblazer, Captain, Icon
Purnima Malhotra
Sana Mir started her career as a fast bowler before a back injury turned her into a spinner. © Getty
Five minutes into the conversation, Sana Mir is quick to point out an oversight. "Batsmen must be the heroes in India, in Pakistan, bowlers are the heroes." (True That
)
Let's be clear. Mir is still a fast bowler at heart, as she goes on to admit time and again.
Humayun Mir, an overprotective older brother, who was to later become her first coach, would warn his street gang that "they better behave with my sister". But while gully cricket became a guaranteed part of Sana's evening routine - where she volunteered to field for both sides, just to fit in - bowling privileges were to be earned on merit. And the eager beaver didn't disappoint either.
Smitten by the Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis duo, Mir picked up a liking for bowling fast at the age of six. So much so that the whole run-up, the posture and her action was modelled on Waqar. She wouldn't omit the head-band either. Not even on the streets, she adds.
An army man's daughter, Mir was quite an anomaly growing up. Even in a relatively progressive cantonment environment, there were the odd stares from passersby who'd be scandalised to see the only girl out and about on the streets. Mir chose not to pay any heed; that's how she made friends after all, every new city her father was posted in. Cricket in schools, anyway, was not meant for girls. Towards the backend of her high school, however, passion made way for education. For four years, Mir traded the ball for stacks of books. Until the 12th grade Chemistry exam rekindled the lost love.
"I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons (the atomic structures), I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!" Mir recalls, bursting into laughter. "That was the only thing my mind would get distracted to despite having not played for so long."
Mir's mother would have none of it. But contrary to what the then conservative society would have expected a parent to do, she pushed her daughter into the game instead. The PWCCA trials were a cakewalk for Mir who had honed her skills routinely on the streets of Pindi. So were the ones under PCB, that followed shortly after the ICC-IWCC merger, and Mir was one of the nine debutants at the 2005 Women's Asia Cup in Karachi. Mir announced herself at the highest level with an inswinger that castled a six-year veteran - and already a star by then - Mithali Raj.
Mir's affinity towards gully cricket stands out. "I own it! That's what has made me what I am today," Mir nods, a glint of pride in her eyes. "My whole experience of playing all that cricket with the boys has helped me a lot, in terms of giving confidence and developing cricket strategies.
"In gully cricket, at times, the offside is a wall and you have to (make the batsman) play only on the leg-side. Those kind of things have really helped me be a little more tactical about the sport."
Mir has no qualms in admitting that she never went to professional academies, which there were none for the ladies back in the day. Her playgrounds were the cantonment streets but the snag there was to be felt after a year in top-flight cricket. Lack of formal training meant that Mir had succeeded in emulating her childhood hero's complicated action but never really got the hang of the technique behind it. It comes as no surprise that when a series of stress fractures in the back threatened to end her nascent fast-bowling career, Mir looked back at her childhood days for inspiration. A pseudo Waqar Younis by the day, Mir turned a tweaker by night when there used to be just one night lamp to play under and fast-bowling, as a rule, was not allowed.
"After it used to get dark, we played with the plastic ball. And with a plastic ball you cannot bowl that fast, so I used to turn a spinner..."
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time." © Getty
On February 7, the offspinner raced to a rare milestone, becoming only the 15th woman - and first from her country - to register 100 ODI wickets. But in Mir, Pakistan gained more than just a wily bowler. She's the trailblazer, the captain, the leader women's cricket desperately needed for the sport to take off in the country.
Women's cricket in Pakistan has raced far ahead of the times since they were labelled miscreants and issued death threats in the '90s, and it is easy to understand why sports remained an untouchable subject for the longest time. That had been ingrained in the society's rulebook as a norm Mir is now desperate to change.
When the conservative families hesitated to send their girls through, Mir was there to counsel. When the parents played the education or the job card, Mir countered by highlighting the potential their daughters had outside of what the society deemed was an acceptable domain for its women. Of course, all the coaxing was sugarcoated with the lure of bringing glory to Pakistan and the family name.
I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons, I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!
Typically, she takes no credit for it. In fact, she chooses not to talk about it. Instead she goes to great lengths detailing on how the scenario is changing, for the better of course.
"I can say this for all the girls who you see in this Pakistan team. Because in Pakistan, there is no school or college cricket. So, all the girls who are ending up at this professional level, they have to be supported by their families.
"PCB is developing the domestic structure and the things are getting better but otherwise there is no school cricket, there is none at college (level) but still the girls are playing. That itself shows that it is the families who are encouraging them. But this kind of news does not go to the mainstream media because they think Pakistan is a very conservative country and the families might not be supportive. It is because of our families that we are here, its because of the support of our fathers and brothers, our mothers, everyone."
The introduction of central contracts took a long time coming but took care of the financials. Additionally, Mir shares that the four departments of the domestic circuit now hand out jobs to women cricketers.
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time. Because, if you play day in and day out [but] no international team is coming [home], you get limited matches - like initially when we started off in 2005, we used to get 4-5 matches per year. Basically compromising studies, not attending colleges because you have to go for camp, at that point it was really difficult to keep the girls coming and convincing the parents that this might turn into their profession one day.
"Now I feel the parents are more at ease with letting their daughters experiment with cricket and see if they are good enough."
But that journey was no cakewalk. The team was expected to translate passion into victories against semi-professional outfits. Not so long ago, a bulk of the side had come just off the streets, which took them longer than usual to prepare for the rigours of international cricket. "They would either be a very good bowler or a batter, say, but would lack in either the fielding department or fitness, or both... [Back then] they would make it to the national side because of their one skill that can make a difference.
"At the moment there are a maximum of four to five big schools and colleges who have cricket. But for me, at the national level, that's not a functional cricket setup. For a functional cricket setup, you have to have cricket at the grassroots in every city, every other school.
"Only once you have a domestic structure very competitive - like IPL has done for you guys, PSL is doing for the men's side in our country... then it feeds better players to the national side."
"We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened [in Lahore 2009] and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it." © Getty
Unlike the men's team, for them, the season is limited. International or otherwise, the opportunities to rub shoulders with the best in the business, and improvise in the process, are restricted to a handful of games every year. Even the facilities are limited. "But the competition at the international level and the expectations are just the same," she rues.
"Because people want the team to win. Not everybody, not many know the details of our journey, the struggles we have had in the past ten years. So, I think, the expectations are same. If you're in Pakistan team, everybody would want you to win the game for your country no matter what. See, that's why we also play; we also want to win for our country but there are challenges [that not many know].
"If you see other countries like Australia, New Zealand, England and others, there sports is a culture, a part of daily life. Any girl who in fact is not playing a sport at the school level might come across as a strange exception. But in Pakistan, or in Asia, when a girl takes up sport, she sometimes is questioned 'why are you doing this?"
Lack of exposure is partially to be blamed. The opportunity to feel appreciated and, in turn, inspire is a concept still alien to this side.
"For a star to feel like a star, they should be shown on television. If you have a good spell that people can watch and will appreciate, that will give you more confidence. And you also inspire more people. It gives you an opportunity to improve yourself a lot because then critics also come in. So yeah, exposure is definitely something that would be really good for the girls... if people can see them performing and if they can perform in front of an audience, that confidence is something else."
While I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands and I would have done my part.
Women's cricket across the globe has struggled to get a fair share of the pie - be it pay package or limelight - and Pakistan is no exception. But the lack of cricket on home soil has diluted both the bench strength and the interest of the audience, Mir rues.
"I think the biggest struggle is the lack of international cricket back home. We have developed the team on foreign grounds, in foreign conditions. That's also why I give a lot of credit to my girls. The batters have to operate in foreign conditions every time and even our bowlers - we bank on our spinners but when we go to Australia or England, even then we have to bank on our spinners because that's been our strength.
"The lack of international cricket at home has affected our reserve bank of payers as well. When we go to Australia or other countries, we get a chance to play with their A teams and under-19 teams but our such teams never get that chance to play (against) quality oppositions. That alone I think has been the biggest struggle."
That's where Mir, the captain, stepped in. When playing at home was not an option any more, Mir put all her efforts into inspiring her team to victories at the global stage. This captured the imagination of the people back home, broke gender stereotypes in an otherwise rigid community and eventually opened up more avenues for women in the country.
"I think it has opened the field of sports for women," she notes, humbly adding, "if I and my team are not taking a lot of credit for it.
"I say that because before the cricket team, there have been individuals in athletics, mountaineering and fields like that where they have achieved success individually and impacted people. But doing it as a team gives a bigger message... it has opened a lot of opportunities for women in general. Now people encourage their daughters to take up sports at different levels because they have seen that cricket can bring glory to the families and to Pakistan. That's the mindset we have been able to change."
Probably why the back-to-back golds at the Asian Games feature right at the top of her list of career highs.
"The first gold medal changed a lot of things for us. At that point, most of Pakistanis came to know that 'oh, we've got a women's cricket team'. Then, in Asian Games, we had Pakistan participating in more than 50 sports, and in previous eights years we had not won a single gold in any of those 50 categories. So, in a way, we were the first ones to bring home a gold in 2010. So that was really big moment for whole of Pakistan. That put us on the map."
The timing couldn't have been more perfect for the country that had been robbed of all home cricket after the visiting Sri Lankan men's team bus was attacked by armed gunmen barely months ago. "We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it.
"The second one was even more special, have to say, because even Sri Lanka was in the competition so it was a tougher pool that time around. I think defending a title is always a bigger challenge. So it was very special- being defending champions and going on to win it again.
"The first one, in 2010 no one basically expected it from us, but the second time everyone's expectations were there."
Having bought unprecedented laurels to the side, it came as a surprise to many when Mir decided to relinquish the T20 captaincy. However her decision was because of a bigger ideal.
"I think part of leadership - and my father discusses this a lot - he's always told me that developing people, nurturing future leaders is one of your key job as a leader," Mir observes. "I thought while I am still in my playing days, while I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands (and) I would have done my part."
Mir's two recent trips to India have been strangely contrasting but not short of drama. © Getty
Exceeding expectations is indeed the culture Mir is trying to inculcate in her side. A defeat doesn't bother her as long as she knows her team had left it all out on the field, but poor cricket rankles her. Probably why Mir takes a lot of pride in being a part of the team that got the better of India at ICC events - something that the Pakistan's men's side is yet to get off the mark with.
"Beating India in a World Cup and twice, and especially in India because the intensity is there, you can't just avoid that." She doesn't make any attempt to hide the thrill. "And it wasn't just because it was India, what was more important was delivering in a pressure situation. That's something that really satisfied me as a player and as a captain."
In 2013, when her side was holed up inside the Cuttack stadium for the entire duration of the doomed World Cup campaign because their security outside could not be guaranteed, Mir did not hide her frustration at being devoid of all human contact. Three years later, when they were to return to the neighbouring country for the World T20, the situation was none the better and their arrival was delayed several times adding to the uncertainty. But Mir - and she speaks for the whole team - went back a happy bunch.
"I think the 2013 World Cup was very taxing... but then this World Cup happened!
"All the Indians who were catering us in the dressing rooms, they were super, super sweet with us. Even after winning against India, I remember, when I was coming back to the dressing room I was just asking the girls to keep their celebrations a little low-profile because after all we were in India and they might just not feel that way. 'We can celebrate once we are back at the hotel and we are in our rooms but not in the dressing rooms, don't be too noisy'. And the girls agreed to it.
"But then when we went up to the dressing room and we were keeping it less loud, the caterers just came and they all just hugged us and congratulated us. Few of them also said that now we are going to root for you because we have got a chance to go the World Cup. It was really special. It was really special because that's what the spirit of sports is all about.
"It reminded me of the little boy after the toss. We were having the national anthems before the India-Pakistan game and the little boy I had the opportunity to take along with me, once the anthems were over, he turned around and said something that I did not understand in first attempt. I asked him again, I said 'what did you say', and he said 'good luck!' I was wowed. He was an Indian. It was really sweet of him to say that. We were playing against his country but he did make it a point to wish us luck.
"I did not get a chance to talk to that boy after the game but everyone I talk to about my visit this time, I tell them this incident and remember that boy. His name was either Arman or Amitabh," she recollects fondly. The regret in her eyes is palpable but it is a gesture that Mir would not forget in a hurry.
© Cricbuzz
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/92400/sana-mir-trailblazer-captain-icon-pakistan-cricket-team-womens-spotlight-by-purnima-malhotra
@WAJsal @Levina @Spring Onion @The Eagle
Purnima Malhotra
Sana Mir started her career as a fast bowler before a back injury turned her into a spinner. © Getty
Five minutes into the conversation, Sana Mir is quick to point out an oversight. "Batsmen must be the heroes in India, in Pakistan, bowlers are the heroes." (True That
)Let's be clear. Mir is still a fast bowler at heart, as she goes on to admit time and again.
Humayun Mir, an overprotective older brother, who was to later become her first coach, would warn his street gang that "they better behave with my sister". But while gully cricket became a guaranteed part of Sana's evening routine - where she volunteered to field for both sides, just to fit in - bowling privileges were to be earned on merit. And the eager beaver didn't disappoint either.
Smitten by the Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis duo, Mir picked up a liking for bowling fast at the age of six. So much so that the whole run-up, the posture and her action was modelled on Waqar. She wouldn't omit the head-band either. Not even on the streets, she adds.
An army man's daughter, Mir was quite an anomaly growing up. Even in a relatively progressive cantonment environment, there were the odd stares from passersby who'd be scandalised to see the only girl out and about on the streets. Mir chose not to pay any heed; that's how she made friends after all, every new city her father was posted in. Cricket in schools, anyway, was not meant for girls. Towards the backend of her high school, however, passion made way for education. For four years, Mir traded the ball for stacks of books. Until the 12th grade Chemistry exam rekindled the lost love.
"I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons (the atomic structures), I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!" Mir recalls, bursting into laughter. "That was the only thing my mind would get distracted to despite having not played for so long."
Mir's mother would have none of it. But contrary to what the then conservative society would have expected a parent to do, she pushed her daughter into the game instead. The PWCCA trials were a cakewalk for Mir who had honed her skills routinely on the streets of Pindi. So were the ones under PCB, that followed shortly after the ICC-IWCC merger, and Mir was one of the nine debutants at the 2005 Women's Asia Cup in Karachi. Mir announced herself at the highest level with an inswinger that castled a six-year veteran - and already a star by then - Mithali Raj.
Mir's affinity towards gully cricket stands out. "I own it! That's what has made me what I am today," Mir nods, a glint of pride in her eyes. "My whole experience of playing all that cricket with the boys has helped me a lot, in terms of giving confidence and developing cricket strategies.
"In gully cricket, at times, the offside is a wall and you have to (make the batsman) play only on the leg-side. Those kind of things have really helped me be a little more tactical about the sport."
Mir has no qualms in admitting that she never went to professional academies, which there were none for the ladies back in the day. Her playgrounds were the cantonment streets but the snag there was to be felt after a year in top-flight cricket. Lack of formal training meant that Mir had succeeded in emulating her childhood hero's complicated action but never really got the hang of the technique behind it. It comes as no surprise that when a series of stress fractures in the back threatened to end her nascent fast-bowling career, Mir looked back at her childhood days for inspiration. A pseudo Waqar Younis by the day, Mir turned a tweaker by night when there used to be just one night lamp to play under and fast-bowling, as a rule, was not allowed.
"After it used to get dark, we played with the plastic ball. And with a plastic ball you cannot bowl that fast, so I used to turn a spinner..."
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time." © Getty
On February 7, the offspinner raced to a rare milestone, becoming only the 15th woman - and first from her country - to register 100 ODI wickets. But in Mir, Pakistan gained more than just a wily bowler. She's the trailblazer, the captain, the leader women's cricket desperately needed for the sport to take off in the country.
Women's cricket in Pakistan has raced far ahead of the times since they were labelled miscreants and issued death threats in the '90s, and it is easy to understand why sports remained an untouchable subject for the longest time. That had been ingrained in the society's rulebook as a norm Mir is now desperate to change.
When the conservative families hesitated to send their girls through, Mir was there to counsel. When the parents played the education or the job card, Mir countered by highlighting the potential their daughters had outside of what the society deemed was an acceptable domain for its women. Of course, all the coaxing was sugarcoated with the lure of bringing glory to Pakistan and the family name.
I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons, I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!
Typically, she takes no credit for it. In fact, she chooses not to talk about it. Instead she goes to great lengths detailing on how the scenario is changing, for the better of course.
"I can say this for all the girls who you see in this Pakistan team. Because in Pakistan, there is no school or college cricket. So, all the girls who are ending up at this professional level, they have to be supported by their families.
"PCB is developing the domestic structure and the things are getting better but otherwise there is no school cricket, there is none at college (level) but still the girls are playing. That itself shows that it is the families who are encouraging them. But this kind of news does not go to the mainstream media because they think Pakistan is a very conservative country and the families might not be supportive. It is because of our families that we are here, its because of the support of our fathers and brothers, our mothers, everyone."
The introduction of central contracts took a long time coming but took care of the financials. Additionally, Mir shares that the four departments of the domestic circuit now hand out jobs to women cricketers.
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time. Because, if you play day in and day out [but] no international team is coming [home], you get limited matches - like initially when we started off in 2005, we used to get 4-5 matches per year. Basically compromising studies, not attending colleges because you have to go for camp, at that point it was really difficult to keep the girls coming and convincing the parents that this might turn into their profession one day.
"Now I feel the parents are more at ease with letting their daughters experiment with cricket and see if they are good enough."
But that journey was no cakewalk. The team was expected to translate passion into victories against semi-professional outfits. Not so long ago, a bulk of the side had come just off the streets, which took them longer than usual to prepare for the rigours of international cricket. "They would either be a very good bowler or a batter, say, but would lack in either the fielding department or fitness, or both... [Back then] they would make it to the national side because of their one skill that can make a difference.
"At the moment there are a maximum of four to five big schools and colleges who have cricket. But for me, at the national level, that's not a functional cricket setup. For a functional cricket setup, you have to have cricket at the grassroots in every city, every other school.
"Only once you have a domestic structure very competitive - like IPL has done for you guys, PSL is doing for the men's side in our country... then it feeds better players to the national side."
"We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened [in Lahore 2009] and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it." © Getty
Unlike the men's team, for them, the season is limited. International or otherwise, the opportunities to rub shoulders with the best in the business, and improvise in the process, are restricted to a handful of games every year. Even the facilities are limited. "But the competition at the international level and the expectations are just the same," she rues.
"Because people want the team to win. Not everybody, not many know the details of our journey, the struggles we have had in the past ten years. So, I think, the expectations are same. If you're in Pakistan team, everybody would want you to win the game for your country no matter what. See, that's why we also play; we also want to win for our country but there are challenges [that not many know].
"If you see other countries like Australia, New Zealand, England and others, there sports is a culture, a part of daily life. Any girl who in fact is not playing a sport at the school level might come across as a strange exception. But in Pakistan, or in Asia, when a girl takes up sport, she sometimes is questioned 'why are you doing this?"
Lack of exposure is partially to be blamed. The opportunity to feel appreciated and, in turn, inspire is a concept still alien to this side.
"For a star to feel like a star, they should be shown on television. If you have a good spell that people can watch and will appreciate, that will give you more confidence. And you also inspire more people. It gives you an opportunity to improve yourself a lot because then critics also come in. So yeah, exposure is definitely something that would be really good for the girls... if people can see them performing and if they can perform in front of an audience, that confidence is something else."
While I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands and I would have done my part.
Women's cricket across the globe has struggled to get a fair share of the pie - be it pay package or limelight - and Pakistan is no exception. But the lack of cricket on home soil has diluted both the bench strength and the interest of the audience, Mir rues.
"I think the biggest struggle is the lack of international cricket back home. We have developed the team on foreign grounds, in foreign conditions. That's also why I give a lot of credit to my girls. The batters have to operate in foreign conditions every time and even our bowlers - we bank on our spinners but when we go to Australia or England, even then we have to bank on our spinners because that's been our strength.
"The lack of international cricket at home has affected our reserve bank of payers as well. When we go to Australia or other countries, we get a chance to play with their A teams and under-19 teams but our such teams never get that chance to play (against) quality oppositions. That alone I think has been the biggest struggle."
That's where Mir, the captain, stepped in. When playing at home was not an option any more, Mir put all her efforts into inspiring her team to victories at the global stage. This captured the imagination of the people back home, broke gender stereotypes in an otherwise rigid community and eventually opened up more avenues for women in the country.
"I think it has opened the field of sports for women," she notes, humbly adding, "if I and my team are not taking a lot of credit for it.
"I say that because before the cricket team, there have been individuals in athletics, mountaineering and fields like that where they have achieved success individually and impacted people. But doing it as a team gives a bigger message... it has opened a lot of opportunities for women in general. Now people encourage their daughters to take up sports at different levels because they have seen that cricket can bring glory to the families and to Pakistan. That's the mindset we have been able to change."
Probably why the back-to-back golds at the Asian Games feature right at the top of her list of career highs.
"The first gold medal changed a lot of things for us. At that point, most of Pakistanis came to know that 'oh, we've got a women's cricket team'. Then, in Asian Games, we had Pakistan participating in more than 50 sports, and in previous eights years we had not won a single gold in any of those 50 categories. So, in a way, we were the first ones to bring home a gold in 2010. So that was really big moment for whole of Pakistan. That put us on the map."
The timing couldn't have been more perfect for the country that had been robbed of all home cricket after the visiting Sri Lankan men's team bus was attacked by armed gunmen barely months ago. "We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it.
"The second one was even more special, have to say, because even Sri Lanka was in the competition so it was a tougher pool that time around. I think defending a title is always a bigger challenge. So it was very special- being defending champions and going on to win it again.
"The first one, in 2010 no one basically expected it from us, but the second time everyone's expectations were there."
Having bought unprecedented laurels to the side, it came as a surprise to many when Mir decided to relinquish the T20 captaincy. However her decision was because of a bigger ideal.
"I think part of leadership - and my father discusses this a lot - he's always told me that developing people, nurturing future leaders is one of your key job as a leader," Mir observes. "I thought while I am still in my playing days, while I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands (and) I would have done my part."
Mir's two recent trips to India have been strangely contrasting but not short of drama. © Getty
Exceeding expectations is indeed the culture Mir is trying to inculcate in her side. A defeat doesn't bother her as long as she knows her team had left it all out on the field, but poor cricket rankles her. Probably why Mir takes a lot of pride in being a part of the team that got the better of India at ICC events - something that the Pakistan's men's side is yet to get off the mark with.
"Beating India in a World Cup and twice, and especially in India because the intensity is there, you can't just avoid that." She doesn't make any attempt to hide the thrill. "And it wasn't just because it was India, what was more important was delivering in a pressure situation. That's something that really satisfied me as a player and as a captain."
In 2013, when her side was holed up inside the Cuttack stadium for the entire duration of the doomed World Cup campaign because their security outside could not be guaranteed, Mir did not hide her frustration at being devoid of all human contact. Three years later, when they were to return to the neighbouring country for the World T20, the situation was none the better and their arrival was delayed several times adding to the uncertainty. But Mir - and she speaks for the whole team - went back a happy bunch.
"I think the 2013 World Cup was very taxing... but then this World Cup happened!
"All the Indians who were catering us in the dressing rooms, they were super, super sweet with us. Even after winning against India, I remember, when I was coming back to the dressing room I was just asking the girls to keep their celebrations a little low-profile because after all we were in India and they might just not feel that way. 'We can celebrate once we are back at the hotel and we are in our rooms but not in the dressing rooms, don't be too noisy'. And the girls agreed to it.
"But then when we went up to the dressing room and we were keeping it less loud, the caterers just came and they all just hugged us and congratulated us. Few of them also said that now we are going to root for you because we have got a chance to go the World Cup. It was really special. It was really special because that's what the spirit of sports is all about.
"It reminded me of the little boy after the toss. We were having the national anthems before the India-Pakistan game and the little boy I had the opportunity to take along with me, once the anthems were over, he turned around and said something that I did not understand in first attempt. I asked him again, I said 'what did you say', and he said 'good luck!' I was wowed. He was an Indian. It was really sweet of him to say that. We were playing against his country but he did make it a point to wish us luck.
"I did not get a chance to talk to that boy after the game but everyone I talk to about my visit this time, I tell them this incident and remember that boy. His name was either Arman or Amitabh," she recollects fondly. The regret in her eyes is palpable but it is a gesture that Mir would not forget in a hurry.
© Cricbuzz
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/92400/sana-mir-trailblazer-captain-icon-pakistan-cricket-team-womens-spotlight-by-purnima-malhotra
@WAJsal @Levina @Spring Onion @The Eagle
WAJsal
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Arsalan
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What happened?
BTW, welcome to the club
A good player and an EXCELLENT person this lady.Sana Mir - Trailblazer, Captain, Icon
Purnima Malhotra
View attachment 379129
Sana Mir started her career as a fast bowler before a back injury turned her into a spinner. © Getty
Five minutes into the conversation, Sana Mir is quick to point out an oversight. "Batsmen must be the heroes in India, in Pakistan, bowlers are the heroes." (True That
Let's be clear. Mir is still a fast bowler at heart, as she goes on to admit time and again.
Humayun Mir, an overprotective older brother, who was to later become her first coach, would warn his street gang that "they better behave with my sister". But while gully cricket became a guaranteed part of Sana's evening routine - where she volunteered to field for both sides, just to fit in - bowling privileges were to be earned on merit. And the eager beaver didn't disappoint either.
Smitten by the Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis duo, Mir picked up a liking for bowling fast at the age of six. So much so that the whole run-up, the posture and her action was modelled on Waqar. She wouldn't omit the head-band either. Not even on the streets, she adds.
An army man's daughter, Mir was quite an anomaly growing up. Even in a relatively progressive cantonment environment, there were the odd stares from passersby who'd be scandalised to see the only girl out and about on the streets. Mir chose not to pay any heed; that's how she made friends after all, every new city her father was posted in. Cricket in schools, anyway, was not meant for girls. Towards the backend of her high school, however, passion made way for education. For four years, Mir traded the ball for stacks of books. Until the 12th grade Chemistry exam rekindled the lost love.
"I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons (the atomic structures), I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!" Mir recalls, bursting into laughter. "That was the only thing my mind would get distracted to despite having not played for so long."
Mir's mother would have none of it. But contrary to what the then conservative society would have expected a parent to do, she pushed her daughter into the game instead. The PWCCA trials were a cakewalk for Mir who had honed her skills routinely on the streets of Pindi. So were the ones under PCB, that followed shortly after the ICC-IWCC merger, and Mir was one of the nine debutants at the 2005 Women's Asia Cup in Karachi. Mir announced herself at the highest level with an inswinger that castled a six-year veteran - and already a star by then - Mithali Raj.
Mir's affinity towards gully cricket stands out. "I own it! That's what has made me what I am today," Mir nods, a glint of pride in her eyes. "My whole experience of playing all that cricket with the boys has helped me a lot, in terms of giving confidence and developing cricket strategies.
"In gully cricket, at times, the offside is a wall and you have to (make the batsman) play only on the leg-side. Those kind of things have really helped me be a little more tactical about the sport."
Mir has no qualms in admitting that she never went to professional academies, which there were none for the ladies back in the day. Her playgrounds were the cantonment streets but the snag there was to be felt after a year in top-flight cricket. Lack of formal training meant that Mir had succeeded in emulating her childhood hero's complicated action but never really got the hang of the technique behind it. It comes as no surprise that when a series of stress fractures in the back threatened to end her nascent fast-bowling career, Mir looked back at her childhood days for inspiration. A pseudo Waqar Younis by the day, Mir turned a tweaker by night when there used to be just one night lamp to play under and fast-bowling, as a rule, was not allowed.
"After it used to get dark, we played with the plastic ball. And with a plastic ball you cannot bowl that fast, so I used to turn a spinner..."
View attachment 379130
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time." © Getty
On February 7, the offspinner raced to a rare milestone, becoming only the 15th woman - and first from her country - to register 100 ODI wickets. But in Mir, Pakistan gained more than just a wily bowler. She's the trailblazer, the captain, the leader women's cricket desperately needed for the sport to take off in the country.
Women's cricket in Pakistan has raced far ahead of the times since they were labelled miscreants and issued death threats in the '90s, and it is easy to understand why sports remained an untouchable subject for the longest time. That had been ingrained in the society's rulebook as a norm Mir is now desperate to change.
When the conservative families hesitated to send their girls through, Mir was there to counsel. When the parents played the education or the job card, Mir countered by highlighting the potential their daughters had outside of what the society deemed was an acceptable domain for its women. Of course, all the coaxing was sugarcoated with the lure of bringing glory to Pakistan and the family name.
I was preparing for my chemistry paper, I remember, and while making electrons and protons, I would switch from that and start setting my field on the paper!
Typically, she takes no credit for it. In fact, she chooses not to talk about it. Instead she goes to great lengths detailing on how the scenario is changing, for the better of course.
"I can say this for all the girls who you see in this Pakistan team. Because in Pakistan, there is no school or college cricket. So, all the girls who are ending up at this professional level, they have to be supported by their families.
"PCB is developing the domestic structure and the things are getting better but otherwise there is no school cricket, there is none at college (level) but still the girls are playing. That itself shows that it is the families who are encouraging them. But this kind of news does not go to the mainstream media because they think Pakistan is a very conservative country and the families might not be supportive. It is because of our families that we are here, its because of the support of our fathers and brothers, our mothers, everyone."
The introduction of central contracts took a long time coming but took care of the financials. Additionally, Mir shares that the four departments of the domestic circuit now hand out jobs to women cricketers.
"Now cricket's become a more respectable job and now they don't think that their daughters are merely wasting time. Because, if you play day in and day out [but] no international team is coming [home], you get limited matches - like initially when we started off in 2005, we used to get 4-5 matches per year. Basically compromising studies, not attending colleges because you have to go for camp, at that point it was really difficult to keep the girls coming and convincing the parents that this might turn into their profession one day.
"Now I feel the parents are more at ease with letting their daughters experiment with cricket and see if they are good enough."
But that journey was no cakewalk. The team was expected to translate passion into victories against semi-professional outfits. Not so long ago, a bulk of the side had come just off the streets, which took them longer than usual to prepare for the rigours of international cricket. "They would either be a very good bowler or a batter, say, but would lack in either the fielding department or fitness, or both... [Back then] they would make it to the national side because of their one skill that can make a difference.
"At the moment there are a maximum of four to five big schools and colleges who have cricket. But for me, at the national level, that's not a functional cricket setup. For a functional cricket setup, you have to have cricket at the grassroots in every city, every other school.
"Only once you have a domestic structure very competitive - like IPL has done for you guys, PSL is doing for the men's side in our country... then it feeds better players to the national side."
View attachment 379131
"We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened [in Lahore 2009] and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it." © Getty
Unlike the men's team, for them, the season is limited. International or otherwise, the opportunities to rub shoulders with the best in the business, and improvise in the process, are restricted to a handful of games every year. Even the facilities are limited. "But the competition at the international level and the expectations are just the same," she rues.
"Because people want the team to win. Not everybody, not many know the details of our journey, the struggles we have had in the past ten years. So, I think, the expectations are same. If you're in Pakistan team, everybody would want you to win the game for your country no matter what. See, that's why we also play; we also want to win for our country but there are challenges [that not many know].
"If you see other countries like Australia, New Zealand, England and others, there sports is a culture, a part of daily life. Any girl who in fact is not playing a sport at the school level might come across as a strange exception. But in Pakistan, or in Asia, when a girl takes up sport, she sometimes is questioned 'why are you doing this?"
Lack of exposure is partially to be blamed. The opportunity to feel appreciated and, in turn, inspire is a concept still alien to this side.
"For a star to feel like a star, they should be shown on television. If you have a good spell that people can watch and will appreciate, that will give you more confidence. And you also inspire more people. It gives you an opportunity to improve yourself a lot because then critics also come in. So yeah, exposure is definitely something that would be really good for the girls... if people can see them performing and if they can perform in front of an audience, that confidence is something else."
While I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands and I would have done my part.
Women's cricket across the globe has struggled to get a fair share of the pie - be it pay package or limelight - and Pakistan is no exception. But the lack of cricket on home soil has diluted both the bench strength and the interest of the audience, Mir rues.
"I think the biggest struggle is the lack of international cricket back home. We have developed the team on foreign grounds, in foreign conditions. That's also why I give a lot of credit to my girls. The batters have to operate in foreign conditions every time and even our bowlers - we bank on our spinners but when we go to Australia or England, even then we have to bank on our spinners because that's been our strength.
"The lack of international cricket at home has affected our reserve bank of payers as well. When we go to Australia or other countries, we get a chance to play with their A teams and under-19 teams but our such teams never get that chance to play (against) quality oppositions. That alone I think has been the biggest struggle."
That's where Mir, the captain, stepped in. When playing at home was not an option any more, Mir put all her efforts into inspiring her team to victories at the global stage. This captured the imagination of the people back home, broke gender stereotypes in an otherwise rigid community and eventually opened up more avenues for women in the country.
"I think it has opened the field of sports for women," she notes, humbly adding, "if I and my team are not taking a lot of credit for it.
"I say that because before the cricket team, there have been individuals in athletics, mountaineering and fields like that where they have achieved success individually and impacted people. But doing it as a team gives a bigger message... it has opened a lot of opportunities for women in general. Now people encourage their daughters to take up sports at different levels because they have seen that cricket can bring glory to the families and to Pakistan. That's the mindset we have been able to change."
Probably why the back-to-back golds at the Asian Games feature right at the top of her list of career highs.
"The first gold medal changed a lot of things for us. At that point, most of Pakistanis came to know that 'oh, we've got a women's cricket team'. Then, in Asian Games, we had Pakistan participating in more than 50 sports, and in previous eights years we had not won a single gold in any of those 50 categories. So, in a way, we were the first ones to bring home a gold in 2010. So that was really big moment for whole of Pakistan. That put us on the map."
The timing couldn't have been more perfect for the country that had been robbed of all home cricket after the visiting Sri Lankan men's team bus was attacked by armed gunmen barely months ago. "We as Pakistanis desperately wanted a good news after what had happened and I am really thankful to God that we had been able to do it.
"The second one was even more special, have to say, because even Sri Lanka was in the competition so it was a tougher pool that time around. I think defending a title is always a bigger challenge. So it was very special- being defending champions and going on to win it again.
"The first one, in 2010 no one basically expected it from us, but the second time everyone's expectations were there."
Having bought unprecedented laurels to the side, it came as a surprise to many when Mir decided to relinquish the T20 captaincy. However her decision was because of a bigger ideal.
"I think part of leadership - and my father discusses this a lot - he's always told me that developing people, nurturing future leaders is one of your key job as a leader," Mir observes. "I thought while I am still in my playing days, while I can still contribute on the ground as a player, if we can have another leader being groomed, then Pakistan will be in good hands (and) I would have done my part."
View attachment 379132
Mir's two recent trips to India have been strangely contrasting but not short of drama. © Getty
Exceeding expectations is indeed the culture Mir is trying to inculcate in her side. A defeat doesn't bother her as long as she knows her team had left it all out on the field, but poor cricket rankles her. Probably why Mir takes a lot of pride in being a part of the team that got the better of India at ICC events - something that the Pakistan's men's side is yet to get off the mark with.
"Beating India in a World Cup and twice, and especially in India because the intensity is there, you can't just avoid that." She doesn't make any attempt to hide the thrill. "And it wasn't just because it was India, what was more important was delivering in a pressure situation. That's something that really satisfied me as a player and as a captain."
In 2013, when her side was holed up inside the Cuttack stadium for the entire duration of the doomed World Cup campaign because their security outside could not be guaranteed, Mir did not hide her frustration at being devoid of all human contact. Three years later, when they were to return to the neighbouring country for the World T20, the situation was none the better and their arrival was delayed several times adding to the uncertainty. But Mir - and she speaks for the whole team - went back a happy bunch.
"I think the 2013 World Cup was very taxing... but then this World Cup happened!
"All the Indians who were catering us in the dressing rooms, they were super, super sweet with us. Even after winning against India, I remember, when I was coming back to the dressing room I was just asking the girls to keep their celebrations a little low-profile because after all we were in India and they might just not feel that way. 'We can celebrate once we are back at the hotel and we are in our rooms but not in the dressing rooms, don't be too noisy'. And the girls agreed to it.
"But then when we went up to the dressing room and we were keeping it less loud, the caterers just came and they all just hugged us and congratulated us. Few of them also said that now we are going to root for you because we have got a chance to go the World Cup. It was really special. It was really special because that's what the spirit of sports is all about.
"It reminded me of the little boy after the toss. We were having the national anthems before the India-Pakistan game and the little boy I had the opportunity to take along with me, once the anthems were over, he turned around and said something that I did not understand in first attempt. I asked him again, I said 'what did you say', and he said 'good luck!' I was wowed. He was an Indian. It was really sweet of him to say that. We were playing against his country but he did make it a point to wish us luck.
"I did not get a chance to talk to that boy after the game but everyone I talk to about my visit this time, I tell them this incident and remember that boy. His name was either Arman or Amitabh," she recollects fondly. The regret in her eyes is palpable but it is a gesture that Mir would not forget in a hurry.
© Cricbuzz
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/92400/sana-mir-trailblazer-captain-icon-pakistan-cricket-team-womens-spotlight-by-purnima-malhotra
@WAJsal @Levina @Spring Onion @The Eagle
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anant_s
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David taming Goliath
am sure the losing team won't commit the mistake of taking your team lightly again.
WAJsal
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Exactly, actually they have respect for us but don't see our team fit for a good contest. And trust me they had some real good batsmen. Took 3 wickets, and conceded only 4 runs in two overs. Match was over within 6 overs. It was a good day. Wish we were filming it man.David taming Goliath
am sure the losing team won't commit the mistake of taking your team lightly again.
Rattled the middle stumps on two occasions, should have seen our celebrations.
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