There haven't been more Cricket posts than I though there will be but now I'm back with one. As the title says, it's all about how much crazy I am for cricket.
Ever since I've gained senses, cricket has been an integral part of my life. I don't remember the 1992 world cup but I clearly remember the hype and all the support for Srilankans after Pakistan was knocked out in the Quarter Final. Since the day my mum allowed me to step outside my home an hour before Maghrib, Cricket was the only thing I played. By the age of 6, I had remembered names of players of every single Cricket playing team and my uncle used me around his friends to brag that his 'bhanja' knows everything about cricket and I used to tell them about all the players.
Cricket has always been there with me. When I lost my brothers, I was all alone and what I did was to make imaginary friends and named them according the that time Pakistani cricket team players. Batting was done in a way that the ball was dropped just in front of my bat and it was whacked away around the room. There was a little nudge on sixth ball of every over so that I take a single and keep the strike. Bowling now and it was done in a way that a fast ball was bowled against a bat leaned on a wall and as it was rebounded towards the bed, a diving catch was taken and I had the feeling of the best fielder in the world. In case the ball hit the padlock, the imaginary batsman was considered bowled. There were so many hattricks that I took and sometimes the opposing team was out within mere ten deliveries. And yes, I've realised now that I was nearly a psychic back then :)
Then there was this incident involving my grandfather. He had his eye operated and was staying with us. While I continued to enjoy my free time playing cricket alone, once the plastic ball hit his operated eye. That day, he told that if I ever become a cricketer, I should narrate this incident when I'll receive my first Man Of The Match award.
Coming on to my love for watching Cricket, as I said earlier, I was into it from the day I understood Cricket. Me and my father used to sit together and watch till the very last ball. There were times when my father used to stop eating if Pakistani team lost. On the other hand, I've always hoped for good. There was the 1999 world cup when I sat there and watched every single match and cheered for Pakistani team and when they lost in the final, I prayed till the last ball that a miracle can happen. I prayed till the last ball when Pakistani team was battered by India in 2003 world cup and when they unexpectedly lost to Ireland in the 2007 world Cup. On the other hand, there have been quite a lot happy moments being a Pakistani cricket fan. There was this Tri Series in Australia in 1998 or 1999 when I followed it while spending my vacations in Tando Alah Yaar ( A village in Sindh). Then there was this famous match between Pakistan and SriLanka in Sharjah, I was screaming all around my Nani's place while no one had a clue what was happening. I still have all those memories of Pakistan winning those Sharjah cups, Afridi hitting those boards to earn the cash prize and Pakistan winning the Sharjah cup every next year. I still have that memory in my mind when Pakistan won the Asia Cup last time after they were down and out and Moin Khan batted beautifully in the death overs.
The craziness about cricket in me can be judged from the fact that in my childhood, the shopkeepers in the market just opposite to my house used to ask me when will be the next match of Pakistani Cricket Team and asked me to share my EXPERT opinion on the current form. They still do that though, just before every single match and I'm sure there will be discussion about today's victory against England tomorrow.
When it comes to playing, I'm a leg spin bowler. Because of my unwanted extra weight, I couldn't bowl fast, so I switched towards Spin and that has give me an edge. Batsmen find it really difficult to read the spin and in matches of mere 6 overs, every dot ball is priceless. As I concentrated on spin bowling, the pace generated itself and I can now bowl medium pace whenever I need to. People sometime complain that I'm over enthusiastic but that is me, when I play cricket, I play with passion. There have been many incidents when a fight nearly broke out because I usually yell 'NIKAL' whenever I take a wicket. As for batting, I'm not a very big hitter. I like to spend time in crease, get settled and then whack over the boundary when I have clearly set my foot inside. I play spin really well.
As for current thoughts on Pakistani Cricket Team, well as everyone say, they are unpredictable and that is what their strength as well as weakness is. they can never be consistent. after they whitewashed the number one test in the world, we were hoping to see them continue grabbing the glory in ODIs too but the reverse happened. England took their revenge and whitewashed Pakistan Now to T20s and wow, it was an emphatic start to the series. Ovais Zia was sensational as well as it was good to see Umar Gul back in good form too after he got the beating in the ODI series. Even when they were losing, I listened till the very last word of radio commentary (Thanks to KESC -.-) before switching it off in depression. But I had a belief and today, they are back to winning ways.
Be Green. Feel Green. Live Green. Bleed Green. And you know what, I LOVE YOU Team Green ♥
And here's this amazing song by Junoon dedicated to the awesome Pakistan Cricket Team
Ever since I've gained senses, cricket has been an integral part of my life. I don't remember the 1992 world cup but I clearly remember the hype and all the support for Srilankans after Pakistan was knocked out in the Quarter Final. Since the day my mum allowed me to step outside my home an hour before Maghrib, Cricket was the only thing I played. By the age of 6, I had remembered names of players of every single Cricket playing team and my uncle used me around his friends to brag that his 'bhanja' knows everything about cricket and I used to tell them about all the players.
Cricket has always been there with me. When I lost my brothers, I was all alone and what I did was to make imaginary friends and named them according the that time Pakistani cricket team players. Batting was done in a way that the ball was dropped just in front of my bat and it was whacked away around the room. There was a little nudge on sixth ball of every over so that I take a single and keep the strike. Bowling now and it was done in a way that a fast ball was bowled against a bat leaned on a wall and as it was rebounded towards the bed, a diving catch was taken and I had the feeling of the best fielder in the world. In case the ball hit the padlock, the imaginary batsman was considered bowled. There were so many hattricks that I took and sometimes the opposing team was out within mere ten deliveries. And yes, I've realised now that I was nearly a psychic back then :)
Then there was this incident involving my grandfather. He had his eye operated and was staying with us. While I continued to enjoy my free time playing cricket alone, once the plastic ball hit his operated eye. That day, he told that if I ever become a cricketer, I should narrate this incident when I'll receive my first Man Of The Match award.
Coming on to my love for watching Cricket, as I said earlier, I was into it from the day I understood Cricket. Me and my father used to sit together and watch till the very last ball. There were times when my father used to stop eating if Pakistani team lost. On the other hand, I've always hoped for good. There was the 1999 world cup when I sat there and watched every single match and cheered for Pakistani team and when they lost in the final, I prayed till the last ball that a miracle can happen. I prayed till the last ball when Pakistani team was battered by India in 2003 world cup and when they unexpectedly lost to Ireland in the 2007 world Cup. On the other hand, there have been quite a lot happy moments being a Pakistani cricket fan. There was this Tri Series in Australia in 1998 or 1999 when I followed it while spending my vacations in Tando Alah Yaar ( A village in Sindh). Then there was this famous match between Pakistan and SriLanka in Sharjah, I was screaming all around my Nani's place while no one had a clue what was happening. I still have all those memories of Pakistan winning those Sharjah cups, Afridi hitting those boards to earn the cash prize and Pakistan winning the Sharjah cup every next year. I still have that memory in my mind when Pakistan won the Asia Cup last time after they were down and out and Moin Khan batted beautifully in the death overs.
The craziness about cricket in me can be judged from the fact that in my childhood, the shopkeepers in the market just opposite to my house used to ask me when will be the next match of Pakistani Cricket Team and asked me to share my EXPERT opinion on the current form. They still do that though, just before every single match and I'm sure there will be discussion about today's victory against England tomorrow.
When it comes to playing, I'm a leg spin bowler. Because of my unwanted extra weight, I couldn't bowl fast, so I switched towards Spin and that has give me an edge. Batsmen find it really difficult to read the spin and in matches of mere 6 overs, every dot ball is priceless. As I concentrated on spin bowling, the pace generated itself and I can now bowl medium pace whenever I need to. People sometime complain that I'm over enthusiastic but that is me, when I play cricket, I play with passion. There have been many incidents when a fight nearly broke out because I usually yell 'NIKAL' whenever I take a wicket. As for batting, I'm not a very big hitter. I like to spend time in crease, get settled and then whack over the boundary when I have clearly set my foot inside. I play spin really well.
As for current thoughts on Pakistani Cricket Team, well as everyone say, they are unpredictable and that is what their strength as well as weakness is. they can never be consistent. after they whitewashed the number one test in the world, we were hoping to see them continue grabbing the glory in ODIs too but the reverse happened. England took their revenge and whitewashed Pakistan Now to T20s and wow, it was an emphatic start to the series. Ovais Zia was sensational as well as it was good to see Umar Gul back in good form too after he got the beating in the ODI series. Even when they were losing, I listened till the very last word of radio commentary (Thanks to KESC -.-) before switching it off in depression. But I had a belief and today, they are back to winning ways.
Be Green. Feel Green. Live Green. Bleed Green. And you know what, I LOVE YOU Team Green ♥
And here's this amazing song by Junoon dedicated to the awesome Pakistan Cricket Team
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