Syed Khalid Mahmood Date of Birth: 18 November 1963 (Scorpio) Education: Cadet College Petaro, Delhi College Karachi Bachelor of Engineering (Civil): NED University, Karachi 1981-1986 Contributed to The Cricketer Pakistan, Cricket World Quarterly and World of Cricket since 1980. Joined the Frontier Post as a sports reporter at the Karachi Bureau in September 1987. After a brief stint with the Pakistan Hockey as editor in 1990 he joined The News, owned by the Jang Group of Newspapers in Karachi, before its launch in February 1991. Focus on World Cup 1975-87 was his first book published on the eve of the 1987 Cricket World Cup. Then he authored The Caribbean Challenge, Pakistanís Triumph in World Cup 1992, Pakistan: The Land of World Champions, Pakistanís Sports Greats, So Near Yet So Far, Spotlight on World Cup 2003, Top of the Charts, Mission Caribbean, Cricket Fever and Asian Glory. REFLECTIONS-3 A collectionof Articles on Sports Syed Khalid Mahmood Foreword by Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur Published by Jumbo Publishing Dedicated to my daughters Javeria & Beenish Copyright © Syed Khalid Mahmood ISBN: 978-969-8893-35-4 1st Edition: 2014 Price in Pakistan: Rs. 1,000 Cover Design: Irfan Mubashir Inside Layout: Adeel Ahmed Published by Jumbo Publishing Suite # 15, Ground Floor, Habib Chamber, ST-12, Block 14, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, University Road, Karachi-75300, Pakistan Phones: +9221 34890388, 34890389 Fax: +9221 34890387 Web: www.jumbopublishing.com Email: [email protected] All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publishers and the copyright holder. 4 REFLECTIONS-3 Foreword Like many others, the mind sport of bridge has had its share of highs and lows in Pakistan over the years. There was a golden period in the 1980s when Pakistan had shocked the world by having excelled in the Bermuda Bowl and the Rosenblum Cup. The Pakistan outfit comprising of Nishat Abedi, Nisar Ahmed, Munir Ataullah, Jan-e-Alam Fazli, Zia Mahmood and Masood Saleem had created a sensation by ending as the runner-up in the Bermuda Bowl, regarded as the most important open world championship, staged at New York City, USA, in 1981. Pakistan then came up with another stunning performance by having secured second place in the 1986 Rosenblum Cup, the open world championship in even- number non-Olympic years. We have produced quite a few world class bridge players who have earned laurels from time to time. We have played host to some of the most memorable international events, having attracted the top performers. With our various initiatives, we have tried to lay solid infrastructure for bridge in Pakistan. We have remained grateful to the media fraternity for having provided us the kind of coverage we looked for during the course of international competitions. Syed Khalid Mahmood’s contribution in promoting bridge deserves special mention and due recognition. Because of him many untold stories of bridge have seen the light of the day. We hold him in high esteem and acknowledge his services to bridge in particular. Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur President, Pakistan Bridge Federation Karachi. REFLECTIONS-3 5 Contents Does a journalist or writers body come into being so mysteriously? ..............................8 Spot-fixing, match-fixing to continue despite ICC actions.............................................10 Dhoni does it for India to recapture crown after 28 years .............................................12 Life may not be same for India after Kirsten .................................................................14 Ghias, Kashif come out trumps in Dilshad bridge tourney............................................16 Munaf Patel indeed was unsung hero of India's World Cup triumph ............................18 Wasim Hashmi’s initiatives take Judo to rural Sindh ....................................................20 IPL threatens future of cricket .......................................................................................22 Victorious Pakistan bridge squad gets mixed response upon arrival............................24 IPL virus hurts India in Caribbean.................................................................................26 Reunion of Azeem Sarwar’s prodigies revive golden memories...................................28 Abdul Qadir Qureshi hosts reception to honour Arif Afzal Usmani ...............................30 Nawab Yousuf Talpur greets BFAME champions .........................................................32 India’s abandoned chase raises eyebrows again .........................................................34 IPL causes India’s debacle in England .........................................................................36 Omar Cricket Club lift Bahria Town Trophy ...................................................................38 Getting associated with IPL appeared Tiger Pataudi’s greatest mistake ......................40 Myra Nur Lakdawala could become Pakistan’s next athletics sensation......................42 Was the 1996 World Cup semifinal really fixed? ..........................................................44 Revisiting living legend Jamsheed Marker ...................................................................46 Pakistan’s greatest sports administrator Nur Khan is no more .....................................48 Not so happy birthday Rahul Dravid! ............................................................................50 The end of an era for sure ............................................................................................52 England cricket dead and buried in UAE ......................................................................54 IBSF chief considers Karachi safe for World Snooker Championship..........................56 Match gifted to celebrate Tendulkar’s 100th ton?.............................................................58 6 REFLECTIONS-3 Contents Hunain, Majid crash at first knockout hurdle.................................................................60 in World Under-21 Snooker Championship Shahid Afridi to boost Rotary International’s Polio Eradication Campaign ...................62 Dravid’s warning should open cash-hungry BCCI’s eyes .............................................64 KMC-PBSA sign MoU to build snooker academy .........................................................66 Recalling Wasim Bari’s pivotal role in Pakistan cricket .................................................68 ‘Sain’ Razaullah Khan is no more .................................................................................70 Asif brings world snooker crown to Pakistan after 18 years .........................................72 SSUET to keep Aligarh spirit alive by sports promotion in big way: .............................74 Engr Z.A. Nizami Tendulkar quits ODIs at least ........................................................................................76 Pakistan’s highest qualified cricket coach deserves recognition, responsibility ...........78 Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah's memories will live on ..........................................................80 Hasib Ahsan ruled Pakistan cricket without heading it .................................................82 Hockey wizard Islahuddin has Jubilee connection .......................................................84 Unsung Arif Taherbhoy calls it a day.............................................................................85 Shoaib Alam makes debut as ACBS Tournament Director ...........................................87 Ali Zafar Khan Afridi: Unsung swimming maestro.........................................................89 Mohammad Adil Usman: From badminton champion to chancellor .............................92 Irfan Mirza’s tribute to Munir Hussain ...........................................................................95 The pioneer of cricket coaching in Pakistan is no more ...............................................97 Nadeem Omar’s jackpot for snooker world champion ..................................................99 Nadeem Omar launches presidential campaign with a bang .....................................101 Recalling Tendulkar’s Test debut at National Stadium Karachi...................................103 Nadeem Omar reckons Karachi can produce high-quality fast bowlers .....................106 Anwar Ahmad Khan: Hockey’s greatest-ever centre-half ..........................109 REFLECTIONS-3 7 Does a journalist or writers body come into being so mysteriously? January 22, 2011 What a shame that the get-together on the evening of January 18 at Karachi Gymkhana was manipulated and exploited in such a horrible manner. A handful of cricket journalists and writers were invited verbally for an exchange of views over dinner. The proceedings, lasting an hour or so, were conducted formally and there were relevant speeches to raise the issue of bringing back international cricket to Pakistan. Every speaker, that included Arif Ali Khan Abbasi, Wasim Akram and Iqbal Qasim, had welcomed the idea of sharing views but there was no mention of any group or association getting formed there and not a single announcement to this effect was made during the meeting. The subsequent announcement through a press release that a Cricket Writers (Journalists) Association was launched with an aim to serve the game loved by millions in Pakistan, has come as