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........29 Nov 2012
How to become a professional cricketer (Pakistan edition)
With such a deep love for the game, everyone in the country seems to want to play at the highest level.
Competition is hot.
So how do you go about making it as a professional if you live in Pakistan?
The structure of cricket in Pakistan:
To make it as a professional, you need to play First-class cricket.
Most professional teams in Pakistan represent Pakistan companies (such as Habib Bank and Pakistan International Airlines) are known as 'departmental teams'. They play in a first class competition called Patrons Trophy. These are split into two grades.
There are also several regional professional sides taking part in the Quaid-E-Azam Trophy, this is also split into two grades.
The teams play between September and April every year.
In order to gain selection for one of these sides you will need to show potential at a lower level. Mostly this is at regional and national Under 19, although older players can break through.
As school and University cricket is on the decline in the country, this means scoring runs or taking wickets in club cricket is the key for a youngster to get selected in regional side.
Club games are played with passion. The 'season' lasts 12 month a year, with teams playing several limited over matches a week. It's common to net every day.
Clubs are run by volunteers, often former players, who put in huge amounts of effort, time and sometimes money to keep the sides going with no financial support from the PCB. These men are the unsung heroes of Pakistan cricket, unearthing and nurturing talent through to the highest level on nothing but love for the game.
However, despite these heroic efforts, club cricket is not formally structured to lead in into the top level like it is in Australia. This means getting the attention you need to make it is difficult. Talent is often overlooked because players perform in local competitions but their success is not noticed outside the local club matches.
To avoid this, talented players need to make sure they are playing for the right clubs with the best connections to departmental or regional sides. One such club is Ludhiana Gymkhana in Lahore, who has a history of producing International players like Wasim Akram, Atta ur Rehman and Ijaz Ahmed.
Another club; Sheikhupura Gymkhana has produced players like Mohammad Asif, Rana Naveed, and Aqib Javed. In Karachi club like Malir Gymkhana has produced players like Rashid Latif and Younus Khan.
As there is little in the way of formal coaching, you may also want to consider the online coaching options at PitchVision Academy, giving you access to top level coaches and a better chance of making it.
An alternative to this method is to enrol in a private cricket academy such as Pakistan Custom’s Cricket Academy in Karachi. There are very few of these and are expensive to attend. However, the standard is high so if you can afford it, this is an excellent route to the top.
Players who are spotted at club level can move on to professional cricket.
Becoming an overseas professional:
In England there are more professional opportunities, so many Pakistani cricketers want to come to the country during the English summer (May-September).
Getting a work permit is very difficult and at the very least you will need to have played five First-class matches in the recent past (18 months). If you do qualify there are many non-professional clubs in England looking for good overseas players. To find out who these clubs are and what they are offering, contact an agency. We recommend CricX.
Of course, you can't make it without a certain amount of talent and a lot of dedication to improving. Something you can read more about in the last section of this article.
Finally, you need a thick skin to deal with setbacks.
However, with the right attitude, enough practice, a slice of luck and a subscription to PitchVision Academy's newsletter you have a shot.
Good luck.
This article was only possible thanks to the expertise of former First-class leg spinner Mohammed Haroon, who provided the insights into becoming a professional cricketer from Pakistan.
Source: www.pitchvision.com
13 Nov 2012
Why am I so confused?----Part-2
I
had an eye operation in April 2008. Last week, my eye surgeon, Dr. Shakaib
Anwar , a very fine surgeon, who listens to his patients carefully, and a very
fine man, advised me three test to be conducted at the Shifa Eye Hospital,
Rawalpindi. I was fascinated by the electronically operated equipment both at
the doctor’s clinic as well as at the hospital.
The results containing measurements, which were Greek to me, were given
by hand within two hours. I showed them to the doctor the next day. The entire
experience was fascinating for me. I wished that the inventors were Muslims.
Inventions
viz. fiber optic, television, the internet made in the west have brought the
world in to the living room. One can read the newspapers of the world or shop
over the internet. However, for Pakistanis, they can shop against cash only
because they have cheated again.
My
previous essay ‘Why
am I confused ‘and this one are not meant to cast adverse reflection on individual
Muslims. Indeed, there are many individuals who do good deeds without anyone
else knowing. It is a small effort to make the Muslims realize that many bad
customs and human failings that have crept into our society are totally alien
to the spirit to Islam. And we care more about Haqooq ul Allah than Haqooq ul
Abad.
As
regards inventions, there was a time when the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings
of Allah be upon him) was conferred Prophethood, he started his mission among
the pagan Arab . However, at his death, Muslims became scientists, academicians,
mathematicians, astrologers, astronomers, philosophers. Diplomats visiting the
courts of great emperors like the Roman Empire and the Iranian Empire. They
learnt to live by following the Holy
Quran. The presence of the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon
him) played a vital part in this transformation.
I
have repeatedly told my friends or my readers that I am a cynic and I do not
trust anyone: extended family and friends; nor the successive Governments. Many
have deceived me or played foul with me. A couple friends and family members
behaved positively rude with me. Both are loyal till their interest demand.
Friends are fellow travelers going in the same direction up to a limit.
Imagine
driving thirty kilometers in each direction to Rawalpindi to meet an old class
fellow only to be told that he was busy in reciting the Holy Quran. Thus he
could not meet me. Similar incidents happened again with me twice.
A
noted news columnist was telling the compare in a TV talk show the other day
that each person from a population 180 million has his hand in the other
person’s pocket. To which I add, or in the till. I cannot justify our claim
that we are Muslims with reports of various sources that Pakistan is one of the
most corrupt countries across the globe. Yet I was amazed when I see innocent
faces of young girls on the Universities’ campuses.
I
do not want to write on politics in the country. However, despite my ardent
wish, I have to perforce write on it. I have been frequenting the Parliament
since my joining the Government as a public servant. Hardly had the quorum been
full. Oh yes; when the bill for perks and privileges of the Parliamentarians,
the quorum was always full. I cannot reconcile this with the Caliphate of
Hazrat Umar (May Allah be pleased with him).When there was a famine in Medina,
the Caliph vowed not to eat meat till the famine was over. And yet we claim that Pakistan is a citadel
of Islam.
Pakistan
had two parts; east and west Pakistan. What happened to the Eastern part is
history. But in the war of 1971, atrocities were allegedly committed by the
Pakistan army, a Muslim army. The world media graphically portrayed these .We
were rudely awakened when I read on the internet the Hamood-ur-Rehman
Commission Report to know the truth. We
are rudely awakened what is happening in Karachi where Muslims are killing
other Muslims. And what happened to two teenagers in Sialkot? What happened to
Sarfaraz Shah? What is happening in the courts in Pakistan, in the markets, or
the educational institutions where the poor and innocent fell prey to
exploitation. I cannot justify these. And yet we are all Muslims. I can’t
imagine these.
When the first part of the essay was posted on
Facebook, a reader referred to the Holy Quran which provides salvation. I wrote
back that given the literacy rate in Pakistan, imagine the required time for
full literacy. We venerate the Holy Quran by keeping on high place .We recite
it by rote without understanding and practicing it.
I
recommend reading Allama Iqbal’s ‘Jawab e Shikwa’ to know what I mean. I also
recommend an Urdu book ‘Talaash’ (Search) written by Mumtaz Mufti .The theme of
the book was the author’s search for Allah and the truth . I disagree with
parts of the book .
Despite
our tall claims that we are the chosen people of Allah because we are Muslims,
the world sees us differently particularly during the past few years. The world
sees us as illiterate, boorish, crude, barbarians especially killings in
suicide bombings and the repeated blood baths in Karachi. Undoubtedly
terrorists have no religion. But how do we explain to the world when those who
are responsible for these acts of barbarity bear Muslim names.
For
the last years, Pakistan passports are looked down upon. After one bad
experience at Jeddah, I prefer to travel abroad on non PIA airlines. And after
another bad experience, I have stopped to travel on domestic PIA flights.
While
travelling in Saudi Arabia once, I frequently heard that the people of Pakistan
are lies and cheats. An example of cheating is the kunda (hook) connection for
stealing electricity in Karachi. Stealing office stationery for children is a
common phenomenon in Pakistan Government offices. Similarly there are massive
misuses of petrol, electricity in Government offices. Water taps once opened
are seldom closed unless there are in their private homes. We can making an
enormous savings by using those resources discreetly.
I
drove to my office in my own car while my junior used an official transport
which he parked in his house. He never missed any prayer. Office drivers submit
inflated repairs. When a minister of General Musharraf’s Government wished for
a new seven seater sofa set for his office, it was made by a firm located on
Murree Road, Rawalpindi at a price of Rs 35000/- whereas I got a similar seven seater sofa set
from the same shop at Rs 24000/-.When I challenged the concerned officer, he
made lame excuses. Admittedly this amount is notional. But sin big or small is
a sin.
I
was overworked once. I had to prepare four or five summaries or briefs for the
Minister or the Secretary to be submitted the same day. I waited uptill eleven
for my junior to share a part of the work. At that time, I learnt that he had
gone to a religious congregation which was being held in town. Many years have
passed since, I could not reconcile with this kind of behaviour.
Mahfooz ur Rahman
rahman.mahfooz.pk@gmail.com
12 Nov 2012
Why am I so confused?----Part-1
We are taught the basic principles of Islam both at home and
at school. But when I grew up and started looking around, I began to realize
that there is a wide dichotomy between what we were taught and our deeds. I am
not talking about the world, this essay is confined to Pakistan, the land of
the pure .. We are taught that there are two kinds of obligations:
- Obligations of man towards His Creator, and
- Obligations of man towards
his fellow human beings.
I read somewhere an incident in the life of Hazrat Hassan
Basri (May Allah be pleased with him). Once he was trying to persuade a Jew to
embrace Islam. The latter promised to let the former his decision on the
morrow. The next day the Jew came to Hazrat Hassan Basri and announced that he
would not become a Muslim. The latter asked him why? The Jew replied if Islam
meant what Hazrat Hassan Basri was following, it was difficult for the former
to practice. If Islam meant what the others were doing, he was better off being
a Jew.
Once I was discussing with my Mathematics Professor (the
late Mr. M.H.Siddiqui) at the Cadet College, Hasan Abdal that we were taught at
school about King Arthur and his twelve knights, each knight representing a
particular quality eg. humility, bravery. I asked my honorable teacher why is
it that these qualities were not found in the society. I put the same question
to some others, including one of my bosses, retired Brigadier M.A. Abbasi, a
very fine gentleman. But they could not give me a satisfactory reply.
Indeed Islam has answers to all my questions. The qualities
read about King Arthur’s knights were found in deeds of valour in lives of the
early Muslims eg. Hazrat Ali , his sons , his progeny, in Hazrat Saad bin Abi
Waqqas, Hazrat Khalid bin Walid (May Allah be pleased with them). Indeed, Islamic
history is replete with such examples.
However, I am talking about modern Pakistan. I was talking
with a neighbour, a retired senior officer of the armed forces. He was telling
me that for every work dealing with the public, he has kept a portion of his
income for giving it as haram ka maal otherwise no work is done. I referred him
to one of my cases which is pending. He replied that my work would not be done
according to my wishes unless I grease the palms of the concerned authorities.
All persons working in departments which deal with the public are Muslims.
We have been taught that Allah may or may not forgive us for
neglecting our obligations to Him. But He would not forgive us for neglecting
our duties to humanity. But be they butchers, or milkmen, or grocers, or fruit
sellers, they are liable to defraud the innocent by their cheating. For eg.
there are often news reports of butchers selling meat of dead animals or dog
meat. The foodstuff sold in the markets have impurities, including deadly
chemicals, injurious to health. The poor innocent consumer is paying through
his nose. An overwhelming majority of Pakistanis are Muslims. I find it
difficult to reconcile that.
Islam teaches us humility. But we find that we are proud and aggressive. Even some clerics are not free from this disease. We find them vain and conceited. We have before us the Holy Prophet’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) example and the example of his blind companion. Imagine his patience and perseverance with the pagans of Mecca and hypocrites and the Jews of Medina. Again Imagine we were living and one of us approached him with a problem. The Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) would have listened to us patiently and tried to solve our problem to our satisfaction. Again I find it difficult to reconcile the preachings of the clerics with their vanity.
Islam teaches us humility. But we find that we are proud and aggressive. Even some clerics are not free from this disease. We find them vain and conceited. We have before us the Holy Prophet’s (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) example and the example of his blind companion. Imagine his patience and perseverance with the pagans of Mecca and hypocrites and the Jews of Medina. Again Imagine we were living and one of us approached him with a problem. The Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) would have listened to us patiently and tried to solve our problem to our satisfaction. Again I find it difficult to reconcile the preachings of the clerics with their vanity.
Once I attend a memorial service in the Jubilee Hall of
Gordon College, Rawalpindi for the father of two class fellows, brother and
sister, who were my dear friends. I saw plenty of grey heads sitting; a triple
PhD, a double MSc. etc. But I admired their humility while was at the college.
Each person spoke in Urdu for the benefit of those not knowing English.
Many of us tend to sell our souls to the devil for fame, for
promotion and other worldly pleasures. While we are at it, we forget the pure
teachings of Islam.
In the west, every shop from super markets to the smallest
shop arranges sales from October to April so that everything is within of the
meanest to enable everybody to enjoy the Christmas, Easter and the season’s
pleasures. Whenever I get an opportunity, I do my shopping there. While in
Pakistan, sales are meant to sell the condemned things at a higher price.
Already the prices of foodstuff are beginning to rise before
Ramazan to enable the shop keepers to harvest a windfall. This happens every
year. And yet they are all Muslims.
Imagine driving on Murree Road, Rawalpiindi. The road from
one end to the other are covered by shops. But hardly any of the shopkeepers
are tax payers. In the west the people don’t cheat on their taxes. No wonder
the west is advanced.
We, in Pakistan , have customs that are vile and alien like
honour killing, vani , child marriages, domestic violence that are abominable
to Islam . But that is because of a lack of knowledge of Islamic teachings.
Pakistan is a place where nuisance value reigns regardless
what a person does for his vocation or otherwise. Again I am referring to the
west where society strives to make life easier for the people regardless their
income. Despite the fact that Islam teaches to make life easier for the citizens
of an Islamic state irrespective of their religious learning, the Pakistani
society has yet to learn the fundamental precepts of obligations towards
mankind . We have all kinds of Islamic books and more are being published
annually, but the west has learnt the secret of bringing the good governance at
the door step of the meanest person in society without a conversion to an
Islamic way of life.
Mahfooz ur Rahman
rahman.mahfooz.pk@gmail.com
8 Nov 2012
Samsung's Galaxy S3 beats Apple's iPhone
 |
| Samsung Galaxy S3's best-selling position is likely to be short-lived |
South Korean electronics firm Samsung's Galaxy S3 has outsold Apple's iPhone 4S for the first time, becoming the world's best-selling smartphone, says research firm Strategy Analytics.
Samsung sold 18 million models, compared with Apple's 16.2 million sales, in the third quarter of 2012.
The Galaxy S3 "has proven wildly popular with consumers and operators," said Strategy Analytics' Neil Mawston.
However, Apple's new iPhone 5 is widely expected to reclaim the top sales spot.
Strong Galaxy smartphone sales helped Samsung report record profits in the three months to September. Net profit was 6.5tn won ($5.9bn; £3.7bn), up 91% from a year earlier.
But analysts say that one reason Samsung's phone was able to wrest the top sales spot from Apple's iPhone 4 was because many customers were waiting for the iPhone 5, which was launched during the third quarter.
The Apple iPhone 5 has already got off to a solid start and "we expect the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung's Galaxy S3 in the coming fourth quarter", said Neil Mawston.
"Apple should soon reclaim the title of the world's most popular smartphone model," he added.
Legal struggle
Samsung and its rival Apple have been locked in a series of ongoing legal battles over patent infringement claims in various countries.
In October, sales bans in the US on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone and its Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer were lifted, in a blow to Apple.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, a US court awarded Apple $1.05bn (£652m) in damages, after ruling several of its software and design technologies had been infringed by Samsung.
Samsung has challenged that verdict and called for a retrial.
Analysts say that given the tremendous growth potential of the sector, the two firms' legal battle is likely to continue.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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What Islam says about Social Relations?
After this, different terms like radical Islam, moderate Islam, and political Islam etc came into being. The dilemma is that, the inventors of such terms and concepts are totally unaware of the teachings of Islam, and they are creating a negative image of Islam in front of the world, because when they talk about a radical Islam or a political Islam, the general public supposes Islam to be an ideology of racism, radicalism etc. On the other hand, the terrorists who associate themselves to Islam are causing a huge destruction of not only the world but also the image of this peaceful religion.
At this stage, where inter-cultural and inter-faith relations` state is not satisfactory, it is extremely essential to bring in front of the world the true commands of Islam about social relations, so that people may become able to decide for themselves about what is rightly and what is wrongly said about Islam.
I have tried to put some of the sayings of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), which are the commands for Muslims and a guidance for the whole world. These sayings are about forgiveness mercy and for reconciliation of hearts. And these characteristics are opposite to terror and hatred. One must know the true values of Islam so that he can make a true and fair opinion on this sensitive issue.
Following are some of the worthy Sayings of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him):
A. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said, "Whoever has three things, Allah (God) will take his account with ease and will enter him in Paradise} (with His mercy):
1. Mend relations with those who try to break off ties with you.
2. Endow those who deprive you; and
3. Forgive those who are unjust towards you.
B. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said, "charity does not lessen the wealth and if a person forgives someone`s mistake, then Allah (God) increases his honor and respect." Whoever adopts humbleness for Allah, Allah elevates his ranks. "
C. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said, Whoever is not merciful to others, will not receive mercy; whoever does not forgive, will not be forgiven. "
D. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said, "The best manners of the world and the Hereafter are that you associate with those who disassociate with you, and forgive those who do injustices to you and whoever wishes for an extended life and abundance of sustenance should treat his relatives with kindness. "
E. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) said, have mercy on others and you will be showered with mercy and adopt forgiveness and Allah (God) will forgive you. "
Islam does not teach terrorism or radicalism, rather it negates hatred and conflicts. Islam came here in this world not to kill but it prevents to kill. It reveals to create a strong harmony, to teach mercy, to promote forgiveness. I appeal to the opinion makers, please first study and then make an opinion. Discussion, debate and research are the only ways through which we can join each others` hands to move forward towards a peaceful society in which a gun is not a solution.
Syed Talal Hassan Bukhari
talal.hassan5@gmail.comYou Might Also Like:
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