Sarfraz Nawaz: Controversial Forever
By Dr Asif Javed
Williamsport, PA
Back in the mid-70s, Pakistan cricket team had several world class batsmen. There were some good spinners too. But it lacked a quality fast bowler. There were several medium fast bowlers - Asif Masood, Salim Altaf, and Sikandar Bakht - among others. Sarfraz, despite his strong built and six feet six inches height, was also just a medium pacer. He had an awkward bowling action that Khan Mohammad, the bowling coach, once tried to correct. Khan Mohammad, a former test fast bowler, who used to partner Fazal Mahmood, eventually gave up. But Sarfraz had something that the other bowlers lacked--excellent ball control to which he later added his ability to reverse swing the old ball.
Many credit him as the pioneer of reverse swing. It is to his credit that he passed on this trick to Imran and Wasim Akram. Sarfraz won several victories for Pakistan. Just recall his performance at Melbourne in 1979 when he single-handedly won the test match with 9 for 86. In Pakistan, despite bowling at flat wickets, he used to bowl fairly well. His 6 for 89 against Clive Lloyd’s West Indies team at Lahore in 1974 saved the match for Pakistan. Chetan Chauhan, the former Indian opening batsman, paid him the following tribute once: “Unlike Imran, Sarfraz is a type of bowler who can run through a side.” This was, of course, before Imran was recognized as a world class fast bowler. Sarfraz retired from cricket in 1984.
One would have expected that like most of his contemporaries, he would just move out of public eye and be gradually forgotten. But Sarfraz remained more in the news after retirement than before-usually for wrong reasons. He would find something to seek attention and create controversy. The other day, a news about him from UK brought several incidents to mind.
Back in 1975, Sri Lanka was trying to gain test status. BCP sent the Pakistan test team to Sri Lanka for playing two “unofficial test matches”. It was supposed to be easy for Pak. Pak cricket team had toured England in 1974 and had completed the tour undefeated. But the Sri Lanka tour turned out to be far from easy. Pakistan lost the first test. If that was not bad enough, Sarfraz, the leading pace bowler, was sent home in disgrace having repeatedly argued with the umpire. Despite his absence, Pakistan won the second test, thanks to excellent bowling by another pacer--Imran Khan. This is what Maqsood Ahmad, a former test cricketer, wrote in his piece in the Sports Times: “Imran has bowled with such ferocity in this match that, with one step forward, he will be among the best.” Not many believed him, but his words proved prophetic. Just a year later, Imran brought an unexpected victory to Pakistan against Greg Chappell’s formidable team at Sydney.
Bishen Singh Bedi brought his test team to Pakistan in 1977. India had four world class spinners. Kapil Dev made his test debut in that series. Sarfraz bowled fairly well in that series. He was the best Pakistani bowler and begged 17 wickets. But he was part of yet another controversy. The one-day series was tied. The third decisive match was being played at Sahiwal. India were chasing a modest target and were fairly close when Sarfraz started bowling very short deliveries which were out of the batsmen’s reach. The umpire should have called them no balls but didn’t. A disgusted Bedi asked his batsmen to return to the pavilion and forfeited the match. Although some of the blame for this must go to Mushtaq, Sarfraz was happy to oblige his captain for what was clearly against the spirit of the game. Mind you, this was before the induction of the neutral empires.
In 1979, the Pakistan cricket team, paid a return visit to India. India had lost 2-0 to Pakistan two years earlier, and were hell-bent not to lose on home ground. Pakistani team needed all its best players. BCP organized a camp before the final team selection. Everyone presented himself--except Sarfraz. He found some bizarre reason not to attend and consequently was not selected. Although Imran bowled his heart out in India, the team was clearly short of a good second pace bowler. Pakistan lost that series 2-0.
Mushtaq was the captain of Northamptonshire County Cricket team when Sarfraz and Bishen Singh Bedi played there. Mushtaq once stated that handling Sarfraz took a special effort. This was a polite reference to Sarfraz’s odd behavior and unpredictability. Fast bowlers by nature tend to be aggressive. But Sarfraz’s issues went far beyond that. As one looks back at the great fast bowlers of that era, Lillee, Thompson, Bob Willis, Roberts, Holding among others, they were mostly good team players. Hardly any of them became a nuisance to his captain and team management like Sarfraz often did. His vanishing act, just before the second test in 1978, is yet another such incident. The vice-captain under Wasim Bari, had chosen to fly to London to watch the 'new year celebrations'. There were rumors that that he had absented himself to negotiate with Kerry Packer for the World Series Cricket. Years later, Shoaib Akhtar’s behavior was reminiscent of Sarfraz’s but this piece is not about Shoaib. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems that Sarfraz was a troubled soul all along. He had a personality problem and coveted controversy.
After retirement from cricket, he went into politics. He may have been trying to cash in his name recognition and popularity. Although he got elected as an independent MPA from Lahore in 1985, a more unlikely politician is hard to imagine. A man with the reputation of Sarfraz, a loose canon, was not made for politics. He lost in the very next election and then blamed the vote recount for his defeat. Later on, he was advisor for sports in PPP government. More controversy followed. At one point, he was beaten up by some political opponents. He switched parties and joined MQM. But he was more of a liability than an asset wherever he went. His name recognition and cricketing record could take him only thus far. That was the end of his political ambitions.
Out of cricket and politics, Sarfraz still remained in the news: When Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room in West Indies, Sarfraz was quick to call it a murder. The subsequent investigation by Scotland Yard proved otherwise. Woolmer, who was overweight, had diabetes as well as hypertension and sleep apnea, had died of heart disease. Sarfraz also made several allegations against some players without much evidence. Over the years, he has been issuing public statements on all kinds of issues. A TV show comes to mind: Sarfraz used such vulgar language against one of his former new ball partners that the host, a young woman, ended up asking for a break.
In personal life, he has fared no better: He had an arranged marriage; his first wife was a physician. The marriage must have failed since he was in the news - again - for his affair, and later marriage, to actress Rani. Rani was a troubled soul too. Born in a blue-collar family, she had been brought up by singer Farida Khanum’s sister, Mukhtar Begum, who was herself a famous singer, and widow of renowned playwright Agha Hashar. In the 70s, Rani was among the top three or four heroines. But like Sarfraz, her personal life was in shambles: Her first marriage to director, Hasan Tariq, from whom she had a daughter, had failed; her second to a cinema owner from Faisalabad, did not last long either. In the 80s, Rani went to England for treatment of Leukemia. As she was hospitalized, Sarfraz paid her a visit. One can only speculate that the ailing filmstar who was probably lonely and depressed in unfamiliar surroundings in a foreign land, may have been overwhelmed by that unexpected show of sympathy by the popular cricketer. The fact that both were from Mozang might have played a part too. Regardless, they got married. But this was no fairy-tail marriage. Later, there were rumors that Sarfraz all along had an eye on Rani's considerable financial assets that he consumed with impunity. Back then even test cricketers did not have lucrative contracts the way they do now and Sarfraz was probably not as well-off as Rani. Rani belatedly realized her folly and they separated. Rani, broken in spirit after three failed marriages, and in financial ruin, later died of Leukemia while Sarfraz, the gold digger, continued his life with still more controversies.
Cambridge-educated Majid Khan had the reputation of being reserved. A thorough gentleman, he would have been the last person to be dragged into a controversy. But this is precisely what Sarfraz did. The details of that episode this scribe does not remember. But Majid, who had retired years earlier from cricket, was forced to issue a scathing public rebuke to Sarfraz.
What is Sarfraz’s legacy? Although he is still around, for all intents and purposes, his legacy is already written. It is one of a fine pace bowler who revolutionized swing bowling and brought several victories to his country. But it is also littered with reckless behavior. Unfortunately, he continues to erode whatever was left of his credibility. His fall from grace has not been sudden. With his irresponsible behavior, he has made himself into an outcast. A recent picture to come out of Tooting, South London, shows him looking fatigued, overweight, and struggling to walk. One suspects that he has not taken good care of his health. The ill-discipline that had plagued him for decades is also, regrettably, visible in his health. Having gone through several marriages, he may have financial difficulties too. A bowler of his experience would have been an asset to PCB. He could have coached or perhaps found a niche in cricket commentary. But having burnt so many bridges, he has hardly any option left. He comes across as a forlorn figure who has been forsaken by friends and foes alike. The other day, a news was going around that he is going to sue PCB in a pension dispute. And so it seems that our bowling great’s relentless pursuit of humiliation and self-destruction continues. One wonders whether Habib Jalib had written the following verse with Sarfraz in mind:
Yeh Ijaz hey husne awargee ka
Jahan bhee gaye dastaan chore aye
(The writer is a physician in Williamsport, PA and may be reached at asifjaved@comcast.net )
