Page 18 - Pakistan Link - October 13, 2023

P18 - PAKISTAN LINK - OCTOBER 13, 2023 COMMENTARY
n By Dr Ahmed S. Khan Book & Author Mushtaq also reflects on his friend-
Chicago, IL ship with artists and literati, like Lata
Mangeshkar, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Ahmed
oday the world is in the grip of Faraz, Mehdi Hasan, Ustad Nazakat Ali
cricket fever. It is said that there Mushtaq Mohammed: Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and
Tare three remnants of British Raj others. Reminiscing about meetings with
in South Asia: tea, cricket and English Inside Out— An Autobiography Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Mushtaq writes: “Faiz
language. In India, all three remnants Sahib, as he was known, used to stay at
are being used to their fullest advan- Badar’s [Mushtaq’s friend] place whenev-
tage and potential, however, in Pakistan er he was in England. He was a great con-
cricket mania appears to be leading versationalist and would recount his life’s
the tea sipping and the use of English to a Test match in Bombay during the stories. Differences in age melted away in
language. With the ICC World Cup in 1960 tour, Mushtaq notes: “We played a his presence. He gave you his full atten-
full swing, cricket fans in Pakistan miss three-day match in Ahmadabad prior to tion and made you feel important, which
Omar Kureishi’s mastery of English lan- the Bombay Test, and just before we were is a rare quality. Of course, his knowledge
guage which they enjoyed in the form of about to leave aboard the train after the of cricket far exceeded any I had of po-
his brilliant cricket commentary and his match, fans poked their hands through etry. He told us what inspired his famous
masterpiece newspaper columns. the cabin window for a handshake or poem, “…pa ba jolan chalo (walk in fet-
Omar Kureishi has used the British an autograph…Hanif, being the most ters).” It was when he was taken from the
Raj as the central theme of his autobiog- talented and famous…got most of the jail, where he was serving a sentence due
raphy Once Upon a Time. In his book, attention. One man shook his hand but to his anti-establishment ideology, to see
Omar Kureishi cites Mihir Bose (A unbeknown to Hanif, he had hidden a a dentist due to a severe toothache. He
History of Indian Cricket), to trace the blade in between his fingers. He cut him was fettered and handcuffed in a horse
roots of cricket in South Asia: “The Brit- in such a discreet way that Hanif didn’t drawn carriage (tanga) through the main
ish came as traders, then seized political even notice until after a few seconds market (bazaar) in full public view….
power. Bengal, in the east, was the first when blood was streaming from his When he heard that I had bought a new
province to fall to the British, the native wound that opened right up. And it was Mercedes, he phoned me and told me
Bengalis the first to take to British ways. his right hand, which made him a seri- to take him for a drive in it. Badar, his
The Calcutta Cricket Club was in exis- ous doubt for the Test match a few days wife Nasreen, Faiz Sahib and I went for a
tence in 1792 and is, probably, the second scored 31,091 runs with 72 centuries and by Hindus. One of our family’s many away…my mother was so worried after long pleasurable drive to Worcestershire
oldest cricket club in the world after the took 936 wickets. He is regarded as Paki- Hindu friends told my mother that al- hearing the news she made the journey countryside and had lunch there. I think
MCC. All the early mention of cricket in stan’s best-ever captain, and he also led though there were no problems between from Karachi to Bombay to check on I am really lucky to have known a literary
India centers around Calcutta: the first Northamptonshire county team to win them she felt it would be best for us to him. There was no way Hanif was going giant like him.”
match of which there is any detailed re- their first-ever Gillette Cup in 1976. migrate as there was a genuine possibil- to miss that match, and he played with Amir Bee, the Mohammed brothers’
cord, was played there on 18 and 19 Janu- In his autobiography, Mushtaq Mo- ity a lunatic would come along one day a badly cut hand and swollen, blistered mother played a pivotal role in trans-
ary 1804 and the first recorded century hammed – Inside Out, he traces his roots and kill us just for who we were…we toes…The atmosphere at the Brabourne forming her sons into world class crick-
on India soil was in Calcutta.” during partition when his family migrat- travelled by train to Bombay and sailed Stadium for the First Test was like noth- eters. In the foreword of the book, Bishan
Omer Kureishi observes that in those ed from Junagarh, India, to Karachi, Pak- from Bombay to Karachi…I remem- ing I’d ever seen before. The ground was Bedi, admires her: “When I got an op-
days the British saw cricket as a way of istan, to his school days when he made ber when our ship reached Kemari port packed, and people had to sit on the grass portunity to play alongside Mushtaq for
keeping their own community together history by becoming the youngest ever in Karachi, we couldn’t find any other outside the boundary line because there Northants, it brought me closer to the
with little or no place for the Indians. Test cricketer, and onwards though his means of transport into the city except weren’t enough seats…Hanif scored entire Mohammed clan. Mushy’s mother
Nirad Chaudri observed in his book Thy 20-year career representing Pakistan and camel carts,…our belongings were piled 160…Saeed Ahmed also hit a magnifi- embraced me like another of her crick-
Hand, Great Anarch, that the British in 14-seasons stint playing for Northamp- up atop two camel carts and we headed cent hundred.” eter sons. For me, the experience was
India practiced a form of racial apartheid tonshire county in England. He also to Haji Camp…For people migrating Recalling the Calcutta test, when In- overwhelming…. This is why I want to
even as late as 1928. Omer Kureishi also talks about the details of being raised in to Pakistan from India through the sea dia were in trouble at 147-6, and they correct the history books that state Amir
observes, “The Raj was founded on the a shared Hindu temple in Karachi after route, this shelter, or camp was the place were reluctant to face Fazal, Mushtaq Be had five sons who played…no…she
certainty of a racial and moral superior- partition, after his father’s death and his where they stayed until they found suit- writes: “On the fourth day we probably had six…I was the sixth son! She cer-
ity over the natives.” mother’s struggle to provide for children, able accommodation elsewhere in the had the best chance any of the two sides tainly did not make me feel any different,
Today, the Raj is gone, and cricket has domestic and international cricket tours, city…a task that had been assigned to had in the series of taking initiative… and considered myself to be a part of the
become the most popular game in South county games, Kerry Packer’s world se- my maternal uncles, who had been sent however for some strange reason, the Mohammed family. I just fitted in, and
Asia, more specifically in Pakistan and ries, revolt by senior players against his as an advance party to Pakistan just for umpires said the ground was too wet and quietly reveled at the glory of Mushtaq’s
India, and later in Bangladesh. In Paki- captaincy, personal traits and habits of this purpose….After six months of re- unfit for play…clearly they didn’t want to mother, who gave as many as six sons for
stan, a few great cricketing personalities fellow cricketers, unfair and biased poli- connaissance they sent for the ladies and face Fazal on a wet wicket. Fazal was livid the cause of cricket, five of them bringing
were responsible for the early develop- cies of PCB towards the Mohammed the kids. The fruit of their labor turned as it was blatant cheating by the Indian glory to Pakistan. I really used to admire
ment of cricket; most notably among brothers, working for PIA, behind the out to be a Hindu temple, known as Kaal officials.” her contribution to Pakistan cricket,
them were Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Fazal scene events of 1999 World Cup, and his Bhairu Mandir, within a compound of Mushtaq has also set the record which was nothing short of colossal.”
Mahmood, and Imtiaz Ahmed. But the life after cricket. apartments housing the Hindus of Kara- straight by rejecting claims made by Al- The Mohammed brothers were pure
Mohammed brothers are the pioneers Mushtaq demonstrated dynamic chi, most of whom were in process of mi- lan Border, the former Australian cap- talent, and consummate professionals.
of cricket in Pakistan. Four brothers — leadership as the captain of Pakistan grating to India….This is how we started tain, that Mushtaq offered him $1million They never got involved in politics, but
Wazir, Hanif, Mushtaq and Sadiq played team in 1975-76 and helped transform our new life in the new country…the to lose in the fifth Ashes Test at Edgbas- they were always the victims of PCB poli-
test matches for Pakistan, and the fifth a group of outstanding individuals like entire entourage comprising my parents ton in 1993. He has also reflected on the tics. Commenting on the unfair mindset
brother Raees, their mentor, played first Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Imran Khan and five of us brothers, my maternal un- nature and characteristics of his team- and biased practices of PCB officials
class matches. Commenting on the piv- and Javed Miandad into a winning com- cles…and their families…my mother’s mates. Regarding Sarfaraz Nawaz, Mush- Mushtaq observes, “We still have an in-
otal role of the Mohammed family in bination. He introduced creativity, plan- distant cousins’ families moved into this taq observes, “The only way to bring feriority complex like from the days of
Pakistan cricket, prominent Australian ning and strategic thinking for winning temple hall…When it was time to sleep, the best out of him was to annoy him,” the British Raj, where white man is God.”
cricketer Richie Benaud had observed, matches. Mushtaq has also served as the my mother arranged for the beddings to and about Imran, Javed Burki and Majid Unfortunately, to date, the Mohammed
“There have been some interesting fami- coach and manager of Pakistan’s team on be spread on the floor, and the hall be- Khan, Mushtaq states, “Imran was also brothers’ dedicated service has never
lies in the history of Test cricket around a number of occasions; in 1999 he helped came one big dormitory. In the morning, difficult at times because he could be very been fully acknowledged by the Pakistan
the world, none more than the Moham- his team to reach the final of the 1999 they were all folded and stacked away in arrogant…He was a good player to cap- government. Let the year 2024 be the
med family. In the first 100 Tests played World Cup. a corner to make space for the other nor- tain most of the times but because of his year to acknowledge their great service
by Pakistan, at least one of the Moham- In the foreword of the book, paying mal daily life routine activities.” Oxford University education I think he to cricket in Pakistan. And their mother
med brothers was in the team.” tribute to Mushtaq, former Indian cap- Reminiscing about life in the temple looked down on those of us from poorer Amir Bee’s role in preparing and nurtur-
Mushtaq Mohammed, like his broth- tain Bishan Singh Bedi observes, “No hall, Mushtaq observes, “The big hall was backgrounds. I got the same impression ing these great cricketers must also be
ers Wazir, Raees, Hanif and Sadiq, ex- doubt, Pakistan has produced greats like not just our living quarters but our play- with Javed Burki and Majid Khan, who recognized.
celled in cricket and provided great Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Abdul Qa- ing area where my elder brother Raees were schooled at Oxford and Cambridge, Mushtaq Mohammed -- Inside Out
service to Pakistan. Hanif was the best dir, Zaheer Abbas, Intikhab Alam, Asif used to teach us cricket with a tennis ball. respectively.” Commenting on Intikhab is an interesting read. It takes the reader
batsman, but Mushtaq was a premier all- Iqbal and many others. But for my hum- This is where we were living when my fa- Alam, Mushtaq notes, “Intikhab was the back to the last days of the British Raj in
rounder who excelled with both bat and ble money, Mushtaq stands at the top of ther died of throat cancer, within a year blue-eyed boy of Abdul Hafeez Kardar, India, the pains of partition, the evolu-
ball. In 57 test matches he scored 3,643 the Everest alone, a sure sign of cricket of our arrival, and my mother had to don the Chairman of the Pakistan Board, and tion of cricket in Pakistan, the curse of
runs with 10 centuries, which is only sec- excellence. Most humbly I wish to de- the mantle of being a father and mother he was in his pocket. Consequently, the politics destroying and damaging cricket
ond to Hanif’s collection of 3,915 runs; clare that no better thoroughbred or pro- to us, which she did in tremendous man- senior players grew tired of Inti’s lack of in Pakistan, and the contributions of
but he took 79 wickets which is more fessional ever emerged from Pakistan.” ner…. I was studying at a Christian leadership and didn’t want to play for the Mohammed family in establishing
than the combined total of his brothers. On his family’s migration to Pakistan, school, living in a Hindu temple, while him.” Reflecting on the Australian crick- cricket in Pakistan. It is an essential and a
On two occasions he scored a century and early life in Karachi, Mushtaq re- belonging to a Muslim family. Now I was eters, Mushtaq observes, “The Chappels, joyous reading for all cricket enthusiasts
(actually a double century on one occa- calls, “We migrated to Pakistan in 1948, a all confused and sometimes wondered: Rod March, Dennis Lillee, Thommo, defying any border.
sion) and took five wickets in an innings, year after Partition. The situation started ‘What am I?’ ” Gary Gilmour, etc., all used to give us a (Dr Ahmed S. Khan - dr.a.s.khan@
which was a record at the time. In first getting rough for Muslims over there. Recalling an incident in which Hanif good verbal going over, and we used to ieee.org - is a Fulbright Specialist
class cricket, he played 502 matches, Muslims were being attacked in the area was deliberately wounded by a man prior feel intimidated.” Scholar.)
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