Today, let me revisit my interview with Asif Iqbal, the former Captain of Pakistan, who represented the English County Kent in the late sixties, won an accolade as Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1968. Asif was a fine all-rounder, led Pakistan in 1975 and 1979 World Cups, with 58 Test match career scoring close to 4000 runs , with a highest score of 175 runs.
He did yeoman service for Pakistan Cricket, was a stalwart of Sharjah Cricket and organised many benefit games for Cricketers of the bygone era since our long forgotten heroes were not lucky like the current players who get fantastic financial benefits to last a lifetime.
Asif was humble, with sharp communication skills which made him very pleasant on the ear off the com box.
I caught up with Asif in Colombo on the Dulux Cricket Show, and he made me tearful, stating how he enjoyed my presentation on the show when I interviewed Wasim Akram on the previous episode which he stated, he eye balled with great interest.
The burning question in the mid late 90’s up to around early 2000 was who is the best batter in the world ?
I asked Asif this pertinent question. He stated opinions do differ, but in his books having spoken to Wasim, Waqur, and even Mustaq Ahmed and a few greats like Imran Khan and Abdul Qadir, he felt that Brian Lara , Mark Waugh , Sachin Tendulkar and Aravinda de Silva were amongst the top four.
He added, but if I were to ask the Pakistani bowling cordon, they would, with one voice state that Aravinda was the most difficult to bowl to. He was technically capable of facing seam and swing on any condition, extremely good at reading the top spin , the off break, the Googly, the flipper and even the chinaman off the wrist, hence with ARI, as he was fondly known your margin for error as a bowler is minimal.
He stated that Brian Lara and Aravinda played with less pressure because the Caribbean and Sri Lankan approach is similar. The two teams had less pressure from the media and spectators , because by nature, the Cricket loving public of both these countries were carefree.
Mark Waugh, fine player, technically sound , however, media pressure had its toll on him , whilst we all know what Indian and Pakistani players have to put up with media hype , crowd support, and pressure hence Sachin and Inzamam kept looking over their shoulder but executed their talent and abilities to a admirable extent.
Satchin Tendulkar had to play lot more than the rest because of Indian tour schedules which were too hectic. Keeping fit , keeping the media quiet, whilst answering couch critics of both India and Pakistan is no easy task.
Mark Waugh had to put up with stiff competition for selection, media menace, and couch critics that seem to be know-alls of Australian Cricket.
He stated that Aravinda and Mark Waugh had a unique technique when getting under a bouncer, be it with a scrambled seam or seam up because they got on the front foot with precision foot work and ducked under the ball which is a technique that amateurs should never emulate. He also stated that both Mark Waugh and Aravinda had a similar technical adjustment when playing on the back foot , since they had time to play the delivery to both on and the off side with plenty of time at hand.
THE SMILE HE BRINGS ON YOUR FACE WITH HIS DEPTH KNOWLEDGE
He ended his conversation by stating that Wasim Akram was the deadliest left arm seam bowler in World cricket and that the Wasim and Waqur combination was lethal similar to the Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson koku bara chin music. Whilst Chaminda Vass was a crafty operator who would expose a batter’s weakness and exploit it with his limited pace, but pin point in dippers and out swingers that the best would never come to terms with as to how they misread the length.
I ended up wrapping up this exquisite insight by looking at the Camera and stating, “Listening to the voice and wisdom of Asif Iqbal, let me wind up by stating, the long forgotten hero, might not bring you the joy wearing his flannels in the heat of the sun, bringing a smile on your face, but the smile he brings with his in depth knowledge is a priceless gift which all he earned as a former Captain of Pakistan in a bygone era.. bye, bye.