The manner in which England disposed of a hapless Sri Lankan team in the recently concluded series not only underlined the massive gap in skills between both sides, but it also served as a timely reminder for the visiting Pakistanis about what they can expect from England’s in-form bowlers.
The performance of James Anderson and Stuart Broad should not be a matter of surprise as both are at the top of their game. However, what is more interesting to observers of this much awaited series is that despite the pronouncements of gloom regarding Pakistan’s chances on the tour, there is one weapon in the touring sides armoury which could easily turn the tables on the hosts. The X factor provided by the return of this talented fast-bowler has had a profound effect on the confidence of the Pakistan team. They may have frailties in their batting line-up but the hope that Mohammad Amir’s return provides to the team cannot be measured in words alone.
Mohammad Amir’s return has brought joy and apprehension in minds of many cricket followers, but one person who has seen this phenomenal bowler move from an eleven-year old child to an exceptional bowler today is Amir’s mentor Asif Bajwa, who has been running a cricket academy in Rawalpindi since 1997. In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Asif Bajwa discussed Mohammad Amir's induction into the academy, his meteoric rise in international cricket and the subsequent spot-fixing saga.
“I still remember the day that eleven-year-old Mohammad Amir came to my academy in Rawalpindi as if it was yesterday”, stated a proud Bajwa. “We were holding some under sixteen trials and a friend of mine suggested that we look at this young boy who is from one of the villages. My friend said that he had been spotted and recommended to him and urged me to give him a chance. When I first saw him bowl I wasn't overly impressed with him. He was reasonable but his bowling was not as eye-catching as some of the other boys at the trials.”
However, what Marcus Trescothick and Matthew Maynard recently saw as a danger sign for England batsmen in the upcoming series is something Bajwa noted the first time he saw Amir bowl at his first trials many years ago, namely the fire to succeed and be the best which seemed a natural occurrence in a young and willing Amir.
“One of the things that really struck me was that Amir was attending the trials but it was the first time that he had bowled with a proper cricket ball. When I learnt that, I realised that there was more to come from this boy and he deserved further opportunities. I recall Amir asking me what the seam was on the cricket ball and what it was for, as he had no idea.”
Amir’s skills were visible to the naked eye but what Bajwa was seeing was a young man who had the potential to impress all. The control at an age when most youngsters would be struggling to get their basics right was telling Asif Bajwa of greatness for the unassuming youngster.
“I inducted him into my academy, he played cricket there, lived there, learnt about the game and also studied. I just wanted to help him become a good cricketer, someone who could hold his own in club cricket and maybe even First-Class cricket. At that age there was no telling that he would play for Pakistan one day. When I think back to that time I recall clearly that what struck me about Amir's bowling even at the age of eleven was his control. He wasn't as fast as some of the boys of his age but he had that awareness of where to bowl and he had the ability to bowl exactly where he wanted to and that was outstanding for one so young. I knew that we could build his speed, get him to swing the ball and work on getting him to bowl faster and fully utilise his ability to bowl with such great control. Amir remained at my academy for eight years, right up to the 2009 World Twenty20 tournament in England where the world saw what this young man could do with the ball.”
Whilst Amir’s fairytale rise to stardom is a stuff of legends, so too is his fall to an object of hatred during the summer of 2010. It was the infamous involvement in the spot-fixing scandal replete with the disgrace of being marked as a cheat, followed by jail and a five-year ban that brought the precocious talent of Amir to its knees. The ban threatened to end any dreams of greatness Amir or his greatest supporter and mentor ever had for him. Bajwa was devastated by the events of 2010 and could see where Amir’s career was heading and took it upon himself to help the bowler through this crisis with a fatherly arm around the shoulder and some good advice.
“When news of the spot-fixing incident broke I was distraught. I could not believe what had happened. I spoke with Amir the day after and tried to reassure him and calm him. It was an episode that was very difficult for him and also for everyone who had worked with him to get him to the Pakistan team and the levels he had reached as a cricketer. I had to step in and help him as during his five-year ban, Amir went through some very low points. Many of the people around him, the hangers-on, so-called friends and others all disappeared. I had to support him and we spent a lot of the five years together when he was banned. We would talk about his bowling, cricket in general, what he will do when he is back playing international cricket again, but it wasn't easy. There were some very dark days where he didn't even want to think or talk about cricket. When he was in the young offenders institute I also kept in touch with him via his legal team and was regularly passing supportive messages to Amir through them.”
It was obvious that Bajwa like many Pakistanis was hurting by Amir’s misdemeanour but he also knew that abandoning Amir at this crucial juncture of his life would be tantamount to throwing him to the dogs. To Bajwa, who had seen Pakistan’s future star in Amir many years ago, this was not an option. He stepped in and through motivational advice and material help, ensured that Amir was always pointed in the right direction and away from the self-destructive ways which would have been an easy option for the youngster.
“My message to Amir was always don't look back, what's done is done, learn from it and move forward and think of your future, don't throw your God-given talent away. I didn't want him to be lost to cricket and I said to him that I will always be there for him and support him and help him in any way to get back into cricket. Inside I knew that he needed a lot of support and guidance or he would be lost to cricket. I told him to stay patient, be strong and the good days will be back. To his credit he got over the low points and that determination to play cricket once again came back. It is true that Amir has lost a lot in the five years he wasn't able to play cricket, but one thing he has not lost is that ability to bowl beautifully. Once that desire to play cricket came back, he played cricket wherever he could and whenever he could. He played in local parks, he trained and practiced where he was allowed to. He played cricket in remote places where he wouldn't be recognised by the public. We ensured he played cricket and trained as much as possible so that his love and passion for cricket would never die.”
The passion to help Amir achieve his goals and to be the best bowler ever to play for Pakistan or to attain greatness at the world-level is one that not only every Pakistani would dream of, but one that was Bajwa’s main mission in life. However, he knows that a huge amount of work is needed before Amir can truly gain those heights. There is a tinge of pragmatism in Bajwa’s suggestions for Amir’s restoration to stardom which is based upon sound principles of humility; a key trait that the fast-bowler would be well advised to adopt if he is to make progress.
“The talk about Amir one day being the best bowler in the world should be held back. What he needs to do, and I am sure he will do, is to remain focused and stay humble and the results will come and will be there for all to see. He needs to set himself small targets and one by one he will achieve them. He has the ability, he has the skills, he just needs to set himself goals and objectives and I am certain he will once again reach a very high level in international cricket. He doesn't need to worry about rankings or whether he is the best or not, just perform for his country and be a good person.”
When many in the world of cricket turned against him in those fateful days of August 2010, Mohammad Amir’s good fortune of having a mentor in the shape of Asif Bajwa came to his rescue. Just like a doting father who would forgive all wrongs by his son and one who would only see hope for his ward whilst others would see gloom, Bajwa did and will never abandon Amir stating that “He remains like a son to me, despite him not being in touch with me very much these days. There are always misunderstandings amongst friends and families and hopefully they will be sorted out the next time we meet. I still see him like my own child and as the eleven-year-old boy who came to my academy. He will always be special for me and every time he does well on the cricket field it gives me great pleasure and immense pride.”
Whilst media and fans alike would love Amir to try and re-invent himself as the best in his trade and to lead his team to glory this summer, realistically speaking his career will remain work in progress for many years to come. Bajwa thus joins the chorus of well-wishers from the likes of Imran Khan to his current Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq who all believe in the innate talent of Mohammad Amir but would like him to show his true worth to the world by continuing to work with absolute honesty to attain these goals.
“My only message to Amir is to keep working hard, remain focused and reach that level of bowling that he was close to back in 2010. Be a true professional, be a role-model for cricketers all around the world. Be a special cricketer, not an ordinary one, become a hero”, he concludes.
The performance of James Anderson and Stuart Broad should not be a matter of surprise as both are at the top of their game. However, what is more interesting to observers of this much awaited series is that despite the pronouncements of gloom regarding Pakistan’s chances on the tour, there is one weapon in the touring sides armoury which could easily turn the tables on the hosts. The X factor provided by the return of this talented fast-bowler has had a profound effect on the confidence of the Pakistan team. They may have frailties in their batting line-up but the hope that Mohammad Amir’s return provides to the team cannot be measured in words alone.
Mohammad Amir’s return has brought joy and apprehension in minds of many cricket followers, but one person who has seen this phenomenal bowler move from an eleven-year old child to an exceptional bowler today is Amir’s mentor Asif Bajwa, who has been running a cricket academy in Rawalpindi since 1997. In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Asif Bajwa discussed Mohammad Amir's induction into the academy, his meteoric rise in international cricket and the subsequent spot-fixing saga.
“I still remember the day that eleven-year-old Mohammad Amir came to my academy in Rawalpindi as if it was yesterday”, stated a proud Bajwa. “We were holding some under sixteen trials and a friend of mine suggested that we look at this young boy who is from one of the villages. My friend said that he had been spotted and recommended to him and urged me to give him a chance. When I first saw him bowl I wasn't overly impressed with him. He was reasonable but his bowling was not as eye-catching as some of the other boys at the trials.”
However, what Marcus Trescothick and Matthew Maynard recently saw as a danger sign for England batsmen in the upcoming series is something Bajwa noted the first time he saw Amir bowl at his first trials many years ago, namely the fire to succeed and be the best which seemed a natural occurrence in a young and willing Amir.
“One of the things that really struck me was that Amir was attending the trials but it was the first time that he had bowled with a proper cricket ball. When I learnt that, I realised that there was more to come from this boy and he deserved further opportunities. I recall Amir asking me what the seam was on the cricket ball and what it was for, as he had no idea.”
Amir’s skills were visible to the naked eye but what Bajwa was seeing was a young man who had the potential to impress all. The control at an age when most youngsters would be struggling to get their basics right was telling Asif Bajwa of greatness for the unassuming youngster.
“I inducted him into my academy, he played cricket there, lived there, learnt about the game and also studied. I just wanted to help him become a good cricketer, someone who could hold his own in club cricket and maybe even First-Class cricket. At that age there was no telling that he would play for Pakistan one day. When I think back to that time I recall clearly that what struck me about Amir's bowling even at the age of eleven was his control. He wasn't as fast as some of the boys of his age but he had that awareness of where to bowl and he had the ability to bowl exactly where he wanted to and that was outstanding for one so young. I knew that we could build his speed, get him to swing the ball and work on getting him to bowl faster and fully utilise his ability to bowl with such great control. Amir remained at my academy for eight years, right up to the 2009 World Twenty20 tournament in England where the world saw what this young man could do with the ball.”
Whilst Amir’s fairytale rise to stardom is a stuff of legends, so too is his fall to an object of hatred during the summer of 2010. It was the infamous involvement in the spot-fixing scandal replete with the disgrace of being marked as a cheat, followed by jail and a five-year ban that brought the precocious talent of Amir to its knees. The ban threatened to end any dreams of greatness Amir or his greatest supporter and mentor ever had for him. Bajwa was devastated by the events of 2010 and could see where Amir’s career was heading and took it upon himself to help the bowler through this crisis with a fatherly arm around the shoulder and some good advice.
“When news of the spot-fixing incident broke I was distraught. I could not believe what had happened. I spoke with Amir the day after and tried to reassure him and calm him. It was an episode that was very difficult for him and also for everyone who had worked with him to get him to the Pakistan team and the levels he had reached as a cricketer. I had to step in and help him as during his five-year ban, Amir went through some very low points. Many of the people around him, the hangers-on, so-called friends and others all disappeared. I had to support him and we spent a lot of the five years together when he was banned. We would talk about his bowling, cricket in general, what he will do when he is back playing international cricket again, but it wasn't easy. There were some very dark days where he didn't even want to think or talk about cricket. When he was in the young offenders institute I also kept in touch with him via his legal team and was regularly passing supportive messages to Amir through them.”
It was obvious that Bajwa like many Pakistanis was hurting by Amir’s misdemeanour but he also knew that abandoning Amir at this crucial juncture of his life would be tantamount to throwing him to the dogs. To Bajwa, who had seen Pakistan’s future star in Amir many years ago, this was not an option. He stepped in and through motivational advice and material help, ensured that Amir was always pointed in the right direction and away from the self-destructive ways which would have been an easy option for the youngster.
“My message to Amir was always don't look back, what's done is done, learn from it and move forward and think of your future, don't throw your God-given talent away. I didn't want him to be lost to cricket and I said to him that I will always be there for him and support him and help him in any way to get back into cricket. Inside I knew that he needed a lot of support and guidance or he would be lost to cricket. I told him to stay patient, be strong and the good days will be back. To his credit he got over the low points and that determination to play cricket once again came back. It is true that Amir has lost a lot in the five years he wasn't able to play cricket, but one thing he has not lost is that ability to bowl beautifully. Once that desire to play cricket came back, he played cricket wherever he could and whenever he could. He played in local parks, he trained and practiced where he was allowed to. He played cricket in remote places where he wouldn't be recognised by the public. We ensured he played cricket and trained as much as possible so that his love and passion for cricket would never die.”
The passion to help Amir achieve his goals and to be the best bowler ever to play for Pakistan or to attain greatness at the world-level is one that not only every Pakistani would dream of, but one that was Bajwa’s main mission in life. However, he knows that a huge amount of work is needed before Amir can truly gain those heights. There is a tinge of pragmatism in Bajwa’s suggestions for Amir’s restoration to stardom which is based upon sound principles of humility; a key trait that the fast-bowler would be well advised to adopt if he is to make progress.
“The talk about Amir one day being the best bowler in the world should be held back. What he needs to do, and I am sure he will do, is to remain focused and stay humble and the results will come and will be there for all to see. He needs to set himself small targets and one by one he will achieve them. He has the ability, he has the skills, he just needs to set himself goals and objectives and I am certain he will once again reach a very high level in international cricket. He doesn't need to worry about rankings or whether he is the best or not, just perform for his country and be a good person.”
When many in the world of cricket turned against him in those fateful days of August 2010, Mohammad Amir’s good fortune of having a mentor in the shape of Asif Bajwa came to his rescue. Just like a doting father who would forgive all wrongs by his son and one who would only see hope for his ward whilst others would see gloom, Bajwa did and will never abandon Amir stating that “He remains like a son to me, despite him not being in touch with me very much these days. There are always misunderstandings amongst friends and families and hopefully they will be sorted out the next time we meet. I still see him like my own child and as the eleven-year-old boy who came to my academy. He will always be special for me and every time he does well on the cricket field it gives me great pleasure and immense pride.”
Whilst media and fans alike would love Amir to try and re-invent himself as the best in his trade and to lead his team to glory this summer, realistically speaking his career will remain work in progress for many years to come. Bajwa thus joins the chorus of well-wishers from the likes of Imran Khan to his current Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq who all believe in the innate talent of Mohammad Amir but would like him to show his true worth to the world by continuing to work with absolute honesty to attain these goals.
“My only message to Amir is to keep working hard, remain focused and reach that level of bowling that he was close to back in 2010. Be a true professional, be a role-model for cricketers all around the world. Be a special cricketer, not an ordinary one, become a hero”, he concludes.
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