Describe Amir
-A good kid. First time I saw him, he looked a lot younger than I had imagined. We met up specifically because we both visited PakPassion and ended up being in the same town going to University. He does give off the “bacha” vibe but he is quite savvy and I’m sure he will be going places in this world.
I read in one of the threads that you don't plan to live in Canada for too long and would want to move back to Pakistan, why do you feel that there is a need for that?
-This thought has been in my mind since I visited Pakistan 2 summers ago (my first visit back since I moved to Canada in 1996). As of right now, it’s just a thought. Nothing I do currently in terms of my academic career, actual career, family life, or life in general is done with this thought in mind.
My thinking is that as of right now, I am studying at the University of Waterloo and I’m going to be doing that for a few years to come. After that, I’ll still stay in Canada and start my career here. At that point it would be nice if an opportunity in Pakistan arose which I could take and move back.
Often times I feel it’s a bit too romantic of a notion. That the situation in Pakistan will only get worse and the quality of living in Canada is so much better that it would be foolish to move back. But even though I’ve grown up in Canada, I don’t see Canada as my home. It’s just where I live. Pakistan is my home. I want to be a contributing member of society, but that would be most fruitful in Pakistani society. I don’t like the idea that I am contributing to the Pakistan brain drain.
Another thing that scares me is having my kids born and raised in Canada. I see too many cases of Canadian born Pakistanis who just seem like they’re in limbo. Too Pakistani to be Canadian, too Canadian to be Pakistan.
Anyway, like I said, it’s just a thought for now. We’ll see what happens. It’s definitely not a plan, I’m just keeping my options open.
Chicken or Beef?
-Chicken, hands down.
We share the same interest in Shoaib Malik, so what made you support him so much?
-Shoaib Malik has been my favorite Pakistani cricketer since I started following cricket as closely as I do. I support him because I believe he’s the best young batsman Pakistan have. Yes, I know many people would disagree, but I’m entitled to my opinion. Over the years, we have seen far too much dependence on senior players and not enough is contributed from the others. Shoaib Malik was the exception to that rule.
He had consistent performances for a long time. His demeanor on the field is always positive. He always looks like he’s prepared to play (as in, he’s doesn’t half do it). All that combined with a very good first impression leads to my support for Shoaib Malik.
What do you think about Shoaib Malik being our present captain, do you think he's got the secret ingredient to take us to the top?
-At the time this question was asked, I would have said yes. But after seeing his captaincy for some time, I would have to say no. Malik talked a big game about being aggressive and giving it their all and all that good stuff. It hasn’t materialized. Instead, what we’ve seen is the Inzamam style of captaincy continued and frankly, I expected better.
However, I don’t believe Shoaib Malik has the same sort of mindset as Inzamam. He’s shown a greater willingness to try new things. His deficiencies as a captain so far are a result of inexperience, not because of a fundamental flaw in his approach to the game. I still think he has a very good approach to the game, and am confident that if certain things fall into place we will see a very good Pakistani captain here.
Would u still support malik all the way even if he has his bad days?
-I believe this question was answered after the ODI series against India.
Just because I like Shoaib Malik doesn’t mean I believe he’s always right. He will make mistakes, and I’m not one to ignore all the bad things simple because he’s my favorite player. I firmly believe that being a “fan” doesn’t mean you should be praising him continuously and ignoring all his faults.
If Shoaib Malik does something that I believe warrants criticism, the criticism will come. Sure, subconsciously I’m probably willing to forgive him for more than any other player and I always look for excuses to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I’m not naïve enough to believe he will always do the right thing and he will always perform.
Say if you got the chance to have one date with anyone in this world who would it be? reason for this and what 3 questions would you ask him/her??
Hmm, really got me thinking about this question. I’m going to assume you don’t mean an actual ‘date’ but rather a meeting with someone interesting.
After thinking about this for some time, I think I would like to meet Steve Ballmer. Ballmer is currently the CEO of Microsoft (took the position after Bill Gates stepped down). He is the richest person in the world who isn’t a founder or relative of a founder of a company.
While I don’t admire Steve Ballmer as a person, there is definitely something to be said about becoming the 31st richest person in the world simply as an “employee.” Questions I would ask him are:
1. Do you think an employee needs to act selfishly or with the company’s success in mind when looking to become a successful employee?
2. Do you feel like a “villain” considering you are the CEO of a company so many people have animosity towards? Or is that just a sign of how much they need you?
3. You have nightmares about Google, don’t you?
What do you think should be included in the PCB constitution?
1. The governing body should consist of a board of directors who represent different parts of the country based on the amount of cricket played in those regions.
2. The board of directors should choose the president, selectors, and academy coaches.
3. A set amount of revenue must be set aside for grass roots development including construction, maintenance, staffing, and operation of several cricketing academies.
4. The control of cricket grounds should be taken away from the PCB and handed over to the regional cricket associations. The regional associations must be responsible for maintenance and improvements of the grounds. Hosting of international matches should be based on which a quasi rotational policy which considers previous competency in hosting matches.
5. The funding of regional associations should be proportional to the amount of cricket being played within that association (number of players, matches etc).
Did you get married in 87? Kabool e Kabool ey Kabool ee
Or is this name after Kaboolee Khan
-The origins of my username are often inquired about. I didn’t think it was all that confusing a name, but it astounds me how many people misread it. So here goes:
When I was younger, I was a big Vancouver Grizzlies (an old NBA franchise) fan. I used to love these guys. Sadly, they were really bad. I mean really bad. Like out of the 82 game regular season, they probably averaged around 15-20 wins. Those of you familiar with basketball will know how often teams do the fouling routine at the end of games. They’ll be down by 8-10 points, and start fouling the opposition on purpose, hoping for the other team to miss their free thows.
Being a fan of the Grizzlies, I witnessed such scenarios on a regular basis. And the other team would almost always make its free throws, and win the game. My younger brother (only 6 or 7 at the time) decided that yelling the word “kabloooee” was a good luck charm when the other team shot free throws. He had seen the word on those old batman shows where words like “KABLAM” “SHAZAM” “KABLOOEE” would flash on the screen when batman was busy bruising up bad guys. It soon became regular practice to should this word when the opposing team took a shot in the hopes that they would miss.
Around the same time, I opened my first email account. Being the immature prepubescent kid I was, I thought kablooee was a cool name. And from there onwards, for the sake of continuity, I kept the name for all the accounts I opened across the internet. I’ve thought about changing it several times. But for one reason or another, I’ve stuck with it, and here we are.
It still surprises me how many people don’t recognize the word though. It’s supposed to be that small explosion sounds. You know, “the box went kablooee!”
As for the 87, no, I didn’t get married in 1987. Instead, it was something much more important. I came into this world on June 25, 1987.
Do you play cricket yourself, if so are you a batsman, bowler, all rounder?
-Only recreationally.
I’m a fairly decent batsman and bowler. I suppose you could either look at that as me being a good all rounder or being not very good at either so I just say both. I’m decent though. I played organized cricket here in British Columbia, Canada one year and did fairly well as a middle order batsman.
I take pride in my fielding though. I like to think I am a very good fielder but even if I’m not, there’s no doubt that I’m almost always the liveliest fielder in any game I take part in. The only cricket action I’ve seen with PPers was during the Toronto meetup where we played a double wicket tournament (and me and His_excellence won ).
Any other sports that you take interest in?
-Yes. I’m a big hockey fan. Ice hockey that is. Usually end up going to 1 game per season, because that’s all I can really afford. I watch all the game though. For a good 2 year stretch I was a huge American football fan also. I’ve already mentioned my love for the old basketball franchise Vancouver Grizzlies, but since they moved away , I’ve always had an animosity towards the NBA (long story).
All in all, I’m a big sports fan in general. Love watching sports as a whole. The only North American sport you won’t find me interested in is NASCAR. If I were to rank my interest in sports as of now it would be :
1. Cricket
2. (Ice) Hockey
3. (American) Football
4. Basketball
5. Tennis
6. Formula 1
7. Golf
8. Soccer
Where was your last holiday?
-Pakistan, for the age old reason: To attend a wedding. It was loads of fun, and my first visit to the country in 10 years. I stayed in Karachi the whole time, which is a shame because it would’ve been fun to visit the country as a pure tourist rather that just as a relative returning home for a wedding.
How old are you, where are you based and when was the last time you visited Pakistan?
-I am 20 years old, currently living with my family in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I go to university in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada which is a 5 hour flight away from home. I’ll be going back to school in January when my next study term starts. The last time I visited Pakistan was Summer 2006.
Is it true that Pak is to Cricket what Brazil is to Football?
Can’t say I know enough about Brazil as a football country but I would have to say NO. To compare cricket and soccer in my opinion is very difficult because the dynamics are so much different. Sure I can see the similarities, but Brazil has actually been on top of the Soccer world for a good amount of time, I don’t think Pakistan can make that claim with cricket.
Do you think PP needs a formalised moderation system?
If so which moderator is responsible for you demanding so?
-A loaded question if I ever saw one.
Yes, PakPassion does need a formalized moderation system. No, I was not compelled to propose the idea due to the actions of any particular moderator. I have full faith that the PP moderation team does its (unpaid) job with the best of intentions and they don’t purposely abuse their powers at all.
That being said, I think spending some time now to formally lay out a framework that would guide moderation on this site would not only lead to a more efficient running forum, but would actually make the job of the moderators easier and simpler. And as much as I trust this moderation team, added accountability is never a bad idea. For those of you who are interested, search for my topic in the Suggestions and Support forum. I proposed the idea, the PP team had a look and wasn’t convinced.
I disagree with their thoughts on the matter, but I’m satisfied that most of them at least considered it rather than dismissing it without thought. If anyone else feels strongly that the idea was a good one, you can resurrect that topic, I’ll be glad to provide support.
What are your views on Pakistani politics?
-There are no politics in Pakistan. We don’t have political parties that follow a certain political platform. Everybody is just out to get as much power as they can. Alliances are based on brotherhoods and family ties. If not that, then they are based simply on looking to stay in power and suck as much out of the system as possible.
The Pakistani citizen never truly realized the power of his vote. He never realized his own responsibility as a citizen to contribute the betterment of the country as a whole. Frankly, these days it’s all too depressing to think about. After the emergency was declared, I adopted a “wait and see” attitude to it all. It makes me feel like I’m part of the problem as well, but I can’t do much sitting here in Canada.
What is the one thing you would change about Pakistan if you had the chance?
-I wish we had looked inward, not outward. Upon Pakistan’s creation, we immediately looked out to the rest of the world and used that point of view to develop the country. What should have happened is we should have looked inward, take care of our own house first, so that when we are at a respectable place, we can look outward and have a respectable standing in the world.
Why be friends with Amir? Is it because he makes you look tall?
-Yea that’s it basically. He also makes me look good looking when I stand beside him.
Why the love for cricket when you clearly have the physique of a Pakistani Field Hockey player?
-It’s interesting you say that because if I hadn’t moved to Canada, I probably would’ve ended up playing a lot of field hockey. I went to Habib Public School in Karachi, a school which is is well known for producing several Pakistani International players. I even attended a summer field hockey camp taught by a former Pakistani player (can’t remember his name).
Why the love for cricket? I think it stems for a general need to have a connection with Pakistan. Since cricket is the national passion, and I am in general a big sports fan, it only makes sense that I would be obsessed with cricket. I’ve always thought that cricket is a game of nuances. And I don’t think any other sport in the world has the nuances that cricket does.
I think you have to have a certain sense of patience and inquisitiveness to be able to truly enjoy cricket, especially test cricket. People use the word “exciting” a lot. If that’s what you’re looking for, then cricket isn’t the place to be. But the tension is there. The high level of intrigue is there. Most of all, the presence of Pakistan as a genuine contender is there.
What are your career aspirations?
I am currently going to university doing a Bachelor in Mechatronics Engineering. Obviously I want to be an engineer. Waterloo engineering grads have a very high rate of entrepreneurship. Almost 50% of Waterloo engineering grads end up starting business with a fellow graduate. That’s where I see myself going.
That won’t happen immediately after graduation, but the plan is to gain entry into the field, gain as much knowledge about its workings as possible and then align myself to move into a situation where I can start up my own small engineering firm. That’s not all that hard to do considering there aren’t many Mechatronics engineers around.
Being a young person yourself, is the criticism that the youth of today receive justified?
In the sense that they do some stupid things, yes. But in the sense that only young people do those things, no. All the ridiculous things young people do can be found in the lifestyles of adults also. I think once you reach a certain age of maturity (16 ish), your personality comes to the fore and if you are a certain type of person, that’s how you will act.
What does kablooee87 like to do in his spare time?
Pakpassion. Sometimes I also like to visit this Pakistan cricket forum called Pakpassion. Also I spend a lot of time at Pakpassion.net. When I’m bored, I like to sit in front of the computer and talk cricket on a website called Pakpassion.
OK, I’ll stop.
Truthfully speaking, I’m not exactly the outgoing type. I’m the type of person who would rather stay in to watch a movie rather than go out with friends. I am human so obviously I do like to venture out once in a while. I play sports a lot, badminton biweekly, everything else whenever I feel like it and can organize it.
These days I’m actually reading the Quran in my spare time. The biggest motivation for this was having the living daylights scared out of me at how hard I found it to read Arabic. This past Ramadan I realized that I had almost lost my ability to read Arabic (it had been so long) so I’m trying to bring it back by getting as much practice as possible.
Tell us the first things that come to mind when you hear/see the following words:
-I love this question because I don’t have to justify anything, just write what comes to mind.
- Inzi - Humble
- The internet - Connections
- Food – French Fries
- Annoying – The seagulls from Finding Nemo
- David Beckham - Fashionable hair cut
- Shoaib – Bouncing locks
- Happiness – Flowers
- America – Map of the United States with their flag superimposed on it (am I conditioned by media or what?)
Is KP going to be one of the greats of Cricket?
-It astounds me how drastically different things can look for a cricketer in such a short time. One series, he’ll look absolutely unstoppable and the next he can’t score runs to save his life. For that reason, I can’t say whether or not KP will be one of the greats. But he’s probably best positioned out of all the young batsman in the world.
Are you a fan of International T20 - did you enjoy the World T20?
-I’ve mentioned my love for cricket’s nuances. When you go from Test matches to ODIs, you lose some of that. When you go from ODIs to T20’s, you lose more still, this time to a much higher level. Am I a fan of T20? Sure, it’s fun to watch, short and sweet, and has plenty of excitement. But I think it’s the sort of thing that can get played out very easily.
If we saw T20s played as many times as we see ODIs, people would realize how repetitive it can get and how it negates a lot of the reasons we watch cricket in the first place. Once the novelty of the rain of 6s wears off, you won’t see nearly as much love.
Out of the three which was the most impressive human invention:
*Wheel
*Internet
*Electricity (even though it was a discovery)
I believe the invention of the wheel was an absolute inevitability. It’s almost a part of human evolution. People always talk about the best inventions. I don’t think the wheel gets that honour because it would’ve happened sooner or later. It might be the most important invention, but not the most impressive.
Out of the 3 choices I’d have to go with the internet. Not just the invention itself, but the innovation to utilize it so many different an unbelievably useful ways is the defining invention of our time. We are the internet age.
Kablooee, what really got you into following Pakistani cricket (while living here in Canada where ice hockey is king)?
Interesting question. Most people I know who follow cricket do so because they did that in Pakistan and it just carried over. That was not the case for me at all. I did follow cricket but I was very young when I moved to Canada. I don’t think anybody at the age of 9 can really be a true cricket fan. When I moved to Canada, my interest in cricket pretty much faded. New surroundings, new people, it just wasn’t present during my growth from the age of 9 till about 16.
The fact that it was basically impossible to actually watch a game of cricket for us didn’t help (only WC games were shown and those on PPV). Then my brother joined a local cricket league and his interest ballooned. I was still defiant. I even remember writing off the sport. But for some reason, around the time of the 2003 world cup, I gained interest. Maybe it was my subconscious childhood finally coming to the fore, but I had a distinct curiosity about that sport.
This may not seem like a big deal but you have to understand….there was NO exposure for cricket where I lived. If you wanted to follow cricket, you had to go out searching for it. By the time Jeet Lo dil series came around, a friend of the family invited a whole bunch of families to his house to watch the matches. That’s when it became official. After that, I followed cricket more closely that anyone else I know.
So I’m not really sure how my interest in cricket got rekindled, but I find it very interesting that it happened under very unfavorable circumstances.
What do you make of the members here changing their opinions on players every other day?
-To be frank, I imagine they don’t have enough knowledge of what’s going on with Pakistan cricket. That means their opinions were not that well founded in the first place, which means it doesn’t take much to change their minds.
This doesn’t mean that changing opinions is a bad thing. I have changed my opinions on some issues but that’s because new evidence comes forward (matches played) to support or reject them.
Can you honestly say that Irfan Pathan is not better than Wasim Akram?
Yes. And that’s all that question deserves.
If you had to chose between money and a pretty wife, which one would you chose?
As long as we’re talking hypothetically, I’d go with money. Because the pretty wife would follow.
What is the science and history behind this humanity meter?
Ah, I’ve been asked this question several times.
Basically, I spend a LOT of time on the internet. I’m a “current events” and “information” nut. I just love reading, watching, hearing about things I didn’t previously had no knowledge of. So naturally, I come across of LOT of material.
Obviously, some of this is heartwarming and some of it is depressing. But after some time, I found that there were some pieces of information (an event, an opinion, an action, a fact) that actually made me think about people in general. For example, some time ago, I saw a video on the internet of a bunch of guys sitting in a basement playing poker or just hanging out.
One of them was a former guard at Abu Gharib prison. So they others ask him about it. This guy goes on to describe, with a smirk on his face, how “they charged 20 bucks a pop for people to rape a 16 year old” and they were able to make a few hundred dollars before “the ***** killed herself.”
That sort of thing made me say “Damn, my faith in humanity just went down.” The meter is just a way to keep track of it. There is no science to it, but that’s the history.
-A good kid. First time I saw him, he looked a lot younger than I had imagined. We met up specifically because we both visited PakPassion and ended up being in the same town going to University. He does give off the “bacha” vibe but he is quite savvy and I’m sure he will be going places in this world.
I read in one of the threads that you don't plan to live in Canada for too long and would want to move back to Pakistan, why do you feel that there is a need for that?
-This thought has been in my mind since I visited Pakistan 2 summers ago (my first visit back since I moved to Canada in 1996). As of right now, it’s just a thought. Nothing I do currently in terms of my academic career, actual career, family life, or life in general is done with this thought in mind.
My thinking is that as of right now, I am studying at the University of Waterloo and I’m going to be doing that for a few years to come. After that, I’ll still stay in Canada and start my career here. At that point it would be nice if an opportunity in Pakistan arose which I could take and move back.
Often times I feel it’s a bit too romantic of a notion. That the situation in Pakistan will only get worse and the quality of living in Canada is so much better that it would be foolish to move back. But even though I’ve grown up in Canada, I don’t see Canada as my home. It’s just where I live. Pakistan is my home. I want to be a contributing member of society, but that would be most fruitful in Pakistani society. I don’t like the idea that I am contributing to the Pakistan brain drain.
Another thing that scares me is having my kids born and raised in Canada. I see too many cases of Canadian born Pakistanis who just seem like they’re in limbo. Too Pakistani to be Canadian, too Canadian to be Pakistan.
Anyway, like I said, it’s just a thought for now. We’ll see what happens. It’s definitely not a plan, I’m just keeping my options open.
Chicken or Beef?
-Chicken, hands down.
We share the same interest in Shoaib Malik, so what made you support him so much?
-Shoaib Malik has been my favorite Pakistani cricketer since I started following cricket as closely as I do. I support him because I believe he’s the best young batsman Pakistan have. Yes, I know many people would disagree, but I’m entitled to my opinion. Over the years, we have seen far too much dependence on senior players and not enough is contributed from the others. Shoaib Malik was the exception to that rule.
He had consistent performances for a long time. His demeanor on the field is always positive. He always looks like he’s prepared to play (as in, he’s doesn’t half do it). All that combined with a very good first impression leads to my support for Shoaib Malik.
What do you think about Shoaib Malik being our present captain, do you think he's got the secret ingredient to take us to the top?
-At the time this question was asked, I would have said yes. But after seeing his captaincy for some time, I would have to say no. Malik talked a big game about being aggressive and giving it their all and all that good stuff. It hasn’t materialized. Instead, what we’ve seen is the Inzamam style of captaincy continued and frankly, I expected better.
However, I don’t believe Shoaib Malik has the same sort of mindset as Inzamam. He’s shown a greater willingness to try new things. His deficiencies as a captain so far are a result of inexperience, not because of a fundamental flaw in his approach to the game. I still think he has a very good approach to the game, and am confident that if certain things fall into place we will see a very good Pakistani captain here.
Would u still support malik all the way even if he has his bad days?
-I believe this question was answered after the ODI series against India.
Just because I like Shoaib Malik doesn’t mean I believe he’s always right. He will make mistakes, and I’m not one to ignore all the bad things simple because he’s my favorite player. I firmly believe that being a “fan” doesn’t mean you should be praising him continuously and ignoring all his faults.
If Shoaib Malik does something that I believe warrants criticism, the criticism will come. Sure, subconsciously I’m probably willing to forgive him for more than any other player and I always look for excuses to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I’m not naïve enough to believe he will always do the right thing and he will always perform.
Say if you got the chance to have one date with anyone in this world who would it be? reason for this and what 3 questions would you ask him/her??
Hmm, really got me thinking about this question. I’m going to assume you don’t mean an actual ‘date’ but rather a meeting with someone interesting.
After thinking about this for some time, I think I would like to meet Steve Ballmer. Ballmer is currently the CEO of Microsoft (took the position after Bill Gates stepped down). He is the richest person in the world who isn’t a founder or relative of a founder of a company.
While I don’t admire Steve Ballmer as a person, there is definitely something to be said about becoming the 31st richest person in the world simply as an “employee.” Questions I would ask him are:
1. Do you think an employee needs to act selfishly or with the company’s success in mind when looking to become a successful employee?
2. Do you feel like a “villain” considering you are the CEO of a company so many people have animosity towards? Or is that just a sign of how much they need you?
3. You have nightmares about Google, don’t you?
What do you think should be included in the PCB constitution?
1. The governing body should consist of a board of directors who represent different parts of the country based on the amount of cricket played in those regions.
2. The board of directors should choose the president, selectors, and academy coaches.
3. A set amount of revenue must be set aside for grass roots development including construction, maintenance, staffing, and operation of several cricketing academies.
4. The control of cricket grounds should be taken away from the PCB and handed over to the regional cricket associations. The regional associations must be responsible for maintenance and improvements of the grounds. Hosting of international matches should be based on which a quasi rotational policy which considers previous competency in hosting matches.
5. The funding of regional associations should be proportional to the amount of cricket being played within that association (number of players, matches etc).
Did you get married in 87? Kabool e Kabool ey Kabool ee
Or is this name after Kaboolee Khan
-The origins of my username are often inquired about. I didn’t think it was all that confusing a name, but it astounds me how many people misread it. So here goes:
When I was younger, I was a big Vancouver Grizzlies (an old NBA franchise) fan. I used to love these guys. Sadly, they were really bad. I mean really bad. Like out of the 82 game regular season, they probably averaged around 15-20 wins. Those of you familiar with basketball will know how often teams do the fouling routine at the end of games. They’ll be down by 8-10 points, and start fouling the opposition on purpose, hoping for the other team to miss their free thows.
Being a fan of the Grizzlies, I witnessed such scenarios on a regular basis. And the other team would almost always make its free throws, and win the game. My younger brother (only 6 or 7 at the time) decided that yelling the word “kabloooee” was a good luck charm when the other team shot free throws. He had seen the word on those old batman shows where words like “KABLAM” “SHAZAM” “KABLOOEE” would flash on the screen when batman was busy bruising up bad guys. It soon became regular practice to should this word when the opposing team took a shot in the hopes that they would miss.
Around the same time, I opened my first email account. Being the immature prepubescent kid I was, I thought kablooee was a cool name. And from there onwards, for the sake of continuity, I kept the name for all the accounts I opened across the internet. I’ve thought about changing it several times. But for one reason or another, I’ve stuck with it, and here we are.
It still surprises me how many people don’t recognize the word though. It’s supposed to be that small explosion sounds. You know, “the box went kablooee!”
As for the 87, no, I didn’t get married in 1987. Instead, it was something much more important. I came into this world on June 25, 1987.
Do you play cricket yourself, if so are you a batsman, bowler, all rounder?
-Only recreationally.
I’m a fairly decent batsman and bowler. I suppose you could either look at that as me being a good all rounder or being not very good at either so I just say both. I’m decent though. I played organized cricket here in British Columbia, Canada one year and did fairly well as a middle order batsman.
I take pride in my fielding though. I like to think I am a very good fielder but even if I’m not, there’s no doubt that I’m almost always the liveliest fielder in any game I take part in. The only cricket action I’ve seen with PPers was during the Toronto meetup where we played a double wicket tournament (and me and His_excellence won ).
Any other sports that you take interest in?
-Yes. I’m a big hockey fan. Ice hockey that is. Usually end up going to 1 game per season, because that’s all I can really afford. I watch all the game though. For a good 2 year stretch I was a huge American football fan also. I’ve already mentioned my love for the old basketball franchise Vancouver Grizzlies, but since they moved away , I’ve always had an animosity towards the NBA (long story).
All in all, I’m a big sports fan in general. Love watching sports as a whole. The only North American sport you won’t find me interested in is NASCAR. If I were to rank my interest in sports as of now it would be :
1. Cricket
2. (Ice) Hockey
3. (American) Football
4. Basketball
5. Tennis
6. Formula 1
7. Golf
8. Soccer
Where was your last holiday?
-Pakistan, for the age old reason: To attend a wedding. It was loads of fun, and my first visit to the country in 10 years. I stayed in Karachi the whole time, which is a shame because it would’ve been fun to visit the country as a pure tourist rather that just as a relative returning home for a wedding.
How old are you, where are you based and when was the last time you visited Pakistan?
-I am 20 years old, currently living with my family in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I go to university in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada which is a 5 hour flight away from home. I’ll be going back to school in January when my next study term starts. The last time I visited Pakistan was Summer 2006.
Is it true that Pak is to Cricket what Brazil is to Football?
Can’t say I know enough about Brazil as a football country but I would have to say NO. To compare cricket and soccer in my opinion is very difficult because the dynamics are so much different. Sure I can see the similarities, but Brazil has actually been on top of the Soccer world for a good amount of time, I don’t think Pakistan can make that claim with cricket.
Do you think PP needs a formalised moderation system?
If so which moderator is responsible for you demanding so?
-A loaded question if I ever saw one.
Yes, PakPassion does need a formalized moderation system. No, I was not compelled to propose the idea due to the actions of any particular moderator. I have full faith that the PP moderation team does its (unpaid) job with the best of intentions and they don’t purposely abuse their powers at all.
That being said, I think spending some time now to formally lay out a framework that would guide moderation on this site would not only lead to a more efficient running forum, but would actually make the job of the moderators easier and simpler. And as much as I trust this moderation team, added accountability is never a bad idea. For those of you who are interested, search for my topic in the Suggestions and Support forum. I proposed the idea, the PP team had a look and wasn’t convinced.
I disagree with their thoughts on the matter, but I’m satisfied that most of them at least considered it rather than dismissing it without thought. If anyone else feels strongly that the idea was a good one, you can resurrect that topic, I’ll be glad to provide support.
What are your views on Pakistani politics?
-There are no politics in Pakistan. We don’t have political parties that follow a certain political platform. Everybody is just out to get as much power as they can. Alliances are based on brotherhoods and family ties. If not that, then they are based simply on looking to stay in power and suck as much out of the system as possible.
The Pakistani citizen never truly realized the power of his vote. He never realized his own responsibility as a citizen to contribute the betterment of the country as a whole. Frankly, these days it’s all too depressing to think about. After the emergency was declared, I adopted a “wait and see” attitude to it all. It makes me feel like I’m part of the problem as well, but I can’t do much sitting here in Canada.
What is the one thing you would change about Pakistan if you had the chance?
-I wish we had looked inward, not outward. Upon Pakistan’s creation, we immediately looked out to the rest of the world and used that point of view to develop the country. What should have happened is we should have looked inward, take care of our own house first, so that when we are at a respectable place, we can look outward and have a respectable standing in the world.
Why be friends with Amir? Is it because he makes you look tall?
-Yea that’s it basically. He also makes me look good looking when I stand beside him.
Why the love for cricket when you clearly have the physique of a Pakistani Field Hockey player?
-It’s interesting you say that because if I hadn’t moved to Canada, I probably would’ve ended up playing a lot of field hockey. I went to Habib Public School in Karachi, a school which is is well known for producing several Pakistani International players. I even attended a summer field hockey camp taught by a former Pakistani player (can’t remember his name).
Why the love for cricket? I think it stems for a general need to have a connection with Pakistan. Since cricket is the national passion, and I am in general a big sports fan, it only makes sense that I would be obsessed with cricket. I’ve always thought that cricket is a game of nuances. And I don’t think any other sport in the world has the nuances that cricket does.
I think you have to have a certain sense of patience and inquisitiveness to be able to truly enjoy cricket, especially test cricket. People use the word “exciting” a lot. If that’s what you’re looking for, then cricket isn’t the place to be. But the tension is there. The high level of intrigue is there. Most of all, the presence of Pakistan as a genuine contender is there.
What are your career aspirations?
I am currently going to university doing a Bachelor in Mechatronics Engineering. Obviously I want to be an engineer. Waterloo engineering grads have a very high rate of entrepreneurship. Almost 50% of Waterloo engineering grads end up starting business with a fellow graduate. That’s where I see myself going.
That won’t happen immediately after graduation, but the plan is to gain entry into the field, gain as much knowledge about its workings as possible and then align myself to move into a situation where I can start up my own small engineering firm. That’s not all that hard to do considering there aren’t many Mechatronics engineers around.
Being a young person yourself, is the criticism that the youth of today receive justified?
In the sense that they do some stupid things, yes. But in the sense that only young people do those things, no. All the ridiculous things young people do can be found in the lifestyles of adults also. I think once you reach a certain age of maturity (16 ish), your personality comes to the fore and if you are a certain type of person, that’s how you will act.
What does kablooee87 like to do in his spare time?
Pakpassion. Sometimes I also like to visit this Pakistan cricket forum called Pakpassion. Also I spend a lot of time at Pakpassion.net. When I’m bored, I like to sit in front of the computer and talk cricket on a website called Pakpassion.
OK, I’ll stop.
Truthfully speaking, I’m not exactly the outgoing type. I’m the type of person who would rather stay in to watch a movie rather than go out with friends. I am human so obviously I do like to venture out once in a while. I play sports a lot, badminton biweekly, everything else whenever I feel like it and can organize it.
These days I’m actually reading the Quran in my spare time. The biggest motivation for this was having the living daylights scared out of me at how hard I found it to read Arabic. This past Ramadan I realized that I had almost lost my ability to read Arabic (it had been so long) so I’m trying to bring it back by getting as much practice as possible.
Tell us the first things that come to mind when you hear/see the following words:
-I love this question because I don’t have to justify anything, just write what comes to mind.
- Inzi - Humble
- The internet - Connections
- Food – French Fries
- Annoying – The seagulls from Finding Nemo
- David Beckham - Fashionable hair cut
- Shoaib – Bouncing locks
- Happiness – Flowers
- America – Map of the United States with their flag superimposed on it (am I conditioned by media or what?)
Is KP going to be one of the greats of Cricket?
-It astounds me how drastically different things can look for a cricketer in such a short time. One series, he’ll look absolutely unstoppable and the next he can’t score runs to save his life. For that reason, I can’t say whether or not KP will be one of the greats. But he’s probably best positioned out of all the young batsman in the world.
Are you a fan of International T20 - did you enjoy the World T20?
-I’ve mentioned my love for cricket’s nuances. When you go from Test matches to ODIs, you lose some of that. When you go from ODIs to T20’s, you lose more still, this time to a much higher level. Am I a fan of T20? Sure, it’s fun to watch, short and sweet, and has plenty of excitement. But I think it’s the sort of thing that can get played out very easily.
If we saw T20s played as many times as we see ODIs, people would realize how repetitive it can get and how it negates a lot of the reasons we watch cricket in the first place. Once the novelty of the rain of 6s wears off, you won’t see nearly as much love.
Out of the three which was the most impressive human invention:
*Wheel
*Internet
*Electricity (even though it was a discovery)
I believe the invention of the wheel was an absolute inevitability. It’s almost a part of human evolution. People always talk about the best inventions. I don’t think the wheel gets that honour because it would’ve happened sooner or later. It might be the most important invention, but not the most impressive.
Out of the 3 choices I’d have to go with the internet. Not just the invention itself, but the innovation to utilize it so many different an unbelievably useful ways is the defining invention of our time. We are the internet age.
Kablooee, what really got you into following Pakistani cricket (while living here in Canada where ice hockey is king)?
Interesting question. Most people I know who follow cricket do so because they did that in Pakistan and it just carried over. That was not the case for me at all. I did follow cricket but I was very young when I moved to Canada. I don’t think anybody at the age of 9 can really be a true cricket fan. When I moved to Canada, my interest in cricket pretty much faded. New surroundings, new people, it just wasn’t present during my growth from the age of 9 till about 16.
The fact that it was basically impossible to actually watch a game of cricket for us didn’t help (only WC games were shown and those on PPV). Then my brother joined a local cricket league and his interest ballooned. I was still defiant. I even remember writing off the sport. But for some reason, around the time of the 2003 world cup, I gained interest. Maybe it was my subconscious childhood finally coming to the fore, but I had a distinct curiosity about that sport.
This may not seem like a big deal but you have to understand….there was NO exposure for cricket where I lived. If you wanted to follow cricket, you had to go out searching for it. By the time Jeet Lo dil series came around, a friend of the family invited a whole bunch of families to his house to watch the matches. That’s when it became official. After that, I followed cricket more closely that anyone else I know.
So I’m not really sure how my interest in cricket got rekindled, but I find it very interesting that it happened under very unfavorable circumstances.
What do you make of the members here changing their opinions on players every other day?
-To be frank, I imagine they don’t have enough knowledge of what’s going on with Pakistan cricket. That means their opinions were not that well founded in the first place, which means it doesn’t take much to change their minds.
This doesn’t mean that changing opinions is a bad thing. I have changed my opinions on some issues but that’s because new evidence comes forward (matches played) to support or reject them.
Can you honestly say that Irfan Pathan is not better than Wasim Akram?
Yes. And that’s all that question deserves.
If you had to chose between money and a pretty wife, which one would you chose?
As long as we’re talking hypothetically, I’d go with money. Because the pretty wife would follow.
What is the science and history behind this humanity meter?
Ah, I’ve been asked this question several times.
Basically, I spend a LOT of time on the internet. I’m a “current events” and “information” nut. I just love reading, watching, hearing about things I didn’t previously had no knowledge of. So naturally, I come across of LOT of material.
Obviously, some of this is heartwarming and some of it is depressing. But after some time, I found that there were some pieces of information (an event, an opinion, an action, a fact) that actually made me think about people in general. For example, some time ago, I saw a video on the internet of a bunch of guys sitting in a basement playing poker or just hanging out.
One of them was a former guard at Abu Gharib prison. So they others ask him about it. This guy goes on to describe, with a smirk on his face, how “they charged 20 bucks a pop for people to rape a 16 year old” and they were able to make a few hundred dollars before “the ***** killed herself.”
That sort of thing made me say “Damn, my faith in humanity just went down.” The meter is just a way to keep track of it. There is no science to it, but that’s the history.
