Pakistan Have Potential to Win 2007 World Cup: Jalaluddin

Javed Akhtar, Arab News

Jalaluddin, former medium pacer of Pakistan, during the interview at Arab News office on Monday. (AN photo by Javed Akhtar) JEDDAH, 9 August 2006 — Pakistan have the potential to win the 2007 World Cup Cricket Championship in the West Indies from March 13, according to former medium pacer Jalaluddin. Jalaluddin, who had the distinction of recording Pakistan’s first One-Day hat trick against Australia in Hyderabad in 1982, said 1992 champions Pakistan can emerge world champions once again. “Pakistan have the ability both in batting and bowling to win the World Cup. The only problem is their fielding. Every run saved is run scored,” Jalal told Arab News in an exclusive interview on Monday. Jalal, who is now a highly qualified and respected coach, runs the popular Customs Cricket Academy in Karachi. He was here to perform Umrah and pray at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. “It is not necessary that only the top-ranked team can win an event like the World Cup. Weaker teams have done it in the past — like India in 1983. And they can do it again,” Jalal said. He continued, “It depends upon how all the members of the team perform on any given day. If everyone does his bit, then the team can win against anyone.” Jalal said a lot of work needed to be done in the fielding department. “South Africa’s Johnty Rhodes had come down at the invitation of the Pakistan Cricket Board. He was with the national team for some time. He also held clinics for coaches. Now it is up to the individual players to put into practice whatever he has taught them,” he added. Jalal emphasized the need of a good coach since the game has now become so competitive, especially the One-Day variety, that the captain needs someone to help in planning strategy. “I also have nothing against foreign coaches. In fact I am in favor of Bob Woolmer, the current Pakistan coach. He has the qualification, knowledge and experience necessary for a good coach,” Jalal added. He said Woolmer’s problem is lack of flexibility. “Woolmer introduced the concept of fielding big hitters first in the order. This strategy flopped against India. Woolmer was criticized by all concerned and the media was full of it. Instead of changing his tactics, Woolmer took it personally and stuck to his guns which I feel was not correct,” Jalal explained. About the enigmatic speedster Shoaib Akhtar, Jalal said his recurring injury problems were due to a lack of proper rest and unwillingness to work hard for a high degree of fitness. “Shoaib is a fast bowler. He likes to bowl as fast as he can. With the kind of lifestyle he has, it becomes difficult at times to maintain the level of fitness needed to bowl very fast. He also does not take adequate rest. Good pros, like the Aussies, combine both these suitably and it shows in their performance,” he added. Jalal said Shoaib, Umer Guld, Mohammed Asif, Mohammed Sami and Rana Naved were likely to constitute the nucleus of Pakistan’s pace attack in the near future. Talking about his Customs Cricket Academy, Jalal said it was the only private academy approved by the PCB. “I am running it for the last five-six years with the full support of the Customs authorities. We provide regular scientific coaching to youngsters for which the membership fee is 2,500 rupees per annum. In addition our talent scouts look for promising youngsters in the under-14, under-17 and under-19 age groups. We provide them free coaching,” Jalal said. “Most of the youngsters thus chosen are from Karachi and interior Sindh. But we also get outsiders from other parts of the country. All the coaches including myself are trained in England and Australia. We teach the boys the finer points of cricket which have been reduced to 25-26 basic skills,” Jalal said. The academy makes use of latest technology including videography to help improve the techniques and remove the deficiencies, if any, among the trainees. “I am happy that our academy has taken the lead not only in making cricket coaching more scientific but also in introducing the latest in terms of equipment and technology,” Jalal said.