Cricket is a sport more renowned for cucumber sandwiches and genteel middle-class values than for the astounding rags to riches tales that are the norm in more 'working class' sports such as football or basketball. After all, this is meant to be the "gentleman's game".
The occasional "fairy tale" in cricket thus becomes all the more remarkable by its relative rarity. Few stories, in any sport, are as heart-warming though as that of Mohammad Irfan, the Pakistani pace bowler who is nearly seven-feet tall and was recently awarded an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise.
It truly is the stuff of fairy tales: the story of an unknown amateur club cricketer in rural Pakistan, from a working class background, with no connections, no coaching and without even proper cricket kit. Someone who was destined for life as a factory worker, but now, less than a year later, stands on the brink of international recognition, having just signed a memorandum of understanding to join the most lucrative cricket league in the world. If this was Hollywood, the script-writers would be asked to tone down the saccharine.
What makes this story even more remarkable is how this transformation came about. This was not the oft-maligned Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plucking a gem from obscurity; instead, it was volunteer interventions from Pakistani fans that got Irfan his breaks.
He was working as a foreman in a plastic pipe factory earning less than US$100 (Dh367) a month, playing club cricket in southern Punjab, when he was spotted by a few die-hard fans from a cricket website and sent to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for trials.
Aaqib Javed, the former Pakistan fast bowler and now assistant coach, was suitably impressed with what he saw, and put in a good word.
Eventually, the fans helped Irfan get in touch with the captain of a domestic team, and he managed to get a first-class contract, playing his first first-class match in October 2009 at the age of 27. Selection for national team camps followed this year, where Waqar Younis, among others, was suitably impressed. In fact, the frailties of Pakistani batsmen to top-class pace and bounce were exposed by Irfan at a national camp, where some of Pakistan's senior batsmen were worried about facing him, due to his height and the bounce he was able to generate.
Not surprisingly, Irfan has been selected for the Pakistan "A" team's tour to Sri Lanka later this month, and a full international debut should not be far off, which would make him not only the tallest player to every play for Pakistan, but also possibly the tallest Test player of all time.
In the meantime though, there is the lucrative IPL contract, one he credits to Wasim Akram, the Pakistan legend and bowling consultant at KKR. The gentle giant spoke earlier this week of his debt to Wasim. "Initially it was Wasim who recommended me to KKR management as he was really impressed by my work and wanted me to be in the team that he coaches. He told me to come to Sri Lanka where KKR were touring. I played a few games there and put in some impressive performances. When KKR offered me a contract I was in two minds about this but Wasim told me to sign it as soon as possible."
Next time someone warns you not to dream the impossible, tell them of the Irfan fairy tale!
If only the PCB could display the same courage in selecting a rookie as on the recommendation of a Pakistan great. There is some consternation among Indian cricket fans however, who feel that the KKR franchise owner Shahrukh Khan, the Bollywood mega-star, has a soft spot for Pakistani players. For reasons best known to him, Shahrukh has demonstrated a preference for signing up Pakistanis at his Kolkata franchise, despite its potential adverse implications in India. It will be up to Irfan and his mentor Wasim to win over a potentially hostile public.
Irfan follows the tradition of talented but unsophisticated Pakistani fast bowler, Mohammad Aamer, the 18-year-old pace sensation being the most recent, with many other notable mentions over the years. It is remarkable how Pakistan can churn out highly capable pace bowlers yet struggles to find even a half-decent batsman who can last a few overs if there are a few clouds!
Speaking of Pakistani fast men of yore, Irfan is not the first Pakistani pace sensation to hail from Gaggu Mandi, a small town in Tehsil Burewala, in rural Punjab. Another cricketer of note from Gaggu Mandi was Mohammad Zahid, perhaps the fastest bowler ever produced by Pakistan. In the words of Shoaib Akhtar, the man recorded as having bowled the fastest in Test and ODI cricket and himself no slouch when it came to pace: "Zahid was a yard or two faster than me!"
Zahid hit the international arena with a bang in the mid-90s, taking seven for 66 against New Zealand at Pindi in his debut Test in 1996, the best performance by a Pakistan bowler on debut. Sadly, a promising career was soon cut short by a debilitating back fracture.
Even Zahid though was not a pioneer; he was merely following in the footsteps of the legendary Waqar Younis. That fact tells us what we already knew: all new Pakistan pace bowlers have huge boots to fill.
They are all tasked with maintaining a legacy and keeping alive a glorious tradition.
Irfan's lot will be no different; is he another gem discovered from obscurity? Or will he head the way of Mohammad Sami, a rookie pacer who promised much but delivered nought?
If Irfan's rags to riches story tells us anything, it is this: the big man has an equally big heart, and will keep on trying no matter how high the odds stacked against him.
Yasser Alvi is a cricket writer at PakPassion.net
sports@thenational.ae
CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 4 (Mount 18',Werner 44', Hudson-Odoi 49', Havertz 85')
Morecambe 0
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
'Falling%20for%20Christmas'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
HEADLINE HERE
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