Latest Talent Spotter section puts the spot light on Peshawar Panther's player who has been called up for the Pakistan 'A' game against Australians in the UAE

Twenty-three year old Adil Amin was recently identified as one of the top 10 finds of the Haier T20 cup and asked to take part in a special 3 day workshop at the NCA. 

Unheard of less than a month ago, Sialkot Stallions Mukhtar Ahmed burst onto the scene with the proverbial bang when he, playing his first national level T20 tournament, blazed his way to 195 runs in just 5 innings at an average of 48.75 and a strike rate of 161.15 to go with 7 wickets in just 5 games at a scarcely believable average and strike rate of 10.28 and 8.50 respectively.

Prior to the Haier National T20 Cup, the entirety of his domestic experience at the highest level consisted of a sum total of 6 List A games. He saved his best for the best, picking up 3 wickets for 28 against Karachi Dolphins including those of Shahid Afridi and Sarfraz Ahmed before scoring an unbeaten 48 ball hundred against an attack comprising Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami and Anwar Ali to chase 150 in all of 15 overs.

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.com, Mukhtar reminisced about his days as a schoolboy aspiring to play cricket professionally, his experience at the Haier National T20 Cup (2014), being named as one of the top players of that tournament and what he hopes to achieve in the future.

By Amir Husain (3rd October, 2014)

PakPassion.com: How did you develop an interest in Cricket?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I had a passion to play cricket from a very young age but since I was a resident of a small village in Sialkot District, there were very few opportunities to play cricket and the facilities weren't that great either. It is here that I am indebted to my uncle who stepped in by taking me to the main city of Sialkot, where I got to play cricket in a proper fashion. He is the one who really got me interested and made me think that there was a future for me in this game.

PakPassion.com: Were you encouraged to play cricket by your parents?

Mukhtar Ahmed: Actually, no. They were not happy with my passion to play cricket. I used to get into trouble at home and I was told off for not studying but once again it was my uncle, who was a keen cricketer himself, who helped me develop an interest in cricket and, in a way, convinced my parents that it was fine for me to play this game at a competitive level.

PakPassion.com: How did you move into more competitive forms of cricket?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I initially started to play Under 15s for Sialkot and then moved to Under 19 level for the same District. I was one of the top players there but was ignored for the Pakistan U19 squad.

That didnt disappoint me and I continued to play Grade II and Under 23 Cricket for Sialkot where I have had some big scores as well. For example, just recently in June this year, I was 200 not out against Gujrat and in another match, made 303 not out against Narowal.

PakPassion.com: Who was your role model as a cricketer when you were young?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I havent consciously copied any other cricketer as I always believe in my own abilities but if there is one cricketer who I have admired a lot, it is Virendar Sehwag of India. I like him for his free-flowing and fearless style of cricket.

PakPassion.com: Apart from your uncle who has played an important role so far, which other person or coach has helped or mentored you?

Mukhtar Ahmed: My uncle was a school teacher. He had hired a cricket coach by the name of Shahid Rafeeq. He helped me with the technical aspects of the game during my early years. Even today, whenever I need to, I visit him and ask for his assistance in all aspects of my game. He is my teacher and mentor and I owe a lot to him.

PakPassion.com: You had some brilliant performances during your Under 19 years and then recently in Grade II Cricket. Do you feel unlucky to have not been called for national duty at the Under 19 or Pakistan A Levels?

Mukhtar Ahmed: That is true I have been batting consistently well since my Sialkot Under 19 years (2009 onwards) and all the way to the Grade II level where I even scored 2 centuries (110 and 107) in a game against Pakistan Army while playing for Medicam Group. Unfortunately, despite some reasonable performances, I did not make it to the top level for Pakistan Under 19s. That is life but I am working hard and hopefully my fortunes will change soon.

PakPassion.com: You performed brilliantly in the recently concluded Haier National T20 Cup. How did your participation in this T20 tournament come about?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I had been playing for Sialkot Stallions in List A games since 2012 but never had a chance to play in T20 games which was something I really wanted to do. This was obviously because of the competition for places in the team. Shoaib (Malik) Bhai had always promised to me that I would, one day, get a chance in the national T20 tournament. Since Shoaib Bhai was playing in India in the Champions League T20 this year, I was asked to step in and I took that chance with both hands and performed really well.

PakPassion.com: Did you think you would do so well in this tournament?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I always felt that I had the skills and of course one always tries one's best in such situations. The only real plan I had in mind was to make the most of the chances given to me but to be honest, I had no idea that I would end up with the title of best all-rounder of the tournament! I got this award after scoring 195 runs and taking 7 wickets as well as 6 catches which was extremely satisfying. I have to thank the Almighty for this achievement. I waited for a while for this opportunity to play in such a high profile tournament and when it came about, I did very well. What more can one ask for?

PakPassion.com: You were selected as one of the 10 top players from this tournament to spend 3 days at the NCA. How did that stint go?

Mukhtar Ahmed: It is indeed an honour to be included amongst the top names in this tournament. This was a three day workshop at the NCA where our fitness was tested and we were lectured by experienced cricketers like Mohammad Akram on many aspects of the game. Whilst the most important aspect of playing at the highest level is the mental one, the fact is that there is a huge difference between the standard of international and domestic cricket.

Akram tried to explain to us about the commitment and change in attitude which is needed for players to make the jump from domestic to international level. This is also the reason why so many good domestic players fail to make the grade when they are chosen to represent the national team. I am also glad to say that my fitness was found to be very good during this workshop. I have always made sure that even during the off-season, I follow the instructions given to us to maintain our fitness and follow meal plans etc.

PakPassion.com: With the excitement of the Haier National T20 Cup behind you, what is next?

Mukhtar Ahmed: I am very happy to say that I have joined State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and will be taking part in the 4 day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy soon. It seems that SBP scouts saw my recent performances during the T20 Cup and offered me a place in their team. Let's see how that works out. If I can continue my good performances then I should be able to bring myself to the attention of the national selectors which would be perfect.

Discuss!

Saud Shakeel is a promising young talent from Karachi who bats left-handed and is also a part-time slow bowler as well. He has been a regular member of the Pakistan U19 squad in recent times. At 18 years of age, Saud has already been making headlines from the time he played in the Inter-region U19 leagues where he captained Karachi Whites and up to representing Pakistan in the U19 World Cup in February/March of 2014. In an exclusive interview with PakPassion, Saud spoke about what inspired him to take up cricket, Pakistan U19s disappointing display in the U19 World Cup final and his hopes of joining the senior team in the near future.

Full name: Saud Shakeel

Born September 5, 1995, Karachi

Major teams Pakistan Under-19s

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Left arm slow

PakPassion: How did you get into cricket?

Saud Shakeel: I used to watch cricket on television with great interest when I was young. I had a craze for cricket and always wanted to become a cricketer when I grew up. I also used to copy the style of cricketers by watching them. My craze for cricket has brought me here.

PakPassion: Who were your role models when you were growing up?

Saud Shakeel: I was a cricket fan and liked every cricketer who played good cricket. But if I have to name one, I'd go with Mike Hussey. He was a brilliant stroke maker and used to time the ball so well that he was a treat to watch. You could watch him bat all day. In Pakistan, I really admired Saeed Anwar a lot. I liked his style of batting very much. He was an elegant player.

PakPassion: How were you selected for the U19s?

Saud Shakeel: I had a craze for cricket and I always wanted to become a cricketer. When I was in my teens, I joined UBL Complex. From there I attended the the U19 trials and was selected afterwards.

PakPassion: You had a mixed U19 World Cup. How do you feel about that?

Saud Shakeel: Yes, the U19 World Cup didn't go according to plan. Unfortunately, I didn't score a lot of runs there, which is a regret. I firmly believe that we should get over all these bad patches as improvement always follows when you learn from your mistakes.

PakPassion:Pakistan U19 seem to have a few jitters against the Afghanistan team prior to the U19 World Cup in UAE. Did that effect the team's preparations for the ICC event?

Saud Shakeel: Personally speaking, I had a fairly good time against Afghanistan. However, our team was bundled out cheaply in the 3rd match and in that match only, I failed to perform. We all went into the U19 World Cup in full spirits and had no negative impact of anything on our minds.

PakPassion: You had a training camp in the NCA as well. How was it for you to train there with state-of-the-art facilities?

Saud Shakeel: The NCA provided us with the best facilities in the world. The coaches and the trainers there at the NCA are very hard working and gave us full support. There is no doubt that the NCA is state of the art and it was a matter of pride for me to work at a venue with such facilities as well under the watchful eyes of some of the best trainers in the world.

PakPassion: What went wrong for Pakistan as a team in the U19 World Cup?

Saud Shakeel: I won't say anything went wrong for us in that event. We gelled as a team and gave our best shot in the tournament. I thought it was a great achievement for us to reach the final, which we could have won, but were unfortunate not to win.

PakPassion: As a player, Sami Aslam has done wonders. How do you see him as a captain?

Saud Shakeel: I must say Sami Aslam is one of the most naturally gifted players in Pakistan. He has proved his worth time and again. He's an exceptional talent and one to look out for the future. As a captain, he's very cool and always motivates us. He sets an example whenever he takes the field and encourages us to do well too. He's a role model for upcoming players.

PakPassion: Which Pakistan cricketer do you admire the most these days and why?

Saud Shakeel: Everyone in the Pakistan side is well deserving and has done a lot of hard work to reach there. I won't name any specific player. Misbah bhai, Shahid bhai, Hafeez bhai and Younis bhai etc. are a source of inspiration for us youngsters and in the newcomers I really like the way Sohaib Maqsood plays. He's technically very sound and hits the ball very cleanly.

PakPassion: What are your future plans and aspirations?

Saud Shakeel: There are no set goals to be honest. I take every match as it comes and it's my aim to perform well in that. As every cricketer, I also want to represent my country one day and that's my ultimate aim.

PakPassion: Which U19 players do you think will make it to the Pakistan team?

Saud Shakeel: It will be very harsh to name few players only as all the players are deserving and have the capability of playing for Pakistan in future. I'd say Sami Aslam, Imam ul Haq, Zia ul Haq, Kamran Ghulam and Zafar Gohar have all done wonders for the U19 team and it won't be a surprise to me if all of them go on to play for Pakistan.

PakPassion: When do you think you can break into the Pakistan senior team?

Saud Shakeel: I am not thinking about it yet. I believe I am still very young and I have a long career ahead of me. My job is to score runs and the rest is on the selectors. Whenever they feel I am good enough, they can call me up. If I had to give an approximate time duration, I'd say in the next three years, I hope to be part of the Pakistan team.

PakPassion: You do a bit of bowling as well. Are they any plans to improve on it and emerge as a proper all-rounder?

Saud Shakeel: Yes, I do bowl a bit as well, but my prime focus is on my batting. I really want to improve my batting first and then think about my bowling, which to me is a secondary option. However, I'd like to be selected in the Pakistan team as an all-rounder.

PakPassion: Physical fitness is a problem being highlighted a lot as a key issue with our players. How are you working on that aspect of your game?

Saud Shakeel: Yes, it's a serious issue and we are wary of it. We go through lots of drills in the fitness sessions at the NCA. We have qualified trainers here like Yasir bhai and Saboor bhai. They are very cooperative and make sure we are fully fit. Even Julien Fountain gave us useful tips to stay fit and healthy, along with helping us with our fielding. We have been given separate fielding plans and we try to implement them.

Discuss!

18 year-old Hasan Raza is a left-handed middle order batsman from Mirpur who has been a regular for the Pakistan Under-19s. He was top-scorer with 55 when the Pakistan Under 19s defeated England in December last year at a Tri-Nation Tournament in the UAE, and a week later scored a century against Nepal in the Asia Cup, sharing a 166-run second wicket stand with captain Sami Aslam. The next day, he scored 60 in a 113-run third wicket stand to help Pakistan defeat the UAE. 

His penchant for playing important knocks has seen him selected for the Pakistan Under-19s team for the upcoming ICC Under-19s World Cup to be contested later this month in the UAE. PakPassion.net: caught up with Raza to discuss how he got into cricket, the recently-concluded Under-19 Asia Cup, his hopes for the ICC Under-19 World Cup and his future aspirations.

Pakpassion caught up with the tall pacer from Bannu as he discussed his career to date and Pakistan's chances at the U19s World Cup.

Usama Mir is a right-arm leg-break bowler from Silakot, with an unorthodox action. Mir spoke to PakPassion.net about his career and future plans.

Zafar Gohar is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler from Lahore who impressed one and all during Pakistan U19s' successful tour of England this month. Gohar spoke to Pakpassion.net about his early days as a cricketer, his favourite players and his plans for the future.