Too much T20 and too much money is behind the downfall of Pakistan cricket: Zaheer Abbas

Ajman (UAE), Pakistan’s legendary batsman Zaheer Abbas, who has earned the title of Asian Bradman, says that the plight of cricket in Pakistan is the result of excessive T20 cricket and hence a lot of money flowing there.

During an event titled ‘Cricket Predicta Conclave’ organized to celebrate the 100th episode of Asia’s biggest cricket talk show – Cricket Predicta, held at Bahi Ajman Palace, Zaheer Abbas said that a lot of T20 cricket is being played in Pakistan these days and that is why Players have forgotten the essence of Test cricket and that is why Pakistan is not performing well in Test cricket.

Abbas said that so much money has come into cricket that players these days are busy only in earning money and their attention has completely diverted from the game.

Zaheer said that the misfortune of cricket in Pakistan is that the people who run it do not know cricket.

Zaheer said, “We have taken Pakistan cricket to great heights. The whole world was a fan of Pakistan cricket, but today the situation has changed because the people who are running cricket today are only concerned about themselves and are not concerned about cricket or the players.

Zaheer also expressed his views on the Indian team’s tour to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan next year. He said that the Indian team should tour Pakistan as it will promote cricket in the Indian subcontinent, especially in Pakistan.

He said, “We want the best for cricket. If India comes and plays in Pakistan, it will be very good for cricket, because the Indian team is a great ambassador of cricket and them coming and playing in Pakistan will be a positive thing and it will take cricket forward in Pakistan.”

Despite being a great batsman himself, Zaheer Abbas believes that former West Indies captain Sir Gary Sobers is the greatest cricketer in the world in his eyes.

He said, “When I played cricket, my dream was to play with players like Gary Sobers and when I was selected in the World XI in 1971-72, Gary was my captain. Knowing this made me so happy that it was difficult for me to express it.”

It is noteworthy that from the beginning of November 1971 to the beginning of February 1972, the World XI played 16 matches. There were five matches against Australia that were considered official Test matches by Wisden, although this status was later withdrawn. World XI won this series 2-1.

According to Zaheer, Gary was not only an excellent cricketer and an excellent captain, but was also an excellent human being.

Zaheer also mentioned a very interesting incident. When he was batting on 96 in a Test match against India in Faisalabad in 1978, captain Bishan Singh Bedi decided to bowl to Sunil Gavaskar. Zaheer said, “Seeing Gavaskar coming to bowl, I felt that it would be difficult for me to continue playing because it was not easy for him to play against Gavaskar.”

Kirmani, whom Zaheer considered one of the smartest cricketers, was standing behind the wicket. Zaheer said, “I asked him why the captain gave the ball to Gavaskar? Kirmani did not respond. Then I said to myself, “This is a big mess.” I won’t take him seriously and he’ll throw me out. If he was a good bowler, I would have taken him seriously and what happened was that I played the shot and it went in the air and I was caught.”

That was Sunil Gavaskar’s first and only wicket in international Test cricket. Gavaskar also later revealed that he took only one Test wicket and that too of Zaheer Abbas, one of the greatest Test batsmen in the world, and he would always be proud of his first Test wicket.

–IANS

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