Dubai: Mohammad Asghar made the large turnout of the Pathan community, that came to cheer for the Peshawar Zalmi team against Islamabad United, proud at the Dubai International stadium on Friday night. He bagged the Man of the Match for his three-wicket haul and two spectacular catches and was ready with a quick repartee when asked about the two defining catches to dismiss Islamabad’s Andre Russell and Sam Billings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL): “Pathan’s hands are very strong and nothing escapes a Pathan’s grip.”
Russell’s cut was very powerful and it must have scorched his hands, but Asghar did not even flinch. “My first catch (Russell) was too hard and that was the best catch of the two. The extensive catching practice, given by my captain (Shahid) Afridi before the match, made it easy for me to be ready for such catches.
Though Islamabad have lost two matches in a row, Dean Jones, the coach of this team is confident that his team can regain their winning ways. Jones’s observations of the game, PSL and on his players were a treat to listen. He drew a parallel with Sydney Thunder’s performance in the Big Bash League in Australia this year: “In the Big Bash this year, Sydney Thunder lost four and won four and yet ended up winning the title. So you know we have a long way to go in this tournament.”
Islamabad side look strong on paper but haven’t quite lived up to their reputation. Jones, of course, has a simple answer for it: “Every time they gamble on something, they get out. You can shoot them in the foot or you tell them to remain positive and stick to their strengths.”
Jones then went on to hail his strike bowler Saeed Ajmal’s comeback bowling spell where he gave away just 19 runs form his four overs. “He was terrific today, considering what happened to him over the past year. So to come back and show his class was fantastic. He was the big plus for us today and also for Pakistan cricket. That’s what the PSL is all about. I thought his experience was the key, he knew where to bowl, at what pace, what type of delivery. He really was great.”
Jones was sporting enough to praise young Asghar’s performance for Peshawar and asked: “Is it not amazing when you give kids an opportunity? Some kids you throw them in at the deep end, they swim. It’s wonderful.”
Jones could also not decipher why Pakistan produces so many great left arm bowlers and asked Pakistan journalists: “I don’t understand why you have got so many left-arm bowlers in your country. I still haven’t worked that out, you know. Ruwan Raees who is our team’s left-arm pacer is very promising. You have got (Mohammad) Amir, you have got Wahab (Riaz), Raees and of course, Junaid (Khan).”
Peshawar captain Afridi, meanwhile, dedicated the victory over Islamabad to the students of Peshawar’s Army Public School which was attacked by terrorists in December 2014, killing 141 people, including 132 students. Some students from the school were flown in to watch the match against Islamabad.
