Bravehearts: Pakistan, England challenged cricketers to play

Dubai Cricket can blossom to its full glory if played by anyone with passion.

This is being proved in the ongoing International Physical Disability Cricket Series between Pakistan and England at the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy Oval ground.

Physically-challenged players demonstrated that they too can produce exciting results and glorious moments in cricket.

Their passion for the game thrilled all those who witnessed them in the two Twenty20 matches. They performed their roles overriding all the obstacles that fate has inflicted on them. It was unbelievable how a bowler with just one leg could bowl so fast and how a batsman with one hand could bat so fluently and even hit sixes.

Farhan Saeed, a 24-year-old Pakistan pacer aided by a crutch in his left hand, jumps and bowls brilliantly on a good length. At the age of two his polio-stricken leg was amputated. "I cannot believe I am playing a match in Dubai. Disabled cricket has given me a new lease of life," he said.

Matloob Qureshi, who opens the batting for Pakistan, lost his left hand in a road accident. His defence and strokes are as elegant as that by a perfect batsman. Qureshi even hits sixes with ease. "I am here to hit big sixes against England," said Qureshi confidently.

UAE umpires Fidel Jaary and Razzaq Shah revealed that all the matches will be played according to the ICC rules. "There are no changes to the rules except that runners will be allowed for batsmen who cannot run. For example, Pakistan opener Altaf Ahmad has a wooden leg but his team mate acts as a runner," said Jaary, who describes these cricketers as the real soldiers of the game.

Gunshot wound

Ahmad's right lower limb below the knee had to be amputated following a gunshot wound. In fact, eight players in the Pakistan squad are victims of polio attacks before the age of 10.

England's Daniel Holder bowls good pace. He plays for Gloucestershire second eleven despite the absence of his left hand and forearm. Callum Flynn (16) never thought he would play the game again after he was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 14. With a replacement knee he hit 20 runs in the first T20 match. The first T20 match was also the birthday of England's 24-year-old Shaun Rigby whose right leg had to amputated below the knee at the age of two when he was run over by a tractor. He celebrated his triumph over odds by dismissing both the Pakistan openers.

Pakistan skipper Salim Karim is the inspiration behind his team. He was born with polio in his right leg and later in an accident, his left leg too got affected. These setbacks did not affect his love for the game.

Karim, who is also a businessman, formed the cricket team for people with disabilities in 2006 and with money from his pocket staged two national championships. This generated countrywide interest and helped in the formation of the national team.

Man of the match

Pakistan has talented spinners like left arm spinner Fayyaz Ahmad and leg spinner Jahanzaib Tiwani with hyper-inverted right and left feet. They won the man of the match awards in the two Twenty20 matches against England.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif trained the team in Karachi before the series while star batsman Younus Khan takes a special interest in the team's activities.

James Williams, who leads the England team, feels as proud as Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook who lead the Test and one-day teams respectively. "I am very privileged to be captain. Playing for England at any level in any sport is a big honour. I sincerely hope that this is the first of many international series."

England and Pakistan play their second and third one-day matches on February 17 and 19 respectively at the Oval.