Amjad Javed: Chasing a World Cup dream

Sharjah Amjad Javed is a perfect match winner. If he settles down quickly during the course of his innings then it will be a nightmare for all bowlers and on his day, he can wreck any team as a bowler too.

In the ongoing Bukhatir League, Javed produced an allround performance for Fly Emirates and it resulted in the reputed and formidable Eurocon Alubond team crash to a 129-run defeat at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. He wrecked Eurocon with a spell off 5 for 39 and hit 76 runs.

Last week, Javed had won the best batsman of the year award in division two during the Shyam Bhatia annual awards for outstanding performers in UAE cricket.

Speaking to Gulf News, Javed, who is one of UAE national team’s consistent performers, said: “It’s always nice to produce good performance against formidable teams like Eurocon. My five wicket spell is the result of a slight change in my action made by UAE’s new coach Aaqib Javed. He has been motivating me in the nets and that is why I could produce a five wicket spell on a Sharjah wicket which does not help a pacer.”

Javed had twice before produced five wicket spells in the Bukhatir League. “I consider this performance with the bat and the ball as my best because it wasn’t take five wickets after scoring 76 runs and that too against a strong team,” he added.

“After the adjustment made by Javed to my bowling action, I feel, more balanced and have gained more pace,” said Javed, who has been in terrific form with the bat too and won the best batsman of the UAE division two awards scoring 312 runs.

This is second time Javed is bagging the Bhatia annual awards for outstanding performance. “In 2009 I won the best allrounder award and also emerged as the player of the tournament in the Bukhatir League,” said Javed, who works as a Cargo Supervisor with the Emirates airline. “I am happy that I am employed with Emirates because they back me up by providing me with enough time to pursue my passion for the game,” said Javed, who captained Emirates airlines in the Dubai Cricket Council’s Debonair Pizza last season and bagged the player of the tournament award.

Javed is also well known for his ability to hit sixers. In fact, in his very first match for Fly Emirates against DCC Starlets he cracked 120 runs in the Bukhatir League with ten sixers and ten boundaries.

Interestingly it is for UAE he produced his best batting and bowling performance. “I consider my knock of 164 against Denmark in South Africa for the World Cup qualifiers as my best. Last year I also bagged six wickets for 34 against Kenya at Mombasa,” said Javed, who hit 13 sixers during his knock against Denmark.

Javed has opened the innings and also batted down the order. “I love batting according to the needs of the team. Many times I have been asked to open and go for the runs and I always aim to get around 70 to 80 runs in the first ten overs,” he said.

Thirty-year-old Javed who has a boyish look now cherishes a dream. “Before I hang up my boots, I want to play in a world cup be it 50 over or Twenty20. I will give my best in the coming qualifiers to ensure UAE team’s victory. In the World Cricket League we have already won five out of our six matches with only Ireland on top and if we can beat Holland too we can qualify for the 2015 World Cup,” he said.