“Finally, the day has come when we have announced trials for the formation of the first Physically Disabled Cricket Team not only in Karachi but also in Pakistan and the world.” Muhammad Nizam began to tell again. “For these trials, we published the news in all the newspapers and also told our cricket lovers, former cricketers and friends all over Karachi that if there was any cricketer with physical disability in their eyes, they would have to undergo the trials.” Send me to join. Former Test fast bowler Saleem Jaffer was bothered to select players on merit for the trials. Only three disabled players were present at the National Stadium to give trials till the appointed time. It was a disappointing situation but Amir said: “see some more time”. An hour later, three more players were added, bringing the number to six. Seeing this situation, we thought that this is a very difficult task, we cannot become a team. We were just thinking of finishing the trials when we saw four more players coming from afar. After a while two more players came and now the number was 12 which means at least one team could be formed.
“Our chief selector Saleem Jaffer saw all these 12 players on the net and praised their courage, determination and play.” Muhammad Nizam’s tone became more enthusiastic. “The interesting thing was that all these 12 players had all the qualities needed to make a team, including right-arm and left-arm fast bowlers as well as new ball batsmen. Also present were middle order batsmen, wicket-keeper, off-spinner, left-arm spinner, leg spinner and slow orthodox ballers. Some bowlers would hit hard hits as if all-rounders were also found. Seeing these qualities of these players made me even more excited. I thought we could do it, I had no place for my happiness but I also had to see the happiness of Saleem Karim Sahib and Amir Bhai. It was raining and we were getting excited. All those feelings had now turned into happiness. Saleem Karim Sahib also showed the essence of his cricketing abilities on the net. Saleem Karim Sahib and Amir Bhai were also in the forefront in encouraging the players who came to the trials.
In the same trials, Farhan said, who was bowling on crutches, was also the center of attention. He was bowling very fast with great enthusiasm. Muhammad, who saw Imran Khan bowling in the nets in his youth The system is like. “Saleem Jaffer also looked very impressed with him. He bowled continuously for more than half an hour. I went to him and told him that he has been bowling for so long, take some rest and he said, “This is the first time I have had the opportunity to bowl at the net. Let me bowl. I am not tired. So bowling is a lot of fun. I am testing myself for the first time; I have not had a chance to show my bowling skills among those who have an understanding of cricket. Having said that, he got busy in bowling. I remember the photographers on the trials and the cameramen of the channels took pictures from different angles of bowling with the help of crutches and shot his bowling action from many angles. , Not only talked to them but also talked to all the players. Seeing all this, Saleem Karim, Amir Bhai and I had tears in my eyes many times. I kept thinking about how we were going to do this, in which I would have to be emotional again and again and that I would have to shed tears.
“But what was known was that this emotionality, the tears, the innocent joy of the disabled cricketers, the excitement of coming to the National Stadium to give trials, their acceptance in front of the family members who came with them, batting and bowling on the net. Seeing their courage, it was time to make it permanent. In other words, I now had to play the role of a “mother” for permanently disabled cricketers who take care of their children with the utmost safety and care, or maybe he has a soul in it. In the same way, now our lives were in those 12 players. “Muhammad Nizam continued to speak in an emotional manner. “When we talked to them in our spare time, these players would open their hearts to us and tell us how badly they are ignored in the society. It often happens that they have their own family. People also start to feel burdened by them. Their comfort, food and other necessities are not taken care of. Listening to them, I would get a strange feeling and I would start thinking that if we put a smile on the lips of these disabled cricketers who have been persecuted and rejected by the society for a few moments, then there would be some good in our book of deeds. I would have thought my thoughts were correct when I used to hear such things from Saleem Karim Sahib and Amir Bhai too. (To be continued)
The Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) is responsible for the promotion and expansion of the game through its associate and affiliate members throughout the country for all the Physically Disabled Cricketers of the country and PDCA is also recognized by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) who is the governing body of cricket in Pakistan.