February 13^th, 2012. Islamabad. For those of us still following the game of thrones taking place at the center, it appears that Prime Minister Gilani is running out of road. He’s taking a long walk off a short pier. Insert your own cliché here. The debate has overtaken the Prime Minister, the discussion is now focused on what Pakistan must do, post-Gilani. To write the letter or not? Will Senate elections go ahead or not? Will the PPP spin this ungraceful end to a five year term as a victory, will Gilani go back to Multan a living shaheed? Pity the constituency whose only claim to a fruitful five year term is a representative with a knack for getting stabbed in the stomach and making it look like he meant to fall on his sword. Gilani will end up being a sacrifice for an utterly worthless cause – twenty-eight million US dollars that will never be returned to the people of Pakistan. Ever.

The statute of limitations on the Swiss cases are rumored to be anywhere between April and August 2012. The time for reopening old cases is diminishing fast. Yet we insist that the court charade of the last few months was necessary – it’s not about the money, it’s about setting an institutional precedent.

It has been nearly two decades since our President and his late wife stole a mind-bubbling sum of money and squirreled it away into Swiss banks, mansions in Surrey, bank accounts in Dubai and trendy flats in London. Reading the famous 1998 New York Times article reinforces the idea that when politicians from very poor countries amass vast amounts of wealth, they are not likely to let go of it that easily. So forget fantasies of liquidating the Bhutto assets and paying off Pakistan’s international loans. The Pakistani Supreme Court can humiliate the Prime Minister, but it can’t overturn decades of sophisticated white collar crime, much of which takes place outside its judicial territory.

And surely impotence of this intensity is severely humiliating for Chief Justice Chaudhry himself. Having become the defacto arbitrator of every aggrieved party in Pakistan, he suddenly finds himself without any implementation power whatsoever. He is the supreme commander of a court system that is rotten at the foundation, fighting the country’s largest and most public corruption scandal while his own lower court clerks accept petty bribes to tie up litigation for years. His own middle-class biases against the landed elite of the PPP notwithstanding, Chaudhary now faces the task of living up to the dubious honor of being the sole institution in this country deemed impartial and uncorrupt. Which means that if he isn’t seen going after egregious acts of corruption, he will be immediately deemed implicit.

In the face of such impotence, charging and convicting a seated Prime Minister of contempt is a sufficiently bold task to secure Chaudhary’s tripod of potency: judicial independence, of having real power (as opposed to simply striking down the NRO and not being able to do a damn thing to implement it for a full two years), and of being a guardian of the people. Gilani’s removal, whenever it happens, will be sufficiently large to distract from the fact that the PM never stole the twenty-eight million. He never decided to write the letter, or not to write it, for that matter – any more than he decided to become Prime Minister. It will serve to silence those who suggest that post-reinstatement, the CJ has been “bought out” by the PPP, to outcry those who notice that investigations into sugar cartels, NILC, Hajj, Abbotabad,  and Karachi came to naught. It is eye candy for the myopic, a desperate sideshow to distract from a flaming circus of budget malfunctions, energy scams and policy fubars.

But lets not beat ourselves up too much. John Burns pointed out in 1998 that multilateral organizations such as the World Bank regularly support teetering Third World economies “bled dry” by corruption in exchange for weak promises of institutional reform. The last five years have been immensely lucrative for friends of the regime, for those individuals and institutions capable of buying out or bullying Mr. Hundered Percent. At last count, this included everyone from ARY Gold to the Pakistan Army, from AKD to NLC to the men who bring you fantastically overpriced imported cars at huge markups. Zardari did not invent corruption, but he’s a fine example (an institutional precedent, as it were) of just how successful some men and women become in countries with broken democratic systems. Where the Army can quietly wring the neck of anyone attempting to infringe on its economic and political territory. Where an entire Parliament – incumbent, opposition and all – routes all decision-making through the Supreme Court. Where a judge is deeply contemptuous of men who take advantage of their office for personal aggrandizement – and then goes and does exactly the same.

By Surojit Gupta for The Times of India

Trade ties between India and Pakistan are expected to get a boost as New Delhi reaches out to the business community across the border, starting Monday to assure them about the positive impact of normal trade ties. Commerce minister Anand Sharma will undertake a rare journey to Pakistan, leading a large delegation of senior officials and top businessmen as the two hostile neighbours take baby steps to normalise trade and economic relations.

The private sector led by industry chambers has put up an “India show”, in Lahore and Karachi – the first ever trade exhibitions from India where over 100 exhibitors are participating. Firms representing pharmaceuticals, textile, gems and jewellery, chemicals and petro-chemicals are showcasing products.

The move is a follow up to the efforts to normalise trade ties. The Pakistan government announced granting of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India in November last year. But, criticism from a section of industry in Pakistan has forced Islamabad to take measured steps on the issue. But, officials said they were optimistic that by the end of 2012, the transition to full MFN status would be complete.

Officials said they will launch outreach programme to assure businessmen in Pakistan that Indian goods will not swamp the Pakistan market if trade is normalised. “We will tell them that there are enough trade safeguards measures to ensure that Indian goods do not flood the Pakistani market. Let us first liberalise trade and see the impact,” said a senior government official.

Pakistan allows exports to India but has a positive list of 1,938 items which are officially allowed to be imported from India. Latest data shows that formal trade between India and Pakistan rose to $2.7 billion in 2010-11 from $144 million in 2001, while informal trade including third country trade is estimated at $10 billion, according to a Ficci status paper. “I have no doubt in my mind that bilateral trade, which currently stands at $3 billion, can be raised to $10 billion if trade through third countries (Dubai, Singapore and Central Asian countries) is channelised into direct exchange between the two countries,” said R V Kanoria, president, Ficci.

The government has undertaken a series of measures to increase bilateral trade. There is a move to open a second gate at the Attari-Wagah border, which is expected to increase the number of trucks crossing the border to 500-600 daily from 150-200 at present. Pakistan has agreed to remove restrictions on the number of commodities traded by the land route once the infrastructure in Wagah is ready, while both countries have agreed to avoid arbitrary stoppage of goods at ports. Suggestions have been made for opening up of an additional land route at Monabao-Khokhara Par on the Sindh border for faster movement of goods.

“We are taking significant steps to improve the border infrastructure. India has invested nearly Rs 150 crore to develop infrastructure at the Integrated Check post near Attari,” said a senior government official. He said the visa regime for business travel is also expected to be liberalised soon with multiple entry visas for 10 Indian cities, along with exemptions for police reporting. The formal announcement is expected to be made soon. Talks to expand trade in petroleum products are progressing, while efforts are also on to start negotiations for trade in electricity between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Both sides have agreed on grid-connectivity between Amritsar and Lahore, which would pave the way for trade of up to 500 MW of power.

Trade experts said they were optimistic about the latest moves and said the effort will go a long way in helping faster regional integration. “The positive spin off for normalisation of trade is enormous. Pakistan has given signals and India now needs to take the initiative. Normalisation of bilateral trade relations will help in putting much of the political bickering on the backburner,” said Biswajit Dhar, director-general at Research and Information System for Developing Countries, an economic and trade thinktank. Experts said there was huge potential for forging joint ventures between Indian and Pakistani companies in sectors such as information technology, fish-processing, drugs and pharmaceuticals, agro chemicals, chemicals, automobile ancillary and light engineering.

Pakistanis for Peace Editor’s Note- The best chance of peace between India and Pakistan can only be achieved through trade and normalization of ties. The India Show at the Lahore International Expo Centre Feb 11-13 will go a long ways to bridging the gap and move us closer to achieving peace one day, which is the best scenario for both nations long term.

Filed under: Desi, India, Pakistan, Pakistanis, Peace, SAARC Tagged: Amritsar, Anand Sharma, Attari, Attari-Wagah Border, Biswajit Dhar, Dubai, Ficci, India, India Inc, India Pakistan Trade, India Show, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Lahore Expo Center, MFN, Monabao-Khokhara Par, Most Favored Nation, Most Favoured Nation, New Delhi, Pakistan, Pakistan-India Relations, R V Kanoria, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, Singapore, The India Show, Trade Tariffs

By Jamie Alter for Cricket Next

Pakistan’s 3-0 sweep of England, the No. 1 Test team, in the UAE was the most glittering result for a team that has managed to hold its own on the field despite facing a mountain of problems off it. Here’s a look at the key players in Pakistan’s resurgence as a Test team.

Misbah-ul-Haq

Ten months ago, Misbah-ul-Haq was a condemned man whose time as an international cricketer seemed over after he was made the scapegoat for Pakistan’s defeat to India in the World Cup semi-final in Mohali. Today, he is being heralded as an astute leader of a team bristling with pride and rightful claims to being a top-level Test side. Handed the captaincy ahead of Pakistan’s series against South Africa in the UAE in 2010, the soft-spoken, almost laidback Misbah has been hugely influential in steering Pakistan from a host of troubles and to series wins over New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and England – not to forget a draw with South Africa – and just the anomaly of a 1-1 scoreline against West Indies.

He hasn’t always been a proactive captain – his reluctance to push for a win against Sri Lanka in Sharjah last November attracted criticism – but his numbers as leader have been highly impressive: 15 matches, 1165 runs, average 64.72, with one century and 12 fifties. That one century – an unbeaten 102 in the second innings at Basseterre – played a big role in Pakistan leveling the two-Test series in the West Indies in May 2011. Innings of 99 and 70 not out earned him the Man-of-the-Match award in Wellington in January 2011, and those were clutch innings in a draw that gave Pakistan their first series victory outside the subcontinent since a triumph in New Zealand in 2003-04, and their first anywhere since 2006-07. In the first innings of the second Test against England in Abu Dhabi, Misbah top-scored with 84 on day in which the opposition dominated, and what a key innings it proved.

Saeed Ajmal

If there is one player who personifies Pakistan’s new-found aggression and fluency, it is the leader of their immensely proficient spin attack. Ajmal, 34, has been a constant threat to opposing teams with his accurate, nagging and attacking offspin, with his doosra causing batsmen much strife. His role as a strike bowler – he has bowled 696 overs in those 12 Tests, the most for any Pakistan bowler – has taken pressure off Umar Gul and meant he has been relied on to consistently take wickets. His success is staggering.

In 12 Tests under Misbah, Ajmal has reaped 77 wickets an average of 22.63 and strike-rate of 54.20 – significantly lower than career figures of 26.70 and 61.20. Along the way he picked up Man-of-the-Match awards for eight wickets in a nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka and in Dubai and 10 – including a career-best 7 for 55 – in a 10-wicket win over England at the same venue. He was the leading Test wicket-taker in 2011, and so far this year he has grabbed 24 wickets in three Tests against England.

In this recent series, the England batsmen were largely baffled by Ajmal’s variety. In the second Test, he became the fastest Pakistan bowler to 100 Tests, and to make his achievement more remarkable, he has not played a single of his 20 Tests at home.

Abdur Rehman

If Ajmal has been an expected success during Pakistan’s run under Misbah, then the 31-year-old Abdur Rehman has been a surprise package. In 13 Tests, this canny left-arm spinner – enjoying unexpected success in his late-blooming career – has been a constant threat with 64 wickets at an average of 26.57. With an almost immaculate line and length he has attained turn and dip while convincing batsmen to play back when they should have been forward. Nothing summed this up better than the series against England, when he made several reputed batsmen appear hapless against spin, none more so than Eoin Morgan.

However, it was Rehman’s Man-of-the-Match performance against New Zealand at Hamilton in January 2011 that really made him a certainty in the playing XI. His three wickets in each innings and a crucial innings of 28 helped propel Pakistan to victory in the first Test. This year, a career-best 6 for 25 routed England for 72 as Pakistan grabbed the series in Abu Dhabi, and in the final Test his 5 for 40 was decisive in Pakistan reducing England’s lead to 42. His 19 wickets in the series played a huge role in a 3-0 scoreline, and highlighted what a key ingredient Rehman has been for Pakistan.

Like Ajmal, he has bowled a lot of overs – 683.4 – while rarely allowing the batsmen to dominate. Rehman’s batting has been handy too, with an average of 13.s8 and a half-century offering some stability to the lower order.

Umar Gul

The only fast bowler to play consistently under Misbah, Umar Gul has carried himself with discipline all throughout. Ajmal and Rehman have hogged the wickets, but Gul’s 49 victims at 29.79 have been every bit as crucial in the team’s success.
The reliance on spin has eased Gul’s workload – he has bowled 452.5 overs in 13 matches – and this has undoubtedly led to the tall fast bowler not breaking down from injury, as he was prone to do so earlier in his career. His eight-wicket haul at Wellington was a stand-out effort in overseas conditions, and even on tracks in the UAE he has plugged away relentlessly, as 29 wickets from eight matches show.

In the first Test in Abu Dhabi, Gul responded to a flat surface with a hostile spell on the third day – during which he surpassed 150 Test wickets – as his new-ball incursions bagged him four wickets before Ajmal and Rehman wrapped up the rest. In the third Test in Abu Dhabi, Gul’s four wickets on the final day set the course of the match categorically towards Pakistan. The spinners have been the talking point of Pakistan’s success, but Gul’s role cannot he underestimated.

Mohammad Hafeez

At last looking like he belongs at Test-match level, Mohammad Hafeez has flourished in his latest avatar as opener and key ingredient in Pakistan’s spin-heavy bowling attack.

With the bat, he has offered solidity to a top order that has for too long been shaky, scoring 967 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 38.68, including two centuries and four fifties. With Taufeeq Umar – another cricketer enjoying a new lease on his international career – Hafeez has stitched together three century stands and four of 50 or more. For a side that used to regularly chop and change openers during the last decade, Hafeez’s pairing with Taufeeq over 15 Tests has been nothing short of solid.

Relied on heavily with the ball – he has bowled 250 overs – Hafeez has repaid the faith with 51 wickets at 26.36. His brisk offspin has helped Ajmal and Rehman take much-needed breaks in the field, and when tossed the new ball in Guyana he responded with wickets. The highlight of Hafeez’s run over these 15 Tests was a fine all-round performance against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, where Hafeez followed a quick-fire 119 with four wickets and a brisk 38 in a successful chase.

Taufeeq Umar

Given an extended run as opener after a four-year hiatus, the 30-year-old Taufeeq has scored 1055 runs in 15 Tests under Misbah while averaging 39.07. His batting hasn’t always been attractive, as a strike-rate of 43.18 indicates, but the fact that he has been able to deliver platforms has been immense. Two fifties in New Zealand helped blunt the threat of the home team’s pace bowlers in seam-friendly conditions, and his 135 in the second innings against West Indies at Basseterre helped Pakistan level the series.

A career-best 236 followed against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, as Pakistan drew the first Test. It was a marathon effort that helped grind Sri Lanka patiently through the second day, and Taufeeq was just pipped by Kumar Sangakkara for the Man-of-the-Match award. A seventh Test hundred would come against Bangladesh soon after.

Taufeeq’s form trailed off after a fifty in the first innings of the series against England, but his success in Pakistan’s resurgence merits further persistence.

Younis Khan

The former Pakistan captain has come back excellently from a ban imposed by the PCB after allegations that he had been partially responsible for infighting within the team. His 1138 runs at 66.94, including four centuries and four fifties, have been invaluable to Pakistan.
His presence in the middle order has steadied the team numerous times, not least when he scored centuries against South Africa and Sri Lanka to go with twin fifties against New Zealand at Wellington. But his most responsible innings came in the second innings of the third Test against England, as an out of form Younis took the game away from the opposition with a superbly crafted century. Yet again, he had summoned the resolve to produce a century when his detractors were gunning for him.

Azhar Ali

Of the younger players that have flourished under Misbah, 26-year-old Azhar Ali has been the most successful. His 1220 runs from 15 matches at 50.83 include two centuries and 11 fifties, and he has been a consistent performer at No. 3. Three consecutive half-centuries against South Africa got him going after an indifferent start to his career, and from there he ploughed on with fifties against each of the teams he played. His two centuries – 100 against Sri Lanka and 157 against England – were proof that Azhar has a long career ahead of him.

Filed under: cricket, England, Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Tagged: Abdul Rehman, Alastair Cook, Azhar Ali, cricket, Dubai Stadium, England, England Cricket, India, Kevin Pietersen, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket, Saeed Ajmal, South Africa, South African Cricket, Sri Lanka, Taufeeq Umar, Test Cricket, Umar Gul, Whitewash, Younis Khan

I am so happy after tremendous victory of Pakistan against England. We have beaten World’s No. 1 Cricket team in such a humiliating way.  We have changed the world cricket history of 105 years. I just want to share the … Continue reading →

PT Report Islamabad, February 6: Pakistan staged a historic win over England in Dubai, as the nation’s cricket team won all three matches of a test series against the world’s number one Test cricket team. Misbah led Pakistan staged a magnificent game throughout the series, performing with both ball and bat. The unfathomable bowling of [...]

…..PAkistAn won the 3 test series against England in Dubai…. giving them a total white-wash (as people call it)

The spectacle of winning was overwhelmed by the celebrations that kicked off afterwards in the country… People started screaming  and dancing on the streets, the media went bonkers showing interviews of every cricketer’s family and the festivities that were taking place in their homes…

What a wonderful win it truly was…. A win to remember for ages… Beating the #1 team in the world in three consecutive matches is by no means an easy task and the our boys did it so seamlessly…. The amazing spins of Ajmal and A.Rehman freaked the shit out of the English batsmen and the gora boys crumbled like dominoes in every inning they played…

As a different perspective to life in Pakistan… i am now starting to see the changing mindset of my people… They’re more aware of their importance in the world now… Despite what the world says and western media projects about us… we have continued to prove everyone wrong at every front …. and it this very spirit that rejects the petty differences and makes us stand united … and stronger!

To play against the best team in the world with the most in-experiences set of players and those too who are afraid to play as the world is stalking and waiting to point fingers of match fixing allegations at them… was indeed no easy task…. But then… when you have nothing to lose you give your 200% and don’t care about the results… You take risks, decisions and work hard on your way upwards… and if your intention is right it always ends up in a positive result… even if you lose….

That was the lesson of the day for me….and as i reach the threshold of the twistale of my life… i’m hoping to do the same!

Pakistan cricket team continued their superb performance and beat England in third test by 71 runs .

Man of the series one and only Saeed Ajmal .

Man of the match Azhar Ali for classic 157

Pakistan duly completed their first clean sweep against England in a Test series, an extraordinary achievement for a side with no home to call its own, a side that lives out of a suitcase and does it rather well. Along with the socks and the toothpaste they certainly unpacked quite a shock for the No. 1 ranked side.

PAKISTAN WHITEWASH ENGLAND

England faces the humiliation of a first-ever series whitewash at the hands of Pakistan

NADEEM MALIK

Pakistan Whitewash England

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The sunny disposition of Saeed Ajmal and the stiff-limbed tenacity of Abdur Rehman have tormented England throughout this Test series and there was the slimmest likelihood of escape at tea on the fourth day of the final Test in Dubai as Pakistan sought to inflict a whitewash upon England for the first time.

There was plentiful spin for Pakistan’s spinners, leaping spin at times when the ball struck the rough, and England, still 151 runs short of victory with only four wickets remaining, looked bound for a 3-0 defeat in the series.

Ajmal, spinning the ball both ways, not extravagantly but often, dismissed Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook in the afternoon session, to add to Jonathan Trott before lunch. Rehman counted Andrew Strauss as his sole success as he bowled unchanged for two sessions, 30 overs sent down with unerring accuracy. He is the sort of spin bowler who looks slightly weary from the outset, but never noticeably tires after that.

Pietersen was bent upon playing enterprisingly. The first ball of the afternoon provided a reminder of his vulnerability when a bat-pad against Rehman flew high past short leg, but he had the fleeting satisfaction of striking him straight for six before Ajmal, from around the wicket, spun one through the gate and beamed at further bounty.

Cook put up statuesque resistance. Along the way he became the second youngest person, at 27 years and 43 days, to reach 6,000 Test runs. Only Sachin Tendulkar has reached the landmark at a younger age. His most attacking shot of the morning, a loft into the leg side against Rehman, caused the bowler to taunt him with applause. He lived on scraps, combating the turning ball with thoughtful defence and numerous works to the leg side and that proved his undoing as a leading edge was brilliantly held by Younis Khan, diving to his left at first slip.

The emphasis has been upon spin, but Umar Gul reminded England that the quicker bowlers should not be entirely discounted as he got the old ball to reverse swing as much as at any time in the series. Ian Bell’s state of mind is such that a long hop is quite enough. He averaged more than 100 last summer, less than 10 in this series, and when Gul offered up a gift he mistimed it wide of point. The ball that dismissed Eoin Morgan, caught by the wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal, who embarked upon a merry dance, was of higher quality.

England, 36 runs banked the previous evening, needed a further 288 at the start of play. Strauss fell in the sixth over of the morning, lbw on the back foot to Rehman. That was lbw No. 42 in this three-Test series, one short of the all-time record for a series of any length. Strauss reviewed it, although it smacked of a captain’s review and he would have been better to head smartly for the dressing room. But when it comes to captain’s reviews Strauss cannot match Misbah-ul-Haq. Misbah has been lbw on five occasions in this series and he has taken a review every time. It must be a captain’s prerogative.

Without lapses in the field, Pakistan could have been in a stronger position. They had dropped Cook the previous evening, a relatively simple chance to Taufeeq Umar at third slip and Gul’s drop in the shadows of the stand at deep square gave him another reprieve as Pakistan lost the efficiency that has characterised their cricket throughout this series. Rehman made his frustration clear when he caught Trott at deep square as he flung the ball into the turf with feeling at the errors that had gone before.

Adnan’s fumble behind the stumps to reprieve Strauss, although not costly as the England captain was out in the next over, was the worst miss of all. Adnan has had a good series behind the stumps and has the opportunity to be Pakistan’s first-choice keeper for many years to come but his excitable chatter had reached a peak. As Pakistan press for victory, it is in danger of becoming counterproductive. Strauss’ edge flew to him at comfortable height but he put it down. For a few minutes he was quiet and you could hear your ears ringing.

Adnan’s cacophony of cries often rent the air for inexplicable reasons. As do parrots, Adnan vocalises for many reasons. He may be excitedly greeting the day or summoning his family at sunset. He may be screeching when he is excited or when he is merely trying it on. He may screech when he thinks things have got too quiet or when he thinks it is his duty to scream. He just likes screeching. At one point he burst out coughing as if in sore need of a lozenge and Trott looked at him in deadpan fashion.

Adnan is also incorrigibly optimistic about reviewing umpiring decisions. “Do it, do it, yes, yes, all good,” you can sense him saying. Misbah has learned not to take his evidence into consideration and looks askance at him. But Pakistan challenged umpire Steve Davis’ not-out ruling when Ajmal beat Cook on the sweep. Hawk-Eye showed that the ball pitched outside leg. There again, disturbingly, it seems that Hawk-Eye also cannot read Ajmal’s doosra, probably because it is English.

Pakistan 99 & 365

England 141 & 252 (97.3 ov)

Pakistan won by 71 runs

• Pakistan v England Test Series – 3rd Test
• Test no. 2034 | 2011/12 season
• Played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (neutral venue)
• 3,4,5,6 February 2012 (5-day match)

Pakistan 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	Mohammad Hafeez	lbw b Broad	13	50	30	1	0	43.33
9.6 140.4 kph, loud loud cry for leg before referred has he hit this? Maybe not but probably too high…three reds on hawk-eye…gone! There wasn’t anything really conclusive on hot spot but perhaps there was enough doubt to give Hafeez the benefit of the doubt there. Either way, he claps sarcastically walking off, that’ll be a few pennies off the match fee 21/4
	Taufeeq Umar	lbw b Anderson	0	4	5	0	0	0.00
0.6 132.8 kph, out straight away cracker from Anderson, swinging in and catching the batsman on the knee roll on the crease. Finger goes up quickly from umpire Davis and after a chat with his partner, Taufeeq walks off. It looked pretty adjacent to middle stump and I don’t think any referral was going to save him. Fine inswinger from Anderson on a great length gets the early breakthrough 1/1
	Azhar Ali	c †Prior b Broad	1	20	14	0	0	7.14
5.3 full and beaten on the inside edge, referred for a catch behind, big nick on hot spot, this should be out and indeed overturned and Ali is gone. It was a nip-backer from Broad on a great length, Prior took it going to his left, which suggested it didn’t hit the pad, he was the one who said refer and it’s paid off. A great use of the DRS by England and a second strike with the new ball 8/2
	Younis Khan	c †Prior b Broad	4	10	8	1	0	50.00
7.5 140.4 kph, got him! Thick edge and this time Prior bags the catch at head height. A little bit of extra bounce from Broad, takes the shoulder of the bat and flies to Prior’s right, taken comfortably with two hands. Younis was pushing away at it and it’s a poor way to go 18/3
	Misbah-ul-Haq*	lbw b Anderson	1	17	8	0	0	12.50
10.5 137.5 kph, another one out and Misbah has played down the Bakerloo, Anderson was on the Victoria line, and bang in front, easy lbw decision, referred but nothing saving Misbah here, he’s got to go. Too slow to come forward and beaten on the inside edge to a full ball, it catches him on low on the front pad and hawk-eye has the ball hitting enough of leg stump to stay with Mr Davis 21/5
	Asad Shafiq	lbw b Panesar	45	120	78	3	0	57.69
39.6 out it was pad first as he backed away trying to cut and was caught bang in front so has to go. Just looking to give himself room but it slid on from Panesar and caught the flap of the back back right in front of middle stump, no doubt for the umpire 85/9
	Adnan Akmal†	lbw b Broad	6	36	30	0	0	20.00
18.6 132.1 kph, appeal for lbw, given! Reviewed. Broad once again slips in a big indipper after producing umpteen away seamers that somehow kept missing the edge. Adnan tried to get forward, but he didn’t get too far as it burst through past the inside edge and thudded into the pad, in front of middle and leg. Hawk Eye says it is shattering leg stump. Gone! That five-for before lunch might yet materialise. Take a bow, Stuart Broad. This is lethal bowling on a flat track in Asia. 39/6
	Abdur Rehman	c Pietersen b Swann	1	9	5	0	0	20.00
21.2 and he’s struck in his first over again. Golly, that’s the worst shot you will see today. Swann spins it away from short of a length, it was wide enough for Rehman to leave but he tried to blast it into the top storey of the Burj Dubai. The ball went halfway up there, but when it came down, KP was waiting in the covers. The sun was in his eyes, but he held on. Horror shot. 44/7
	Saeed Ajmal	lbw b Panesar	12	52	53	1	0	22.64
35.3 slider and given out78/8
	Umar Gul	b Anderson	13	34	27	1	1	48.14
44.1 133.6 kph, Pakistan do a Bradman, they have fallen just short of 100! Quite fittingly, it is one of those big indippers that does the final piece of damage. Anderson bends it in at pace, past Gul’s slog-heave, and leg stump takes a beating. 99/10
Aizaz Cheema	not out	0	18	7	0	0	0.00
Extras	(lb 3)	3
Total	(all out; 44.1 overs; 191 mins)	99	(2.24 runs per over)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	JM Anderson	14.1	3	35	3	2.47
0.6 to Taufeeq Umar, 132.8 kph, out straight away cracker from Anderson, swinging in and catching the batsman on the knee roll on the crease. Finger goes up quickly from umpire Davis and after a chat with his partner, Taufeeq walks off. It looked pretty adjacent to middle stump and I don’t think any referral was going to save him. Fine inswinger from Anderson on a great length gets the early breakthrough 1/1 10.5 to Misbah-ul-Haq, 137.5 kph, another one out and Misbah has played down the Bakerloo, Anderson was on the Victoria line, and bang in front, easy lbw decision, referred but nothing saving Misbah here, he’s got to go. Too slow to come forward and beaten on the inside edge to a full ball, it catches him on low on the front pad and hawk-eye has the ball hitting enough of leg stump to stay with Mr Davis 21/5 44.1 to Umar Gul, 133.6 kph, Pakistan do a Bradman, they have fallen just short of 100! Quite fittingly, it is one of those big indippers that does the final piece of damage. Anderson bends it in at pace, past Gul’s slog-heave, and leg stump takes a beating. 99/10
	SCJ Broad	16	5	36	4	2.25
5.3 to Azhar Ali, full and beaten on the inside edge, referred for a catch behind, big nick on hot spot, this should be out and indeed overturned and Ali is gone. It was a nip-backer from Broad on a great length, Prior took it going to his left, which suggested it didn’t hit the pad, he was the one who said refer and it’s paid off. A great use of the DRS by England and a second strike with the new ball 8/2 7.5 to Younis Khan, 140.4 kph, got him! Thick edge and this time Prior bags the catch at head height. A little bit of extra bounce from Broad, takes the shoulder of the bat and flies to Prior’s right, taken comfortably with two hands. Younis was pushing away at it and it’s a poor way to go 18/3 9.6 to Mohammad Hafeez, 140.4 kph, loud loud cry for leg before referred has he hit this? Maybe not but probably too high…three reds on hawk-eye…gone! There wasn’t anything really conclusive on hot spot but perhaps there was enough doubt to give Hafeez the benefit of the doubt there. Either way, he claps sarcastically walking off, that’ll be a few pennies off the match fee 21/4 18.6 to Adnan Akmal, 132.1 kph, appeal for lbw, given! Reviewed. Broad once again slips in a big indipper after producing umpteen away seamers that somehow kept missing the edge. Adnan tried to get forward, but he didn’t get too far as it burst through past the inside edge and thudded into the pad, in front of middle and leg. Hawk Eye says it is shattering leg stump. Gone! That five-for before lunch might yet materialise. Take a bow, Stuart Broad. This is lethal bowling on a flat track in Asia. 39/6
	MS Panesar	13	4	25	2	1.92
35.3 to Saeed Ajmal, slider and given out78/8 39.6 to Asad Shafiq, out it was pad first as he backed away trying to cut and was caught bang in front so has to go. Just looking to give himself room but it slid on from Panesar and caught the flap of the back back right in front of middle stump, no doubt for the umpire 85/9
	GP Swann	1	1	0	1	0.00
21.2 to Abdur Rehman, and he’s struck in his first over again. Golly, that’s the worst shot you will see today. Swann spins it away from short of a length, it was wide enough for Rehman to leave but he tried to blast it into the top storey of the Burj Dubai. The ball went halfway up there, but when it came down, KP was waiting in the covers. The sun was in his eyes, but he held on. Horror shot. 44/7

England 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	AJ Strauss*	st †Adnan Akmal b Abdur Rehman	56	226	150	5	0	37.33
53.5 87.8 kph, five for Rehman and completely out of the blue Strauss has tried to swing one out of the park and been stumped. He didn’t get to the pitch and missed by a long way, looking very ugly in a big heave and miss, easy work for Akmal 133/9
	AN Cook	c †Adnan Akmal b Umar Gul	1	10	5	0	0	20.00
2.2 138.6 kph, Adnan Akmal has leapt right across first slip to pouch a beauty. The wickets continue to tumble. A dismissal that is so unlike Cook. It was short and it was swinging further away, he could have stayed in the crease and left it alone, but he dangled the bat feebly, looking for a high-risk steer. He feathers it along towards first slip. Adnan gets a good look at the ball, moves across and pounces on it. 5/1
	IJL Trott	lbw b Umar Gul	2	10	10	0	0	20.00
4.2 139.3 kph, Trott’s gone. He doesn’t even refer it, but should he have? Full, straight, angling in and Trott plays all over it. Hit in front of leg, and possibly clipping leg stump. The sort of dismissal you used to see a lot with Ricky Ponting. He just fell over as he looked to flick, and missed it. Umpire Davis sent him on his way immediately. We have to see what HawkEye says. Trott didn’t wait even a moment, he probably reckoned it was clipping leg. This could be one of those where the umpire’s verdict would have been right, irrespective of what it was. Replays are in – Missing leg. Trott would have got away if he’d referred it. England were spot-on with referrals when they were bowling.. Interestingly, captain Strauss was the non-striker here. 7/2
	KP Pietersen	lbw b Abdur Rehman	32	62	44	4	0	72.72
19.2 100.6 kph, caught on the crease and given out lbw. Referred and hawk-eye has it only just clipping the leg stump. Pietersen unlucky? He’s out once again to left-arm spin! Remarkable. Playing forward, caught on the knee roll, you could see middle and off stumps as Pietersen played it but DRS means you give those out nowadays 64/3
	IR Bell	st †Adnan Akmal b Saeed Ajmal	5	40	28	0	0	17.85
28.5 91.8 kph, is Bell out stumped? The doosra again. It goes upstairs and he is in trouble. he was pressing forward, for the offspin, but it went the other way and past the bat, even as the back foot slid outside the crease. Adnan could not collect the ball, but it bounced off the glove straight onto the stumps, faster than he would have been able to do it if he’d grasped the ball. Bell was pushing his foot back in, but it is on the line when the bail comes off. The 3rd umpire Shahvir Tarapore is taking a long time over this. But he’s pressed the right button. Bell. Ajmal. Doosra. Complete the sequence … Out! 75/4
	EJG Morgan	lbw b Abdur Rehman	10	17	14	0	1	71.42
33.1 Another referral. Boy, the 3rd umpire needs to be paid as much as the men in the middle. Short ball, Morgan goes back and looks to work it across the line. Not the safest option, in the middle of a horror series. Still, everything was going to plan. Almost. He just misses a straightforward shot as the ball turns in. It hits him high on the pad, but he is well back, and it is crashing into the stumps. Umpire Taufel has to cross his arms over once more. Morgan gone. Can Pakistan get the lead? 88/5
	MJ Prior†	b Abdur Rehman	6	17	19	0	0	31.57
37.6 96.5 kph, squared up and bowled! Prior is befuddled. Rehman runs riot. The crowd perks up. Pakistan on fire. Nervous stuff from Prior, so worried about the lbw, that he ends up playing inside the line of a regulation left-arm spinner, in an attempt to keep bat in front of and close to the pad. The bat is in line with leg stump, the ball lands on middle and leg and spins enough to miss the bat and crash into middle. Pakistan are still 1 run ahead, and into England’s tail. What a day! 98/6
	JM Anderson	b Abdur Rehman	4	24	22	0	0	18.18
43.6 94.0 kph, gone! Trying to drive against the spin and beaten between bat and pad and down goes the leg stump. A classic finger spinners delivery, tossed up, inducing the drive, and doing um through the gate. Nice work from Rehman and Pakistan will be delighted to have dislodged the nightwatchman so early 106/7
	SCJ Broad	lbw b Saeed Ajmal	4	25	19	0	0	21.05
50.5 91.4 kph, forward, another doosra, and struck on the front pad, not out given, and referred. Broad’s very tall and got a long way forward but three reds! Broad will go here…big blow for Pakistan. The doosra beats the inside edge and Broad is trapped lbw on review 121/8
	GP Swann	c Abdur Rehman b Saeed Ajmal	16	19	18	3	0	88.88
54.6 89.6 kph, swung away again but this is in the air and well taken down low from the man in the deep. It was another good connection but Swann couldn’t keep it down and the innings is over, England have a lead of 42 141/10
MS Panesar	not out	0	7	1	0	0	0.00
Extras	(b 1, lb 4)	5
Total	(all out; 55 overs; 233 mins)	141	(2.56 runs per over)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	Umar Gul	7	1	28	2	4.00
2.2 to Cook, 138.6 kph, Adnan Akmal has leapt right across first slip to pouch a beauty. The wickets continue to tumble. A dismissal that is so unlike Cook. It was short and it was swinging further away, he could have stayed in the crease and left it alone, but he dangled the bat feebly, looking for a high-risk steer. He feathers it along towards first slip. Adnan gets a good look at the ball, moves across and pounces on it. 5/1 4.2 to Trott, 139.3 kph, Trott’s gone. He doesn’t even refer it, but should he have? Full, straight, angling in and Trott plays all over it. Hit in front of leg, and possibly clipping leg stump. The sort of dismissal you used to see a lot with Ricky Ponting. He just fell over as he looked to flick, and missed it. Umpire Davis sent him on his way immediately. We have to see what HawkEye says. Trott didn’t wait even a moment, he probably reckoned it was clipping leg. This could be one of those where the umpire’s verdict would have been right, irrespective of what it was. Replays are in – Missing leg. Trott would have got away if he’d referred it. England were spot-on with referrals when they were bowling.. Interestingly, captain Strauss was the non-striker here. 7/2
Aizaz Cheema	4	0	9	0	2.25
	Saeed Ajmal	23	6	59	3	2.56
28.5 to Bell, 91.8 kph, is Bell out stumped? The doosra again. It goes upstairs and he is in trouble. he was pressing forward, for the offspin, but it went the other way and past the bat, even as the back foot slid outside the crease. Adnan could not collect the ball, but it bounced off the glove straight onto the stumps, faster than he would have been able to do it if he’d grasped the ball. Bell was pushing his foot back in, but it is on the line when the bail comes off. The 3rd umpire Shahvir Tarapore is taking a long time over this. But he’s pressed the right button. Bell. Ajmal. Doosra. Complete the sequence … Out! 75/4 50.5 to Broad, 91.4 kph, forward, another doosra, and struck on the front pad, not out given, and referred. Broad’s very tall and got a long way forward but three reds! Broad will go here…big blow for Pakistan. The doosra beats the inside edge and Broad is trapped lbw on review 121/8 54.6 to Swann, 89.6 kph, swung away again but this is in the air and well taken down low from the man in the deep. It was another good connection but Swann couldn’t keep it down and the innings is over, England have a lead of 42 141/10
	Abdur Rehman	21	4	40	5	1.90
19.2 to Pietersen, 100.6 kph, caught on the crease and given out lbw. Referred and hawk-eye has it only just clipping the leg stump. Pietersen unlucky? He’s out once again to left-arm spin! Remarkable. Playing forward, caught on the knee roll, you could see middle and off stumps as Pietersen played it but DRS means you give those out nowadays 64/3 33.1 to Morgan, Another referral. Boy, the 3rd umpire needs to be paid as much as the men in the middle. Short ball, Morgan goes back and looks to work it across the line. Not the safest option, in the middle of a horror series. Still, everything was going to plan. Almost. He just misses a straightforward shot as the ball turns in. It hits him high on the pad, but he is well back, and it is crashing into the stumps. Umpire Taufel has to cross his arms over once more. Morgan gone. Can Pakistan get the lead? 88/5 37.6 to Prior, 96.5 kph, squared up and bowled! Prior is befuddled. Rehman runs riot. The crowd perks up. Pakistan on fire. Nervous stuff from Prior, so worried about the lbw, that he ends up playing inside the line of a regulation left-arm spinner, in an attempt to keep bat in front of and close to the pad. The bat is in line with leg stump, the ball lands on middle and leg and spins enough to miss the bat and crash into middle. Pakistan are still 1 run ahead, and into England’s tail. What a day! 98/6 43.6 to Anderson, 94.0 kph, gone! Trying to drive against the spin and beaten between bat and pad and down goes the leg stump. A classic finger spinners delivery, tossed up, inducing the drive, and doing um through the gate. Nice work from Rehman and Pakistan will be delighted to have dislodged the nightwatchman so early 106/7 53.5 to Strauss, 87.8 kph, five for Rehman and completely out of the blue Strauss has tried to swing one out of the park and been stumped. He didn’t get to the pitch and missed by a long way, looking very ugly in a big heave and miss, easy work for Akmal 133/9

Pakistan 2nd innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	Mohammad Hafeez	lbw b Panesar	21	39	36	3	1	58.33
9.6 91.4 kph, swept and missed and now out trapped in front and not referred. Fine line between attack and defence says Nasser and Hafeez has got too keen after 10 from two balls. Was far too early on a big sweep, he missed and got struck on the thigh pad with his knee on the ground, look adjacent to the off stump 28/2
	Taufeeq Umar	c Strauss b Anderson	6	28	16	1	0	37.50
6.6 135.0 kph, but the extra ball does the work! Length ball outside off, Taufeeq nibbles at it and edges to slip where Strauss takes a solid catch. Right area from Anderson and the batsman – perhaps too keen to feel for the ball after a couple of solid strokes – decided to play where he could have left alone. A thick edge and Strauss pouches the simple chance into the midriff 16/1
	Azhar Ali	c Cook b Swann	157	533	442	10	1	35.52
149.3 82.2 kph, got him! And finally, finally, after what’s seemed like an ice age, Azhar Ali is removed from the crease. Pushing a full ball into the hands of Cook at short leg, who took a smart catch down low. But that’s some innings, a long vigil, grinding out the runs. He’s method has been very effective, a highest first-class score, and a contribution that could take Pakistan to a historic victory… 363/9
	Younis Khan	lbw b Broad	127	303	221	12	1	57.46
91.6 given out lbw going past the inside edge. Referred but looks out on the first replay and indeed Hawk-Eye has umpire’s call twice, so marginal but looked out in real time so fair enough to stay with Steve Davis. One that just nipped in off a length and hit Younis on the move, caught in front of off stump, just 244/3
	Misbah-ul-Haq*	lbw b Panesar	31	149	115	1	0	26.95
130.2 87.3 kph, Given out lbw, and Misbah refers it. Straight, quick armer from Monty that drifts straight in. Misbah pushes forward with bat and pad very close together. The ball hit him marginally in front of off stump and was crashing into the stumps. Bat first? Pad first? Hot Spot doesn’t light up and the referral is struck down. Definitely pad first. A wicket for England, their second of the day. 331/4
	Asad Shafiq	lbw b Panesar	5	24	17	0	0	29.41
136.2 90.4 kph, another one bites the dust. 40 lbws. Golly. Pakistan can’t review it. Monty angled it in from over the stumps. Did it pitch outside leg? It straightened as Asad got well across and looked to paddle it. He missed and was hit on the back leg. Was it hitting leg stump? It was clipping leg. And it landed on middle and leg, so that was a fair decision and would have been upheld on review. 339/5
	Adnan Akmal†	b Panesar	0	7	7	0	0	0.00
138.2 90.0 kph, Monty’s spitting fire with the old ball. He’s cleaned up Adnan with a classic left-arm spinner, angles in towards middle and off, dips on a length, grips and straightens past a hopeful forward prod to tickle off stump. Gone for a blob. England will be very worried by the amount of turn on offer now. 345/6
	Abdur Rehman	c Anderson b Swann	1	5	5	0	0	20.00
139.1 too many murmurs about Panesar outbowling Swann, and Swann responds with a wicket of his own. Ball lands on a length around off stump from round the wicket, kicks up a healthy puff of dust as it turns past Rehman and takes an outside edge to slip. 346/7
	Saeed Ajmal	c Anderson b Swann	1	10	12	0	0	8.33
141.6 91.8 kph, a wicket to end the session. Swann gets Ajmal to nick his version of the doosra – the slider – through to Anderson at slip. Ajmal hangs the bat outside limply and it jumps off the edge to the right of Anderson, who completes a good catch. 350/8
	Umar Gul	lbw b Panesar	4	31	38	0	0	10.52
152.4 87.8 kph, flighted up, big swing towards leg, missed and plumb lbw. Five more for Panesar. Jolly well done Monty, two five-fors in his two comeback matches. Thoroughly deserved after almost 57 overs! A fine effort. It was a length ball that Gul simply missed by a long distance, being done in the flight, easy decision for the umpire 365/10
Aizaz Cheema	not out	0	10	8	0	0	0.00
Extras	(b 10, lb 1, nb 1)	12
Total	(all out; 152.4 overs; 572 mins)	365	(2.39 runs per over)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	JM Anderson	28	7	51	1	1.82	(1nb)
6.6 to Taufeeq Umar, 135.0 kph, but the extra ball does the work! Length ball outside off, Taufeeq nibbles at it and edges to slip where Strauss takes a solid catch. Right area from Anderson and the batsman – perhaps too keen to feel for the ball after a couple of solid strokes – decided to play where he could have left alone. A thick edge and Strauss pouches the simple chance into the midriff 16/1
	SCJ Broad	24	7	55	1	2.29
91.6 to Younis Khan, given out lbw going past the inside edge. Referred but looks out on the first replay and indeed Hawk-Eye has umpire’s call twice, so marginal but looked out in real time so fair enough to stay with Steve Davis. One that just nipped in off a length and hit Younis on the move, caught in front of off stump, just 244/3
	MS Panesar	56.4	13	124	5	2.18
9.6 to Mohammad Hafeez, 91.4 kph, swept and missed and now out trapped in front and not referred. Fine line between attack and defence says Nasser and Hafeez has got too keen after 10 from two balls. Was far too early on a big sweep, he missed and got struck on the thigh pad with his knee on the ground, look adjacent to the off stump 28/2 130.2 to Misbah-ul-Haq, 87.3 kph, Given out lbw, and Misbah refers it. Straight, quick armer from Monty that drifts straight in. Misbah pushes forward with bat and pad very close together. The ball hit him marginally in front of off stump and was crashing into the stumps. Bat first? Pad first? Hot Spot doesn’t light up and the referral is struck down. Definitely pad first. A wicket for England, their second of the day. 331/4 136.2 to Asad Shafiq, 90.4 kph, another one bites the dust. 40 lbws. Golly. Pakistan can’t review it. Monty angled it in from over the stumps. Did it pitch outside leg? It straightened as Asad got well across and looked to paddle it. He missed and was hit on the back leg. Was it hitting leg stump? It was clipping leg. And it landed on middle and leg, so that was a fair decision and would have been upheld on review. 339/5 138.2 to Adnan Akmal, 90.0 kph, Monty’s spitting fire with the old ball. He’s cleaned up Adnan with a classic left-arm spinner, angles in towards middle and off, dips on a length, grips and straightens past a hopeful forward prod to tickle off stump. Gone for a blob. England will be very worried by the amount of turn on offer now. 345/6 152.4 to Umar Gul, 87.8 kph, flighted up, big swing towards leg, missed and plumb lbw. Five more for Panesar. Jolly well done Monty, two five-fors in his two comeback matches. Thoroughly deserved after almost 57 overs! A fine effort. It was a length ball that Gul simply missed by a long distance, being done in the flight, easy decision for the umpire 365/10
	GP Swann	39	6	101	3	2.58
139.1 to Abdur Rehman, too many murmurs about Panesar outbowling Swann, and Swann responds with a wicket of his own. Ball lands on a length around off stump from round the wicket, kicks up a healthy puff of dust as it turns past Rehman and takes an outside edge to slip. 346/7 141.6 to Saeed Ajmal, 91.8 kph, a wicket to end the session. Swann gets Ajmal to nick his version of the doosra – the slider – through to Anderson at slip. Ajmal hangs the bat outside limply and it jumps off the edge to the right of Anderson, who completes a good catch. 350/8 149.3 to Azhar Ali, 82.2 kph, got him! And finally, finally, after what’s seemed like an ice age, Azhar Ali is removed from the crease. Pushing a full ball into the hands of Cook at short leg, who took a smart catch down low. But that’s some innings, a long vigil, grinding out the runs. He’s method has been very effective, a highest first-class score, and a contribution that could take Pakistan to a historic victory… 363/9
IJL Trott	2	0	14	0	7.00
KP Pietersen	3	0	9	0	3.00

England 2nd innings (target: 324 runs)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	AJ Strauss*	lbw b Abdur Rehman	26	98	76	2	0	34.21
25.2 gone now though biting out of the rough, catches Strauss on the back foot and given out lbw. It was reviewed but to no avail because Strauss was right on his stumps and the ball was hitting middle stump. It turned past the inside edge and hit the back leg, highlighting the problems England’s left-handers will face against those rough patches 48/1
	AN Cook	c Younis Khan b Saeed Ajmal	49	242	187	4	0	26.20
62.5 brilliant catch at slip. Cook’s had success turning with the spin but now produces a leading edge that flies to slip and a fabulous diving take by Younis Khan. Just gripped a little in the pitch which meant Cook was on the shot too soon, tried to turn it again and it flicked up to Younis who showed his team-mates how it’s done 119/4
	IJL Trott	c Abdur Rehman b Saeed Ajmal	18	79	64	2	0	28.12
44.3 91.8 kph, I’m not sure what came over Trott but Pakistan have broken a stubborn stand here, Trott aims to slog it over the on side but ends up top-edging a doosra, Rehman runs forward from deep backward square leg and takes the skier 85/2
	KP Pietersen	b Saeed Ajmal	18	54	45	1	1	40.00
60.6 bowled through the gate. Ordinary offspinner on a good length, Pietersen forward and playing with the bat away from the pad is done by one that spun. Nothing overly special about it, I don’t think Pietersen played it very well at all, maybe he thought it was the doosra 116/3
	IR Bell	c Asad Shafiq b Umar Gul	10	58	38	0	0	26.31
74.6 136.1 kph, Gul was as flummoxed as Bell! Hardly a wicket-taking ball, a half-tracker outside the off stump, Bell could have thrashed that or simply left it, instead he lobbed it tamely down to cover point where Shafiq ran to his right to take a sitter. Bell took a few seconds to comprehend what he had done and Gul couldn’t believe what he had done to deserve that wicket 156/5
	EJG Morgan	c †Adnan Akmal b Umar Gul	31	57	48	3	1	64.58
76.3 137.9 kph, Gul fully deserved this one, Morgan gave the bowler the charge and Gul saw that and cleverly dropped it short from round the wicket, the batsman suddenly changed his shot and tries to defend but it caught the faint edge, Taufel knew that immediately 159/6
MJ Prior†	not out	49	58	5	0	84.48
	SCJ Broad	c Taufeeq Umar b Umar Gul	18	31	24	2	0	75.00
82.2 133.2 kph, and gone. Broad holes out to long off trying to play a big shot again, off low on the bat and a comfortable catch in the deep for Taufeeq. Can’t blame Broad for trying. Attempted to go big off a length ball and didn’t quite get it right 196/7
	GP Swann	c Asad Shafiq b Umar Gul	1	14	6	0	0	16.66
84.4 132.5 kph, caught at point Swann driving off an outside edge and simply chipping at catch to point. It’s a very good catch down low, always difficult diving forward but that’s a fine grab. A long check for the no-ball but Gul is just, and only just, ok so Swann has to go 203/8
	JM Anderson	c Younis Khan b Saeed Ajmal	9	43	26	0	0	34.61
92.6 90.7 kph, outside edge and taken at slip! The ball straightened after pitching outside off and skidded through, Anderson was on the back foot trying to cut and it was taken neatly by Younis at slip who fell backwards after taking it 237/9
	MS Panesar	lbw b Abdur Rehman	8	15	0	0	53.33
97.3 90.9 kph, Pakistan seal 3-0! Panesar tries to sweep with the turn and the ball hits his thigh in front of the stumps, Steve Davis gives him out, Panesar reviews it but Davis’ decision stands 252/10
Extras	(b 4, lb 8, nb 3)	15
Total	(all out; 97.3 overs)	252	(2.58 runs per over)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	Umar Gul	20	5	61	4	3.05	(2nb)
74.6 to Bell, 136.1 kph, Gul was as flummoxed as Bell! Hardly a wicket-taking ball, a half-tracker outside the off stump, Bell could have thrashed that or simply left it, instead he lobbed it tamely down to cover point where Shafiq ran to his right to take a sitter. Bell took a few seconds to comprehend what he had done and Gul couldn’t believe what he had done to deserve that wicket 156/5 76.3 to Morgan, 137.9 kph, Gul fully deserved this one, Morgan gave the bowler the charge and Gul saw that and cleverly dropped it short from round the wicket, the batsman suddenly changed his shot and tries to defend but it caught the faint edge, Taufel knew that immediately 159/6 82.2 to Broad, 133.2 kph, and gone. Broad holes out to long off trying to play a big shot again, off low on the bat and a comfortable catch in the deep for Taufeeq. Can’t blame Broad for trying. Attempted to go big off a length ball and didn’t quite get it right 196/7 84.4 to Swann, 132.5 kph, caught at point Swann driving off an outside edge and simply chipping at catch to point. It’s a very good catch down low, always difficult diving forward but that’s a fine grab. A long check for the no-ball but Gul is just, and only just, ok so Swann has to go 203/8
Aizaz Cheema	4	0	9	0	2.25
Mohammad Hafeez	5	2	6	0	1.20
	Abdur Rehman	41.3	10	97	2	2.33
25.2 to Strauss, gone now though biting out of the rough, catches Strauss on the back foot and given out lbw. It was reviewed but to no avail because Strauss was right on his stumps and the ball was hitting middle stump. It turned past the inside edge and hit the back leg, highlighting the problems England’s left-handers will face against those rough patches 48/1 97.3 to Panesar, 90.9 kph, Pakistan seal 3-0! Panesar tries to sweep with the turn and the ball hits his thigh in front of the stumps, Steve Davis gives him out, Panesar reviews it but Davis’ decision stands 252/10
	Saeed Ajmal	27	9	67	4	2.48
44.3 to Trott, 91.8 kph, I’m not sure what came over Trott but Pakistan have broken a stubborn stand here, Trott aims to slog it over the on side but ends up top-edging a doosra, Rehman runs forward from deep backward square leg and takes the skier 85/2 60.6 to Pietersen, bowled through the gate. Ordinary offspinner on a good length, Pietersen forward and playing with the bat away from the pad is done by one that spun. Nothing overly special about it, I don’t think Pietersen played it very well at all, maybe he thought it was the doosra 116/3 62.5 to Cook, brilliant catch at slip. Cook’s had success turning with the spin but now produces a leading edge that flies to slip and a fabulous diving take by Younis Khan. Just gripped a little in the pitch which meant Cook was on the shot too soon, tried to turn it again and it flicked up to Younis who showed his team-mates how it’s done 119/4 92.6 to Anderson, 90.7 kph, outside edge and taken at slip! The ball straightened after pitching outside off and skidded through, Anderson was on the back foot trying to cut and it was taken neatly by Younis at slip who fell backwards after taking it 237/9

Filed under: CURRENT AFFAIRS

This is first part of a series of posts on Iran based on travel experiences in the country in 2011.

“Sir, can I ask why Iran?” asked the travel agent whom I called to book the flight for Tehran.

 “I have an interest in the culture, people and language”, I respond.

“Hmmm but people would normally go to Dubai for that… anyway”, he conveys his lack of cultural knowledge.

Just like a lot of people confuse us Pakistanis as Arabs, the Iranians have to face the same misery.

The country is so diverse in terms of culture, lifestyle and landscape that planning the trip to Iran was itself an exciting experience – from LonelyPlanet to Iranian travel agents, books and travel documentaries; I explored everything to ensure my time in Iran is well spent and I return with a better understanding of the country and its people.  With the variety it has got, its unfortunate Iran isn’t a hot tourist destination.

Getting a Visa

Iran Visa

Despite the bad press, the travel agency business seems booming in Iran. There are hundreds of them in the capital and tens in other bigger cities. They can help planning the trip, arranging accommodation, travel, guides and more. Most importantly, you may need them to get a visa. Although nationals of some countries can get a visa-on-arrival but the recommended option is to get in touch with a travel agency, email relevant documents (passport copy, itinerary etc), make the visa handling payment (30-50 Euro) and wait for them to get you a Visa Ref Number which you take to your local Iranian Embassy and get a visa stamped on the passport on-spot. I received my Visa Ref number in a week and didn’t even had to go to the Iranian Embassy. You can post your Passport, Visa Ref Number and payment details to the Embassy and they return passport with the visa fairly quick. The visa fee depends on your nationality.

I would highly recommend Shiraz based Pars Tourist Agency and specifically Marjan Owji in their Visa Department. She can help you in literally everything on your trip to Iran and she does that not from a customer-friendly-business perspective, its Persian hospitality at its best. She took only three working days to get back to me and the Embassy took another three days. The visa process was fairly straightforward. Everyone, except citizens of Israel can get an Iranian visa. The citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey can stay for up to 3 months without a visa.  The maximum duration of tourist visa is 30 days while for the visa-on-arrival its 15 days. Once in Iran, extension is possible fairly easy.

Visa fee for every country is available here and here. We had to pay something around £20 on a Pakistani passport and £120 on a British passport. More information can be obtained by calling the local Iranian Embassy or browsing the MFA Iran website.

As a notable exception, the 90sq-km beach resort of Kish Island, south of Iran, easily accessible from Dubai, does not require advance visas for visits of up to 14 days, including Americans. This is Iran’s response to the Emirates and the state is promoting trade (by making it free-trade-zone) and tourism on the island. The island has facilities for scuba diving, jet-skiing, sailing, fishing, parasailing, reef walking, coral viewing, boating and water-skiing and offers gorgeous white sandy beaches for relaxing walks and plenty of huge malls if you fancy a retail therapy.

Air-lines

Most of the major carriers have flights to Iran but the favourite for travelling to Iran are Iran’s national carrier Iran Air, Azerbaijan airlines with stopover in Baku, Aeroflot (Russian airlines) with stopover in Moscow, Air France and other Middle East based carriers.  Other low-cost international carriers include Pegasus airlines (Istanbul-Tehran), Air Asia (Far East-Tehran), Air Arabia and Jazeera Airways both connecting through the middle East.

Launched in the mid of 20^th century, Iran Air started with domestic flights between Tehran and Mashhad. By 1970s, Iran Air was ranked amongst the safest airlines in the world (second only to Qantas; being accident free for decades). However, things changed suddenly after the revolution. Because of the US imposed sanctions, the airline could not buy new planes and even had to cancel deals setup earlier. The sanctions meant the airline had to rely on older planes, risking the security of the passengers and the staff onboard. At present, majority of the fleet is decades old with average age nearing 25 years. The Fajr Aviation and Composites Industry in Tehran is responsible for overhauling existing fleet and designing new airplanes. Recently, there have been conflicts over refuelling Iran Air planes as well when UK CAA and the Abu Dhabi Airports Company refused to refuel Iran Air planes. The EU has also recently banned Iran Air’s fleet of Boeing and Airbus because of safety concerns.

I choose to fly with Aeroflot – cheaper, good connections and short stopovers. The flight originated from London Heathrow, serving nicely done Salmon and landing three hours later in Tehran’s primary IKA airport (30KM from city). The two-hour stopover at Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport was an interesting experience – this was by far the best airport I have seen so far. It’s so huge it could take hours walking from one terminal to the other with duty free shops spread everywhere and the airport giving a fine, shiny, glossy clean look and feel. Plenty of Iranians on the airport – some praying, some gossiping or buying stuff; looks like this the favorite route from EU to get back home for them. It took another three hours for the flight from Moscow to Tehran with an amazing Omelet served for breakfast as we approached Iran.

Note that if not staying in Tehran and planning to get to any city other than Tehran upon your arrival, you would have to change airports, from Imam Khomeini to Mehrabad, 40 km away, to get to your domestic flight.

Accommodation in Iran

Courtyard of a traditional hotel in Iran

You do not necessarily need travel agents to book accommodation for you, although that’s the easiest way. Popular travel/hotel-booking websites like booking.com, venere.com, laterooms.com do not support Iranian hotels; again because of the economic sanctions. However, there are lots of websites voluntarily setup by Iranians who like to see more people visiting their country and these provide lots of information on hotels, pictures, locations, costs etc. You can use these websites, in addition to travel agent websites to choose hotels and then book by directly calling/emailing the hotel, many of which have their own websites as well.

There is no presence of international-chain-hotels like Marriot or Holiday Inn in Iran – if you have read this far, you should know why. The hotels in Iran come in three varieties:

(i)                  Cheap bed-n-breakfasts with private or shared accommodation – These can be found in pretty much every city and are  generally located in city centre with good transport links. Tehran is scattered with hundreds of them.

(ii)                Traditional hotels – These are Iranian version of premium-posh hotels. They are generally converted Inns, older mansions/houses, travellers and traders resting spots – called Sofrekhane Sonati in Farsi. Ponds, trees and fountains in the central lawn, tinted glass windows and beautifully lit at night, these are your best bet to experience Iranian culture.

(iii)               Mid-range to top-notch modern hotels – Larger urban capitals and tourist destinations like Kish Islands have a few modern hotels to compete with multi-star international hotels. Generally, they are not located in city centre and price range vary on a large scale, so one needs to be cautious to check prices from several sources.

Travelling between cities

Transportation between cities in Iran is comfortable, safe, timely, reliable, well managed and cheap as chips. Cities and towns are connected through buses, rail network and domestic flights while port-cities and towns both in North and South also enjoy ferry connections. Depending on the distance, time available to travel and cost considerations, one can make use of flights, trains, buses or even hire comparatively cheaper private taxis.

Buses: Iran enjoys a pretty extensive and competitive bus network from most of its major cities. Major cities have bus terminals a few miles outside the city, planned on the model of airports with separate terminals and connected to city through local transport links. Buses can take you from anywhere to anywhere in Iran – pretty much anytime of the day (or night), normally without long stop-overs and running on time. Police checkpoints on the highways ensure safety. Tickets can be booked either in advance by calling the bus station or on-spot if you reach sometime before expected time of bus departure.

Iran Buses

The buses generally come in two classes: lux/Mercedes/2nd class and super/Volvo/1st class. First class buses are air-conditioned and you will be provided with a small snack during your trip, while second class services are more frequent. There is little financial incentive to opt for the second class tickets.  Among the many bus operators, Royal Safar Iranian is the best, in terms of comfort and reliability, with a fleet of modern comfortable buses. They also run sleeper buses between major cities with reclining chairs, serving Iranian meals and sweets and movies on play – e.g. Shiraz to Isfahan all for $11; while regular buses cost $6. Apparently, you can book tickets online at http://www.royall.ir/ , if you can read their Farsi website or by calling the available phone numbers. Other bus operators are named Seir-o-Safar and Taavoni. Saipa Diesel, Iran’s leading manufacturer of trucks, trailer and mini-buses provides many of the buses you see on roads in Iran. The company also imported several hundred larger buses from China to serve on longer routes.

Trains: The train network is limited but comfortable, speedy and affordable. It has been expanding at 500KM every year for few years and major cities have been connected through contracts with Chinese companies. The under construction Chabahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railway line extending from northeast to southeast will enable Pakistan pilgrims to travel by train to Mashhad instead of the long bus journey from the border. Other international links include trains to Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is possible to travel from London to Tehran, by train!

Tehran Railway Station

The passenger rail system is called Raja Passenger Trains. The Sleeper berths in trains allow good night’s sleep specially on longer journeys like Tehran-Mashhad; will cost almost double the bus ticket but are worth it on longer journeys. The best of the trains are called 4 pax Ghazal or Plur train. The added benefit of travelling by train in Iran, like anywhere else, is that you get to see a lot of places on the way, sample food, see tourists and unlike many places, get a chance to meet, talk with and befriend locals. This is your best option to make a few good friends in Iran.

For Train timings, ticket prices and booking information, Google is your friend. If nothing helps, travel agencies can do it for you.

Domestic Flights: A leading oil producer can of course afford to have cheap domestic flights, sometimes dramatically cheap in comparison to international market. Planes are aging, and maintenance and safety procedures are sometimes well below western standards, but it still remains the safest way to get around Iran, given the huge death toll on the roads and longer distances between cities. The average price is in the range of $50 – $80.

Iran Air

Iran’s major domestic carriers Mahan Air, Iran Air, Kish Air and Aseman Air, all have websites and online booking system but you cannot make use of online ticket booking unless you have an Iranian bank account or a debit/credit card. The reason obviously is economic sanctions imposed on Iran means no international banking relationship with Iranian companies. The best way to book domestic flight tickets in Iran before landing in Iran is (i) find local office of above stated Iranian airlines in your city/country and they can do it for you or (ii) use an Iranian travel agent to book tickets for you, they will give you eticket and you pay them into their bank account normally setup somewhere in the EU.

Off Days in Iran

Thursday is generally half-day and Friday is the weekend break. Saturday and Sunday are normal working days. The biggest and most celebrated of all events in Iran is Nowrooz – the start of new year on Persian calendar which is marked with a week off. Other holidays are linked to the revolution and religious days (Muharram/Ramzan) as well as Eid festival.

Comparison Charts

Based on all the information I gathered from websites, Lonely Planet and talking to travel agents, I composed a comparative chart with compares price offers by four different travel agencies for hotel accomodation and travelling between cities (cab/train/flight). This helped me figure out which agency works best for me. The chart can be downloaded in image format here and more detailed Excel format here.

In the next posts, we’ll explore Iran from inside…. with pictures, videos and lots of interesting stories and interpersonal observations.

Some of the travel Agencies I spoke to….

• Setareh, Lotus Travel Agency
• Iran Paradise
• Tehran based Dornagasht
• Marjan Owji, Shiraz based Pars Tourist Agency
• Sara, Iran Tour Package/Lovely Iran
•  Zohreh Souki, Tehran based Sarvineh Tours, Welcome2Iran

Some of the websites I used for hotel search…

• http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels-g293998-Iran-Hotels.html#T_CAT_HOTEL_MOTEL
• http://www.audleytravel.com/Destinations/North-Africa-and-The-Middle-East/Iran/Accommodation.aspx
• http://www.persiatravelmart.com/
• http://www.asemangasht.com/?blog=22
• http://www.iranbudgettour.com/iran-hotels
• http://www.irantour.org/hotel.html
• http://www.southtravels.com/middleeast/iran/index.html
• http://www.hoteltravel.com/iran
• http://www.bestirantravel.com/hotel/hotels.html
• http://www.irpedia.com/iran-hotels/

Great cricket! Pakistan’s that is. Some of Pakistan’s media described Pakistan’s crushing win over England in the second Test in Dubai as a miracle. To a non-cricketer like me, it didn’t look like a miracle. It looked like a very professional demolition job by some fine spin bowlers.

Of course I would have liked England to win. But on that performance Pakistan deserved the series. Pakistan suprising itself, finding self-confidence, staying focused, bounciing back to beat the best, working as a team, standing on their own two feet – is there a political metaphor in here somewhere?  At any rate the cricket has been great. A great reminder of the ties of history and culture that link the UK and Pakistan.

By Sebastian Abbot for The Associated Press

For decades, archenemies Pakistan and India have engaged in a dangerous nuclear arms race. Now they’re also competing in a more cheerful forum. The outcome will be mouthwatering curries and soothing Sufi ballads, not violent conflict.

The fractious neighbors are going head-to-head in a pair of reality TV shows that pit chefs and musicians against each other. Producers hope the contests will help bridge the gulf between two nations that were born from the same womb and have been at each other’s throats ever since.

But so far it hasn’t completely worked out that way. The top Pakistani chef on the cooking show, which is called Foodistan, quit the contest early. He accused the judges of bias toward India and is threatening to sue. The producers denied the allegations.

Pakistan and India were founded in 1947 following the breakup of the British empire. They have fought three major wars, two of them over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

The TV shows do not try to hide or brush over this painful history. They make light of it.

“Now the world’s greatest rivalry is going to get spicier,” said co-host Ira Dubey during one of the early episodes of Foodistan, which first aired in India on Jan. 23 and will be shown in Pakistan starting in mid-February.

Her counterpart, Aly Khan, said the aim of the two teams “would be to grind the opposition into chutney, to make them eat humble pie, to dice them, slice them and fry them on their way to culinary glory.”

Eight chefs from each country were scheduled for individual and team competitions over 26 one-hour episodes, with the winner authoring the first Foodistan cookbook and receiving a trip to three cities of his or her choice anywhere in the world.

There is significant overlap in the cuisines of both countries, as there is in language, music and culture. Pakistanis and Indians both love curry, kebab and biryani – a spiced rice dish. But they often use different ingredients, and dishes can also vary from one region to another within the same country.

Pakistani dishes often include beef, which is not eaten by many people in majority Hindu India for religious reasons. India has more vegetarian dishes, and the food is often cooked with ingredients like coconut milk that are rarely found in Pakistan.

Many Pakistanis and Indians have missed out on enjoying the varied tastes of the other country because mutual enmity has made cross-border travel difficult.

“Even though they are neighbors, Indians don’t know what Pakistani food is like and vice versa,” said Mirza Fahad, a production assistant at India’s NDTV, which developed Foodistan. “It was long overdue to get to know each other’s foods.”

During the first cook-off on the show, filmed in New Delhi, the judges gave four chefs from each side two hours to prepare a biryani, curry, kebab and dessert. Each of the three judges gave the team’s meal a score out of 10.

The judges loved the Iranian-inspired fish biryani cooked by the Pakistanis, their chicken kebab stuffed with figs, olives, bread and mango chutney, and their shahi tukda – a dessert of fried bread soaked in hot milk with spices. They scored 21 out of a possible 30, losing points because a dish of chicken in shalimar curry was a tad chewy.

The Indians ended up winning the first contest by one point with a menu that included chicken tikka with truffle cream, cheese kofta in a tomato and water chestnut curry, lamb biryani and phirni – a sweet rice pudding that they topped with strawberry granita.

The captain of the Pakistani team, Mohammed Naeem, executive chef at the Park Plaza Hotel in Lahore, alleged the judges didn’t have enough knowledge of Pakistani food and were destined from the beginning to pick an Indian to win.

The judges included a British chef, an Indian food critic and a Bollywood actress of Pakistani and French descent.

Another member of the team, Akhtar Rehman, a chef at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, said concerns about the judges were fairly widespread on the Pakistani side, but Naeem was the only one to quit.

It remains to be seen whether the music competition – Sur Kshetra, or Musical Battlefield – also will spark ill will.

The contest, which is being filmed in Dubai, is scheduled to air in Pakistan and India starting in mid-February, said Mohammed Zeeshan Khan, a general manager at Pakistan’s Geo TV, which is developing the show.

“Music can unite people across borders and bring them closer together,” said Khan.

The competition will include teams of six musicians from each country between the ages of 18 and 27. The teams will be mentored by two well-known pop singers and actors, Pakistani Atif Aslam and Indian Himesh Reshammiya. They will compete across a range of genres, including jazz, pop, rock and qawwali – traditional Sufi Muslim ballads that are popular in both countries, said Khan.

The grand prize is still being worked out, but Khan said the winner can claim to be “the new musical icon for the subcontinent.”

Filed under: Desi, India, Pakistan, Pakistanis, Peace, SAARC Tagged: Atif Aslam, Biryani, Foodistan, Himesh Reshammiya, India, Kashmir, Lahore, Pakistan, Sufi, Sufi Ballads, Sufism

By The Sydney Morning Hearld

Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman took a career best 6-25 to help Pakistan humble England by 72 runs in the second Test in Abu Dhabi, to giving Pakistan unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The 31-year-old twice took two wickets in successive overs to dent England’s chase after Andrew Strauss’s side was set a 145-run target on a weary fourth-day Abu Dhabi Stadium pitch.

England was all out for 72 – its lowest total against Pakistan in all Tests.
Rehman’s effort overshadowed Monty Panesar’s 6-62, in his first Test for England in 30 months, which finished Pakistan’s second innings at 214 in the morning.

This is England’s first series defeat after being unbeaten in its previous nine since a loss to the West Indies in early 2009 – a sequence which saw it rise to world No.1 in the Test rankings in August.
Pakistan won the first Test in Dubai by 10 wickets. The third Test will also be played in Dubai, from Friday.

Skipper Misbah-ul Haq said Pakistan wanted to make a match out of it after setting a tricky target.
“We knew that it would be difficult so we wanted to make a match out of it,” said Misbah, who has now won eight Tests with one defeat since taking over the captaincy in October 2010.

“Our bowlers, led by Rehman, responded well and this is a great win.” Strauss showed his disappointment at England’s woeful effort.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” said Strauss, whose side last lost two Tests in a row against South Africa in July 2008. “We must acknowledge how well Pakistan bowled and they thoroughly deserved the series win.”

Rehman was ably assisted by off-spinners Saeed Ajmal (3-22) and Mohammad Hafeez (1-11) in a match in which spinners dominated from the first day.
England lost its top four batsmen in the space of just 37 balls after an extra cautious start on a difficult pitch. Strauss top scored with 32 before he became one of Rehman’s victims during his maiden five-wicket haul.

In the penultimate over before tea, Rehman trapped Kevin Pietersen (one) and two balls later bowled Eoin Morgan (duck) to raise hopes of an unlikely win for Pakistan.

Sensing it could only upset its rival through early wickets, Pakistan opened the bowling with Hafeez, who responded well by catching Alastair Cook (seven) off his own bowling after England had edged cautiously to 21 by the 15th over.
Ian Bell, promoted to No.3 after Jonathan Trott was unwell, was all at sea against master spinner Ajmal and his tentative push went through his legs to hit the stumps. He made only three.

Pietersen, who has been woefully out of form with just 16 runs in the series, managed one before Rehman trapped him and in the same over had the equally out-of-form Morgan bowled to dent England’s hopes of a victory. Rehman then accounted for Trott (one) and Stuart Broad (duck) in the same over to leave England 7-68.

Ajmal dismissed Graeme Swann (duck) and Matt Prior (18) to reach 100 Test wickets in his 19th match, before James Anderson was caught off Rehman to give Pakistan a sensational win.

Earlier, Pakistan lost its last six wickets for 89 runs after resuming at 4-125, with all hopes pinned on Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq. Panesar took three of those wickets to finish with his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests. Azhar Ali (68) and Asad Shafiq (43) added 88 for the fifth wicket before Panesar struck.

Filed under: cricket, England, Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Tagged: Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh, cricket, Dubai, England, England Cricket, Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan Cricket, Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe

image credit: thedailygreen.com

Originally written for: http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/off-the-cuff-snowflakes-were-falling-1.970589

A hot mug of frothy latte warms my cold hands as I sit staring into its foamy cream, tempted by its aroma and comforted by its aesthetically pleasing presence. I am sitting cosy and snug on the couch on a chilly evening with soft lights and a good book to keep me company. I sigh contentedly. Thank God for winters!

I’ve always loved winters. From the surprisingly cold winters of Karachi, to the (usually) comfortable chill of Dubai to the biting frost of New York, winters for me are strangely tranquil and relaxing. New York, in fact, was the place where I first experienced a snowfall. It felt dreamlike when it began snowing in the dead of the night and as I saw the pretty sight of snowflakes descending from the sky, I couldn’t help but remember the inimitable Robert Louis Stevenson who once wrote: “It was late in November 1456. The snow fell over Paris with rigorous, relentless persistence; sometimes the wind made a sally and scattered it in flying vortices; sometimes there was a lull, and flake after flake descended out of the black night air, silent, circuitous, interminable. To poor people, looking up under moist eyebrows, it seemed a wonder where it all came from.”

When I woke in the morning, the world around me had turned a sparkling white colour and there was a soft blanket covering every withered tree and rooftop, just like I had seen in the movies. Everyone chuckled at my childlike wonder when I picked a handful of snow to eat it. It was light and refreshing just as I had imagined. After the snowfall I enjoyed taking long walks across the slush and snow, dressed to the nines in an overcoat and scarf, marvelling at how quickly the grime of the world had contaminated the white purity.

And in places where there is no snow, long walks as you trudge along in your woollies crunching over gravel can be a beautiful experience. Early in the morning when the sun is yet to shine bright, you notice the colour of the sky, the grass, and how perfect each blade moistened with the early morning dew looks. You listen to the morning birds, incessantly calling out to anyone who cares to pay heed.

Warm soup

I do detest the fact that the texture of my skin resembles that of a cardboard during winters unless I conscientiously slather moisturisers over it — or that my hair frizzes into an uncontrollable mess and emits static electricity when I brush it. However the arrival of this season also brings back some treasured memories. I remember supping on mum’s soothing chicken broth and her signature garlic bread in the evening as we huddled around the table, warming our hands and our hearts with soup, love and laughter. Soon after that night would fall and we would turn on the tap to find very cold water to wash up with. It was only after a few (long) minutes that the geyser’s heating would kick in and we would sigh with relief when tap water was hot enough.

And then as we cuddled into our duvets for the night, I would sometimes sneak a book and read in the still night under the lamp light — without the constant humming of the fan or the air-conditioner and relish how simple the pleasure of complete silence was. If I was found out by the elders I would be told off and the light would be promptly switched off. Otherwise, I’d wake up in the morning groggy and with circles under my eyes, secretly delighted with how the book ended.

The recent cold spell in Dubai, to me, has been a welcome surprise. The downside of course appears to be the fact that everyone seems to be catching a cold. Whilst I have to make sure runny noses and little cold feet are taken care of, and cardigans are taken to school, the frigid weather stirs up some pleasant recollections.