Sometimes a phone call can be the turning point in a professional sportsman's careeer. One such call from PIA medium fast bowler Anwar ali to his friend and former Pakistan academy team mate Umar amin, could be the turning point in Anwar's career
by Saj Sadiq
10 July 2010
Speaking to PakPassion.net ; Ali described his conversation with Shahid Afridi and how it came about that he joined up with the Pakistan squad at Leicester.
"I was at my flat in Lancashire and thought I would give Umar Amin a quick call to see how he was doing. I was really pleased to see him in the Pakistan squad touring England this summer and thought I would speak to him and wish him good luck for the match in Leicester and for the rest of the tour. He picked up the phone and told me he was on the team bus on the way to Leicester and that all the boys sat near him were passing on their regards to me".
As luck would have it, Shahid Afridi was sat near Umar Amin and when Shahid heard that it was Anwar on the phone, the Pakistani skipper took over the phone call.
"Where are you Anwar" asked Afridi. "I'm here in England playing league cricket in the Lancashire league" replied Anwar. "Ok get your playing kit ready and make your way to Leicester straight away" stated Afridi.
Anwar had no hesitation in packing his cricket equipment and arranging for a friend of his to take him to Leicester right away.
"When a good friend and the captain of Pakistan Shahid Afridi asks you to join up with the squad, it doesnt matter how busy you are, or how far away you are. I just quickly got my kit ready and thought it was a fantastic opportunity for me to go and meet the squad and to get a chance to work with Waqar, Ijaz and Aaqib Javed".
"I arrived at Grace Road and met the boys. It was great to meet up with them and see them in such great spirits after the Twenty20 victories in Edgbaston. When the match started, I walked over to the nets with the boys who weren't playing in the match and the coaching staff".
Anwar has previously worked with all three coaches on the current tour and said that it was great to be working with all three of them at the same time.
"Initially I bowled to Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi, with Waqar watching me closely. It was a good opportunity for me to get feedback from Waqar and for him to see how my cricket had developed since the last time he had seen me play. He said he was impressed with what he saw. One observation he made was that whilst my natural delivery is the inswinger, he told me to work on the delivery that goes straight on as well as my outswinger. He looked at my wrist position and gave me a few tips on how to confuse the opposition batsmen. The coaches also watched my batting in the nets over the 2 days I was with the squad and were hapy with what they saw".
"I stopped overnight with the squad in Leicester and the 2 days were an excellent experience and part of my learning curve. I'll continue to work hard and do my best for Colne cricket club in the Lancashire league, in the hope that the selectors perhaps give me a chance in the one day matches later this summer.
