Early Days in cricket

I started playing in Karachi around the early 1990s. I used to live in Steel Town and would travel far and wide to play my cricket. I remember taking the mini buses and especially on the khokrapar route the roads were terrible and as the buses would be crowded, there was always little space so I had to stand all the way. This often resulted in me hitting my head on the ceiling. Eventually I used to travel by lying down on carrier on the roof of the bus. It was dangerous but at least I traveled in more comfort.

I was one of the few who always took his own kit bag as a lot of the boys felt that the clubs should provide the kits. I always wanted to be responsible for myself.

On Malir Gymkhana

It was a club everyone wanted to be part of and so one day I picked up my kit bag and made my way to the ground. I was eventually selected to play for them and I must say that I have always felt at home from day one. Its like a family and the atmosphere is like home. There is almost never any complaint from anyone about changes in the batting order and even today Test cricketers mingle with all youngsters.

I was quite in awe at the quality of cricketers there and it was there that I first saw Rashid Bhai. In the early days. Even though the love of the game was inside me, my inspiration was Rashid Latif, especially after he made that fighting Test Debut on the tour of England in 1992.

Those were also the days when the law and order situation of Karachi was very bad. I remember that on my way to Malir there were instances when I was caught in a crossfire betweem locals and the Rangers. Sometimes when I was on a bus and sometimes when I was on my bike.

How I played my way up to first class cricket

I had grown quite frustrated at not being selected for Karachi. In the U19 tournament I was named in standbys and that made up my mind not to play from here. Some of my friends from my zone came to me and insisted that I appear for my trials but I went back to Mardan where Arshad Khan had always called me.

Although I had hurt my right leg (around 1998) I still played as some of the lads from Peshawar like Akhtar Sarfraz and Wajahatullah Wasti and Fazle Akbar went on tour with the Pakistan side. That provided me a chance and I played in Hyderabad on the third day of Eid, if I remember. I think I got 42 and I also remember we played well though the match was drawn.

I would thereafter get into the 40s but wasn't getting big scores. I remember in a match at Karachi Rashid Bhai came to me and said how long would I be getting good starts and not going on to make a big innings. That was an eye opener for me as I had always looked for his recognition and I felt that I was disappointing him.

Rashiud Bhai now often recalls the thrill he felt when he returned from a match for Malir Gymkhana and heard that I had got a hundred. My hundred eventually saved the match and in fact we almost came close to winning it. The match went beyond the scheduled close of time but we didn't get out. In fact, there were less than 30 runs left if I remember correctly.

On playing for Pakistan

I had always known I would play for Pakistan. It was not if but when. When it seemed I would not get the chance my brother-in-law asked me to give up the game and take up a job with him. I asked him for one last season saying that if I didn't get into the Pakistan side I'd leave cricket for good.

In fact that one of those last games was the one I mentioned where I got a hundred at Karachi. That season I got a lot of runs and was eventually selected for my first one day international for Pakistan.

The problem was no one knew on which number I batted. I was slotted in at No.7 though I normally played at No.5. We lost wickets regularly at the top but when it was my turn to bat they sent in Wasim bhai. When he got out also, I was all padded up and ready to go and was getting restless. Then they sent in Moin Khan and I stood up and said to the skipper: Hey, send me in there and I'll get you the runs.

Everyone was amazed at the fact that someone who was playing his first ODI could be so bold. I eventually got some 40 odd and we came close to winning a game that had been given up by the team. I had felt no pressure at all in that first game.

Younis Khan Interview Part Two