“I was born in Rawalpindi, the second of nine siblings. I have been fond of playing cricket since I was a child. The school I went to had its own cricket ground, and I started playing for my school team when I was in the eighth grade.

I played in school for three straight years; this was in the early 70s. My father was strictly against my cricket, he preferred that I study than play cricket, but I was so passionate about it that I played anyway. There was a tournament at my school during my matriculation exams and my father did not allow me to go to cricket practice and my vice principal told my father if I wasn’t allowed to go to practice there was no need for me to come to school. My father let me go to practice after that.

After that I played as a right-handed batsman in college and joined the State Life team when I was 16 and played in the U-19 category for three years. After that I was selected for the Rawalpindi first class cricket team.

When I joined the State Life team – under a Rs280 per month stipend – my first class career also started, and my office could not spare me for matches so I had to take leave for my matches. I left State Life and joined the State Bank of Pakistan team, where I played for 17 years in grade II cricket.

During this time my father retired from General Headquarters and started a small stationery and sports shop in Banni market. My father went for Haj and I sat at his shop for two months and got some experience and when my father came back, I asked him to start my own sports shop in Banni market. It has been quite successful and I put all my effort into it after I retired from cricket.

I got married while I was playing first class cricket at the age of 23, and now have three sons and two daughters. My two older sons are both first class cricket players and play for Wapda.

Nowadays, talent is good but the gentleman cricketer is very rare. Everyone is playing cricket but not thinking like a cricketer. Every young cricketer looks for shortcuts to fame, but the lack of temperament and practice not only make their career short but also damages the game.”

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2017