Jamal crowned the ‘King of Speed’

Port Qasim player inspired by Shoaib Akhtar; pockets Rs1 million.

KARACHI:

The ‘King of Speed’ hunt concluded yesterday with Ahmed Jamal from Abbottabad landing the title as he clocked 143 kmh to beat the other finalists, a performance which the 24-year-old claimed was a result of watching former Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar.

Aspiring bowlers from 10 cities across the country showcased their pace in the event organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in association with Ufone.

The organisers then shortlisted the top four for the final competition with the Abbottabad bowler winning the prize money of Rs1 million that was on offer along with the title. Other contenders were unable to match Jamal’s pace, with Karachi’s Mohammad managing a speed of 136 kmh, while Abdul Ameer and Faisal Yaseen from Faisalabad recorded 135 kmh.

For the first-class player of Port Qasim, the triumph was still far away from his ultimate target. “My only dream is to play for Pakistan,” Jamal told The Express Tribune at the National Stadium in Karachi. “I started playing cricket at the age of 14 and since then all my energy and time has been spent on this sport. I haven’t adopted any profession as I believe cricket is my only job.”

Akhtar my inspiration: Jamal

Pakistan has historically produced many great fast-bowlers, a fact that motivated Jamal to perform his best at the trials.

“We have many legendary pacers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis and each of them can be a source of motivation for young fast-bowlers.

“I grew up watching Akhtar who is my biggest inspiration. I still see his videos that help me generate pace.”

Asked if he aimed at breaking Akhtar’s record of the fastest delivery – 161.3 kmh – that remains unbeaten after a decade, he replied, “I am realistic and my initial target is to cross 155 kmh. The day I achieve that pace, I will focus on breaking Akhtar’s record.

“This 10-day experience is worth a lot more than what I’ve learnt in the last 10 years. Wasim is a legend and an excellent coach. I learned variations, generating pace, swing-bowling and bowling on different conditions.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2013.