‘King of Speed’ Jamal, a forgotten entity for PCB
Fast-bowling competition winner struggles to find basic facilities.
The 24-year-old Jamal, who hails from Abbottabad, won the pace contest by clocking 143kph. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Ahmed Jamal became an overnight star after winning the nationwide ‘King of Speed’ competition supervised by cricket legend Wasim Akram.
But it took just five months for the young fast-bowler – dubbed as Pakistan’s future pace prospect by the legendary Akram himself – to become a forgotten entity for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The 24-year-old Jamal, who hails from Abbottabad, won the pace contest by clocking 143kph and Akram hinted that the fast-bowler had the potential to improve further.
Initially, the PCB gave an encouraging response to the promising fast-bowler by inviting him at the national training camp in May ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.
But since then, Jamal has slipped back into oblivion and is now struggling to find even the most basic cricket facilities.
“I’ve been confined to train at the Abbottabad Stadium that lacks basic facilities,” Jamal told The Express Tribune.
“It rains a lot here and the majority of my time is wasted because we don’t have any indoor training facility.”
The PCB yesterday announced the names for its Emerging Players’ Programme that will start at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Jamal was missing from the list as a board’s official said he is older than the players selected for the program.
However, the fast-bowler expressed his desire to use the NCA’s facilities.
“No PCB official or coach has contacted me after the national camp in Abbottabad,” he said. “I want to train at the NCA and if the PCB won’t help, I am planning to move to Lahore for training on personal expense.”
Emerging Players’ Programme begins Sep 16
The PCB announced a four-week Emerging Players’ Programme starting from September 16 at the NCA.
The PCB’s selection committee included players from the Pakistan U19 and Pakistan U23 teams that recently featured in the Tri-Series (England) and Asia Cricket Council’s Emerging Team’s Cup in Singapore.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2013.
Ahmed Jamal became an overnight star after winning the nationwide ‘King of Speed’ competition supervised by cricket legend Wasim Akram.
But it took just five months for the young fast-bowler – dubbed as Pakistan’s future pace prospect by the legendary Akram himself – to become a forgotten entity for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The 24-year-old Jamal, who hails from Abbottabad, won the pace contest by clocking 143kph and Akram hinted that the fast-bowler had the potential to improve further.
Initially, the PCB gave an encouraging response to the promising fast-bowler by inviting him at the national training camp in May ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.
But since then, Jamal has slipped back into oblivion and is now struggling to find even the most basic cricket facilities.
“I’ve been confined to train at the Abbottabad Stadium that lacks basic facilities,” Jamal told The Express Tribune.
“It rains a lot here and the majority of my time is wasted because we don’t have any indoor training facility.”
The PCB yesterday announced the names for its Emerging Players’ Programme that will start at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Jamal was missing from the list as a board’s official said he is older than the players selected for the program.
However, the fast-bowler expressed his desire to use the NCA’s facilities.
“No PCB official or coach has contacted me after the national camp in Abbottabad,” he said. “I want to train at the NCA and if the PCB won’t help, I am planning to move to Lahore for training on personal expense.”
Emerging Players’ Programme begins Sep 16
The PCB announced a four-week Emerging Players’ Programme starting from September 16 at the NCA.
The PCB’s selection committee included players from the Pakistan U19 and Pakistan U23 teams that recently featured in the Tri-Series (England) and Asia Cricket Council’s Emerging Team’s Cup in Singapore.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2013.