DALMIYA

World Cup fraud allegation against me is bunkum, bogus. I am honest: Dalmiya Jagmohan
(EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW)

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: Having spent all his life under the spotlight as a op cricket administraor, it is natural for Jagmohan Dalmiya to hate dim lights. Perhaps, that is why he called the room boy and asked him to add more bulbs to the plush Suite No. 2510 of The Lalit Inter-Continental Hotel before we sarted talking. "There is so less lighting here," he said even as he called the room service. "This is the first time I am staying here," he informed me. Dalmiya usually stays at the Taj Palace or the Oberoi hotel. I was meeting Dalmiya for the first time after he was re-elected president of the Cricket Association of Bengal recently.

Dalmiya became the first Asian to head the International Cricket Council in 1997 and has held almost all top posts in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before and after the three-year ICC tenure. The 68-year-old business tycoon from Kolkata was recently in the news again as much for being re-elected as president of the CAB as for being charged for misappropriation of Rs. 47.38 crores from the 1996 World Cup accounts that he operated in his native city. He says he chose to fight for the CAB presidentship a second time for “three-four” reasons, including cricketing ones. He admitted that he sought the CAB post so that he could get a platform to fight his case and wipe out the “black spots” from his own self and his family members.

In early 1990s, Dalmiya, along with his former friend and ex-BCCI president I.S. Bindra, had given a new direction to the BCCI by aggressively selling the television rights of international matches at home. One of the fallout of the historic deal was, say experts, was the parting of ways between the two stalwarts due to as-yet unexplained reasons. But the trend they started has paid rich dividends and today, mainly because of the sale of television rights, the BCCI is worth Rs. 17,147,155,393 (as on March 31, 2008). As BCCI president, Dalmiya started the unique monthly pension for retired Test players and umpires. He also initiated a move to financially help other sports federations, but the scheme for some reason did not take off. His successor Sharad Pawar, however, implemented the scheme in association with the Sports Ministry.

Dalmiya spoke candidly on these and other issues during this exclusive interview here in New Delhi. Excerpts:

Was the aim to get rid of the 1996 World Cup monetary allegations the only reason why you chose to contest for the CAB chairmanship?

That was one of the main reasons. Another reason was that for the first time in 80 years’ history of the Ranji Trophy, the Bengal team was relegated [to the second division]. We are very sentimental about Bengal’s pride and, therefore, I had three-four agenda points. But the most important agenda was to bring back the team into the Elite Group and the second one was the expiry of the lease of the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. It had not been renewed for 16-17 months. Without that anybody [read BCCI] who wanted to bypass us [while allotting international matches] could have simply said that ‘you don’t possess the ground’, either through lease or by ownership. Various CAB members told me about these points and wanted me to look into these issues.

I have had a long innings and have occupied each and every position worth the mention. Therefore, I had no further ambition left that I should get any other position. But when I was finishing [my previous term as CAB president], some of my opponents at the national level [the Pawar group], I don’t know for what reason, tried to play a little dirty. So, either you choose to go out with black spots or come forward and fight it out and prove your innocence. And I chose that ‘why should I take the blame and why my children should have black spots’. I have worked so honestly and, therefore, I must go and fight it out. That is the only way to prove the truth, otherwise it’s one statement against the other. And, by the grace of God, I won all my cases, though on paper they are trying to talk about a few crores and millions and billions, which is all bunkum and bogus. I am not worried. Everybody knows the people who have got it done. This is one of their tricks. I had to fight it out and that is what I have proved.


But the case is still going on and it seems it’s again going to be a long innings in the courts.

In the courts, there is nothing left. In Supreme Court, I have filed a case, not them. That case is there because my lawyers say that the documents produced [by the Pawar group] were not genuine. To prove that too one has to go to the court. The court went to the extent to say that this case would be fought in the Calcutta High Court and asked it to file complaints against the five-six respondents [including Pawar and other BCCI officials, both present and former]. Later, I was told that the case had become one between the Calcutta High Court registrar versus the accused [Pawar and co.]. On the other hand, I have said as a further proof, that not only I won the cases, but there was no fair play.


You mean no fair play in the courts?

[He nods in agreement].


So you wanted to come inside the ‘boundary line’ to fight this case because from outside the CAB or the BCCI it was difficult for you to defend.

I don’t want any position or post or anything. But I have to be there as president of my association and I am trying to prove in these cases that allegations against me were all wrong. So, in those kinds of committee meetings, one has to attend on behalf of the association; individuals are not allowed.


You have been confident that there was no hanky panky in the 1996 World Cup accounts [operated by Dalmiya as convenor of the tournament]. How confident are you of finally winning the case? Are you sure you are on a firm wicket?

Of course. Nothing succeeds like success and truth always speaks for itself. Here, it is not just a question of proving oneself. I won in the Bombay High Court, then in the Supreme Court – not this time but the earlier one -- then I won in the Calcutta High Court and the Appeals Court … what does all that mean? Judiciary is the final authority. And now this case, which I filed under IPC Section 340, is going on in the Supreme Court.


As BCCI president you once initiated a move to help other sports federations. Did you have a hearty laugh when the present BCCI dispensation actually implemented this scheme by earmarking Rs.50 crores for the purpose?

There’s nothing to laugh about it. Somebody might have delayed it and ultimately better sense has prevailed. So it’s a point of pleasure and happiness that, all right, they have done it. The pension scheme, for instance, has not happened anywhere in the world. Only in 2000, for the first time in the post World War-II when the Olympic Games were organised, did Greece announce that only one athlete who will come first will get the pension.

So, it’s not a question that I started it. After all, the associations are a collective body and whatever decisions, good or bad, are taken collectively. I am not asking for any special appreciation for this. But it is a fact that this has happened – that is what I am happy about. At that time, this kind of money was not there. Now the amount has been increased and wives have also been included in the scheme [pension is now called monthly gratis].

Like this, there were various things that were done and they have been followed by the present set-up. For instance, I started TRDW [Talent Resource Development Wing], but when I left the BCCI presidentship, it was scrapped. Some people might have felt that it was a useless thing, but I still feel that TRDW was the right thing and through which much could have been achieved and we achieved many things. The [team’s] reserve bench is heavy is because of TRDW. In Bengal, I have started TRDW after being re-elected president because I feel about it.


What exactly happened when you met the representatives of other sports federations? Was the plan actually like this or different from it?

The plan was that the other federations should look into it, that some kind of a help should be given. At that time there were two particular agenda: one was globalisation of cricket, which till today has taken a back seat. Today also, the need of the hour is globalisation.

This [huge amounts of] money which is coming in is a myth … people are saying that I am bringing in the money, you are getting the money, he is getting in the money. It is not so. Money comes according to the market. If the market goes down, money will not come. The proof is that recession has already set in and everybody is getting the brunt of it.

When I took over the ICC presidentship in 1997 only £16,000 were in its coffers and when I left it had $30 million. What globalisation of cricket could I do with £16,000? So we had to raise the money; we had to fight. Some people felt what for the money was being raised and that it would be a wastage, but it was not so. You cannot produce Test players and Test-playing countries overnight; it takes time. Otherwise, India would not have been placed below 140th rank in world football. You have to continue with your efforts to build weaker teams.

Similarly, at this juncture, whatever the money is coming to the BCCI, I strongly feel that a bigger share should have been spent on globalisation of the game. But people feel that probably that is not so much needed.

VIRENDER SEHWAG

Witty, humorous Sehwag regales media

Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi, Oct 31, 2008: When Virender Sehwag speaks, everyone listens. His press conferences comprise amusing answers and witty one-liners, and are a treat as was evident here at the Ferozshah Kotla on Friday (Oct 31, 2008). His answers are usually blunt but brutally honest and many of them had the media in splits and brought some freshness inside the non-air conditioned, suffocating press conference hall. Even his snubs are laced with unique humour, compelling people to burst into laugher.

Even when Sehwag, who was the most successful bowler with 22-4-66-3 on the third day of the third Test against Australia here todasy, does not have answers to awkward questions or wants to avoid straight replies, he has a knack of deftly steering clear. Usually, most of his answers are as straightforward as his “uncluttered mind” (as Greg Chappell once termed him) and simple but effective batting style.

When someone asked him when would India be able to bowl out Australia on Saturday, Sehwag said: “I will tell you tomorrow.” And people laughed. Next question: “Do you think India will be able to enforce the follow-on?” Pat came the answer: “I will tell you this also tomorrow.” This drew even a bigger laughter.

Asked about the status of Anil Kumble’s hand injury, Sehwag innocently said: “How would I know about it? I was on the field throughout the day.” The gathering was in splits now, even though the media knew that he was avoiding a direct answer.

Replying to a question as to which team is at an advantage at the end of day three, Sehwag threw up another gem: “The match is in no one’s favour right now. It can go either way. We will have to see how it goes tomorrow morning."

Like his adeptness at verbal volleys, Sehwag is also in fine form with the bat these days. His last nine Test innings have been 201 not out, 50, 21, 34, 45, 6, 35, 90 and 1 (in the only innings he has batted at Kotla, his home ground). His fans are expecting him to score a century when he bats a second time at the Kotla.

But so far in the match Sehwag, who is also well known for breaking solid partnerships with his effective off spinners, has shone as a bowler. His viciously turning deliveries have accounted for the top three Aussie batsmen. “I am looking forward to taking my first five-wicket haul in Tests tomorrow,” he offered, even without being asked.

PS: And the next day -- 11 days after he turned 30 -- he actually took his maiden five-wicket haul (40-9-104-5).

Greg Chappell: India, Australia in transition at the same time
(EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW)

Qaiser Mohammad Ali

MOHALI, Oct 21, 2008: Cricket throws up interesting co-incidences, and sometimes several of them at the same. While the talk of retirement of senior most players is renting the Indian cricket air, world No. 1 Australia too are about to undergo a period of transition. Fortunately for Australia, they have found a man who has seen two big transition periods to guide the board through this period and rebuild the team of the future.

Greg Chappell, a great batsman and the Indian team’s coach from 2005 to 2007, Rodney Marsh and Dennis Lillee had all quit the international scene together in early 1980s. Their retirement created a big void in national team and there was another crisis when almost all the top players, led by Kim Hughes, undertook a rebel tour of South Africa, also in mid-1980s, and were banned from official cricket as that country at the time was barred by the International Cricket Council due to apartheid. Chappell was a selector during this period and he had helped build an almost new team, led by Allan Border.

Former captain Chappell, having seen these two crisis-ridden periods, has now been appointed the head of Cricket Australia’s (CA) Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (COE). Amongst his responsibilities is the moulding and preparing the replacements for the likes of Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden in the next three years.

“The Australian cricket is going through an interesting stage at the moment. This team is in transition; it’s a very different team now than has been in recent times with a few senior players coming to the end of their careers. So, basically, in the next 18 months to two years this will be a new-look team, with Ponting and Clarke as the senior players and a lot of young players. So, it’s an exciting time to be taking over the COE,” Chappell told me in the lounge of the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium here immediately after Australia’s defeat.

“When I look back to the mid 1980s when I was a selector, we had to go through a similar process of finding the types of players that will have a chance of succeeding at the international cricket. And that will be my role at the COE, to work out with other state coaches and selectors and so on,” he said, minutes after a meeting with captain Ricky Ponting and the coach Tim Nielson.

Chappell, who is in India with the Australian team for the first two Tests of the ongoing series, pointed out that Australia plays a unique brand of cricket and his job at the Brisbane-based academy would be to nurture players who could meet greater demands from the three formats of the game – Test, One-Day International and Twenty20.

“The type of cricket that Australia wants to play needs the type of players that will best suit that structure and game plan. It’s not rocket science. You need good combinations of bowling, you need aggressive batsmen, good fielders, good catching – the modern cricketer is going to face greater demands on his ability and his mental capacities than ever before. Twenty20 is now a big part of the programme. So the cricketer of the future is going to look very different from the cricketer of the past,” said the 60-year-old master batsman who played 87 Tests and 74 ODIs.

Talking about his responsibility, Chappell said: “Well, it is a very important role. The COE academy was brought in for that reason: it was important to have the next generation of players ready to go.”

About his India visit he said that one of the reasons was “to understand a little bit more the requirements of the players here … to see what sort of things head coach Nielson looks for, what he needs to look at the team as it stands at the moment, and discuss with Ponting and the selectors about where do they feel their needs” lay.

“Therefore, what can we do at the COE that will best feed their needs because it’s no good turning out players that are not required. If we need left-arm spinners then we better find left-arm spinners; if we need tall fast bowlers then we better find tall fast bowlers. It’s no good turning out five-foot-ten-inch fast bowlers when they need six-foot-six-inch fast bowlers … so, all of those things,” he said.

Veteran Australian cricket writer Mike Coward, now in India to cover the series, said that quality players are difficult to replace. “Greg, Marsh and Lillee were quality players. You can only replace them with good players,” said Coward, who has covered over 200 Tests and many ODIs. “Chappell will be good in the new (COE) position as he is excellent in one-on-one (coaching).”

NOTE: This was the only interview that Chappell gave during his stay in India in his new role with the Australian team. He left for home after the Mohali Test.

Kumble hopes batsmen too will hit form

Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Mohali, Oct 16, 2008: India captain Anil Kumble is happy that the bowlers put up a good performance in the first Test and he now hopes that the batsmen will emulate their form in the second Test starting here on Friday.

“On Indian wickets, you definitely need a spinner to come into play, if not in the first innings then certainly in the second innings. That's certainly something we will look to cash in on,” Kumble, who is a doubtful starter with a shoulder injury, told reporters here after the an indoor practice session due to morning rain.

“Having said that, to win a match, we need to get big scores from the batters and every bowler has to contribute. I am really happy with the way our bowling unit is shaping up and I am confident that our batters will also come to the party.”

Left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma bowled brilliantly in the drawn first Test in Bangalore, snaring 13 of the 16 wickets that fell.

“There were a lot of positives (from Bangalore). The way we bowled … restricted Australia to 400 on a good pitch. The fast bowlers -- the way Zaheer and Ishant bowled -- and I thought even the spinners controlled the game pretty well in the first innings, although we didn't get wickets. I thought we were in total control, the way the innings progressed,” he said.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting also praised Zaheer’s performance. “He was the stand out with reverse swing. And when it reverses the scoring rate goes down,” he said.

Ponting was not too much worried about the loss of his new ball bowler Stuart Clark, who is suffering from an elbow injury and will be replaced by rookie pacer Peter Siddle. “We are going to be competitive like any team,” he said.

"Peter has shown that he can use the old ball well in matches for Victoria and with Brett Lee good at the art of reverse swing too, we can do well with our pace attack."

Sachin set to make history in Mohali

Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Mohali, Oct 16, 2008: Sachin Tendulkar is set to erase Brian Lara’s record of highest Test career aggregate and also become the first batsman in 131-year Test match history to score 12,000 runs.

Tendulkar, 35, is just 15 short of breaking West Indian Lara's career aggregate of 11,953 runs, scored in 131 Tests. The Indian has played 151 matches and amassed 11,939. Lara played 232 innings and hammered 34 centuries while Tendulkar has batted in 246 innings and has hammered a world-record 39 centuries. The Mumbai maestro is set to play the 50th innings of his 27th Test against Australia.

Tendulkar, the senior most member of the Indian as well as the Australian side, is just two catches short of joining the 100-catch club. He made his Test debut on the 1989 tour of Pakistan and made an immediate impression with his exciting batting. He went on to captain India, though not with much success.

Sourav Ganguly, who will be retiring at the end of the series, will also be eying a personal milestone. The left-hander is just 39 runs short of becoming only the fourth Indian and the 33rd in the world to aggregate 7,000 runs. Interestingly, Ganguly, who is just below Greg Chappell in the all-time Test aggregate tally, could overtake the former Australia captain and former India coach in this series.

Harbhajan Singh, playing at his ground the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, could well become only the third Indian and the 22nd bowler in the world to take 300 wickets. He has played 70 Tests.

Australia pace spearhead Brett Lee would also be eying the 300-wicket mark in this series. He has 291 scalps in 69 Tests and he too is familiar with the PCA Stadium as he turned out for the Punjab Kings XI in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League this year.

Dhoni's shy parents are a big hit in Delhi

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi, Sep 1, 2008: During the three days that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s parents were in city to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award on his son’s behalf they were clearly the most sought after among the other award winners, their families, top bureaucrats and sports administrators, who took turns to meet the shy and reticent couple and pose for photographs with them.

Amazingly, the more they tried to remain low profile, the more people were attracted towards them. Even someone of the stature of former cricket captain Bishan Singh Bedi walked up to the Ranchi couple's table at official sports awards dinner, hosted by the Sports Ministry on Aug 29, and congratulated on their son's winning the award and lauded his exemplary temperament on the field. “You have produced a hira (gem). His feet are still on the ground - that's the best thing about him,” Bedi told Dhoni's mother Devika Devi, with her husband Pan Singh standing next to her.

The quiet and humble couple from Ranchi was the toast at the huge Convention Hall of the five-star Ashoka Hotel as they sat at the round dinner table with only a former Delhi player, who had especially been summoned from Mumbai to be their permanent guide during their stay in Delhi.

Pan Singh told Bedi that they might be meeting for the first time, but he used to listen intently to the radio commentary of matches when the leftarm spinner represented India in 1960s and 1970s.

“I remember when they used to describe… here Bedi bowls an armer… I was always interested in cricket,” he said turning to Bedi and then to me. Bedi simply smiled.

“Have you gone around this jungle?" Bedi asked them, referring to the burgeoning national capital.

Pan Singh, visiting Delhi for only the second time and after over 40 years, and his wife, who was here for the first time, visited age-old Qutub Minar and a few other historical places. “I had seen the Lal Qila earlier,” offered Pan Singh.

Dhoni missed the awards ceremony at the President’s Palace on Aug 29 as he was playing the fifth and final ODI series in Sri Lanka. India won the series.

Talking about Dhoni's marriage, Pan Singh said that the most eligible bachelor of the country was free to marry the girl of his choice. “We will have no objection to his choice of girl. We will never impose our choice because if, God forbid, something goes wrong then we will be responsible,” he said.

The superstitious couple never watches live telecast of Dhoni's matches. “We only watch the highlights, like Mohammed Kaif's father. We think something might happen if we watch matches,” said Pan Singh. But it may not be due to any superstition that Dhoni parks his motorcycles at different places.

Talking about his son’s passion for bikes, he said: “He has eight bikes. Some of them are parked at our house (in Shyamali Colony in Ranchi) and some are at the residence of my daughter, who is married in the city,” said Pan Singh. He said the new home that Dhoni is building would take time to complete.

The Dhonis have their roots in Wali village in the Almora district of Uttrakhand, where Pan Singh's elder brother still lives. “The last time I visited Wali was when he performed janeo (sacred thread) on Dhoni after the tour to Kenya and Zimbabwe in 2004," he said.

JOY and TRADEGY

October 2007: Month of extreme emotional swings for Sehwag

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi, Oct 31, 2007: Virender Sehwag is going through extreme emotions these days -- from becoming the father of a baby boy to losing his father, with the sudden tragedy Tuesday (Oct 30) making him miss the limited over warm-up match against Pakistan here on Friday (Nov 2).

Some extremely contrasting and unusual events -- mostly happier ones -- have occurred in Sehwag's life in the last few weeks: being part of the Twenty20 team that won the world title, becoming a proud father, getting a recall to the Indian one-day side and then losing his father on Tuesday.

The death of Krishna has prevented him from leading Delhi against Pakistan, thus missing out on an opportunity to stake his claim for a recall to the national Test team for the series against Shoaib Malik's side.

"According to custom, since I lit my father's pyre I cannot venture out of the house for at least four days. So, I will not play Friday's match," Sehwag told me when I met him last night at his Najafgarh home following his father’s demise.

While receiving visitors, including Yuvraj Singh and other cricketers, in the trophy-laden drawing room, Sehwag now has only the first two one-day internationals to press his claim for a Test recall (he has been out of Test side since January 2007 due to poor form).

The selectors have announced the Indian team only for two ODIs. Three Tests follow the five-match ODI series.

October was a month during which Sehwag experienced extreme emotions -- and a few unusual events.

After being part of the Twenty20 World Championship-winning Indian team in South Africa in September, Sehwag's wife Aarti gave birth to a baby boy Oct 19, a day before Sewhag turned 29.

That day, minutes before the baby was born, an unusual thing happened: Sehwag's father, continuing his annual practice, distributed sweets in Najafgarh village thinking that it was Virender's birthday.

"My son was born minutes past 9 a.m. and my father distributed sweets, as he has been doing for several years, about half an hour earlier thinking it was Oct 20," Sehwag disclosed.

"People who got the sweets assumed that I had become a father and converged at my home. But the sweets were meant to celebrate my birthday," he said, himself not able to explain the reason for his father's momentary memory lapse.

But within minutes people also received the good news of the baby being born at a local hospital and the joy was doubled in the Sehwag household -- and worth the mix-up on his father's part.

Just hours later Sehwag boarded a flight to Mumbai for the Twenty20 match against Australia. (I met him in the lobby of the Taj Mahal hotel and went up to his room where he showed me the photo of his newly born son, Aryavir, on his mobile). Although he did not exactly set alight the Brabourne Stadium, six days later he had another reason to distribute sweets.

Oct 26, Sehwag was recalled to the ODI squad for the first two ODIs against Pakistan, partly due to his outstanding record against the neighbours, and also looks to be on his way to being reinducted into the Test side.

The happy tidings were not over yet, as he captained the India Blues team to the Challenger Trophy, a tournament that pits the best available talent in the country against each other - a trial for those vying for selection to the national team. His 75 against India Greens in Ahmedabad was enough for the selectors to pick him.

Oct 30 would have been another red-letter day for the Sehwag diary when he was scheduled to meet the three most powerful people in the country -- President of India Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party president Sonia Gandhi.

However, Sehwag had returned from Ahmedabad Monday with a throat infection and mild fever. So he informed coach Lalchand Rajput that he would be missing the felicitation functions organised for the triumphant Twenty20 side.

He took some medicine and slept well into the day even as his father again complained of low blood sugar and a doctor was summoned. When Sehwag finally woke up at 11 a.m. he went to his father's room where he saw blue marks on his hands.

"I was more or less sure that he was no more. A doctor was immediately called, who advised us to take him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Life is such...," mulled Sehwag, elder brother of Vinod and two sisters, both married.

His father's death seems to have put a stop to Sehwag's happy tidings. But he will soon resume his cricket journey - perhaps having another reason to excel with the bat that made his late father so proud.

FOOD FETISH

Tendulkar’s secret love for non-veg ‘haleem’ is out
(EXCLUSIVE)

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Colombo, Aug 22, 2006: Another love of Sachin Tendulkar was revealed during his stay in Colombo -- ‘haleem’, a mutton delicacy prepared painstakingly with wheat – while Sreesanth savoured ‘chaat’ and Yuvraj Singh enjoyed ‘saag bhutta’.

It was a pleasant surprise for the Taj Samudra sous chef Pawan Singh Rana, a Tendulkar fan, when he came to know that his hero also relishes ‘haleem’ besides other non-vegetarian dishes.

“I had prepared ‘haleem’ without knowing that Sachin also likes it. But when I served it to Ajay Jadeja, he asked me to quickly send it to Sachin’s room as he simply loves it,” my friend Rana disclosed as I was having food at the Taj Samudra’s Navratna Indian restaurant.

“I immediately called him up and said I am haleem to your room. Although he was about to leave for dinner outside the hotel, he did taste it and relished it,” said Rana, who belongs to Himachal Pradesh in India.

Mutton, wheat, ghee, kesar and salt is used for preparing Haleem, a popular dish in India and Pakistan.

Former India ODI captain Jadeja, who was as an expert for a television channel, should know all about the eating habits of Tendulkar as they once shared the dressing room and are good friends. Also, some years ago Tendulkar had cooked ‘baigan ka bharta’ at Jadeja’s New Delhi residence.

Other Indian players also enjoyed their food as they either frequented Navratna, an Indian restaurant, in Taj Samudra or simply ordered food in their rooms.

“But whenever Sreesanth came down to the restaurant he always had ‘chaat’. He loves gol-gappas, bhel puri and papri chaat,” said Rana, who is with the hotel for over a year now.

Punjab players Yuvraj, Harbhajan Singh and Dinesh Mongia preferred the food that is popular in their state.

“They always ordered for saag-bhutta, baigan bharta, kachche mirch paneer or dal navratna,” said Rana.

He said that the team as a whole liked the vegetarian thali, which comprised assorted dishes, roti and rice.

“When they did not feel like coming down to the restaurant, they would invariably order thali in their rooms. Vice-captain Virender Sehwag and his wife (Aarti) especially liked thali as they would invariably order it.”

Although captain Rahul Dravid rarely visited Navratna restaurant, he also enjoyed the Indian food.

However, Rana, who had served the Indian team when it visited Colombo for the Indian Oil Cup last year, noted a distinct lack of enthusiasm and cheerfulness in the players.

“This time, they looked a bit different from last year, when they would just barge into the restaurant and say ‘Pawanji, just get us anything quickly, we are hungry’,” he said.

“Whether the bomb blast Aug 14 or not playing matches was the reason, but they looked subdued. The day the bomb blast happened, no one came down to the restaurant and ordered food in their rooms.”

Seven people were killed in the blast less then three kilometres from Taj Samudra. South Africa, the third in the Unitech Cup Triangular Series, pulled out because of security reasons, and India and Sri Lanka agreed to play three one-day internationals.

But persistent rains washed out the first two matches, forcing the two cricket boards to scrap the series.

Sports Journalists Federation of India's (SJFI) 'Best of News Agencies' award winning story, 2006

Multan: Where even masons and mechanics play billiards skilfully

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
(Indo-Asian News Service)

Multan (Pakistan), February 17, 2006: Muhammad Sarfraz works as a mason during the day and then plays billiards on one of the many tables placed on dusty footpaths -- an amazing sight in this town of Sufi saints.

Sarfraz is one of hundreds of peasants and daily wagers who play the elite game of billiards, displaying the same passion with which people play carrom or kabaddi in Indian villages and small towns.

Sarfraz had a further surprise in store when he said that there were "five-six" tables in his small village, about 30 km away where he started playing the game.

"I got hooked to billiards about one and a half years ago after reading about it in my village, Attahrah Puli," Sarfraz, still wearing his work clothes, told me even as he took the aim for his next shot.

Like a majority of the people here, Sarfraz watched the fourth India-Pakistan one-day international here Thursday - and then switched to his favourite sport and passion.

Sadly, most of the 150-odd cue sport clubs here are in a dilapidated state: walls with peeling plaster, and no chairs. Many of them have their tables on the sidewalks of dusty, busy roads.

Muhammad Saleem could be one of the craziest of people that one can possibly come across here. He has two tiny rooms and two cots to sit on in his parlour. Saleem, who makes air coolers in summer, bought two second-hand billiards tables last July after his workers "pestered" him to buy the tables - for Rs. 21,000.

Saleem, who is also a big cricket fan, thus became an "owner" of a club that has no resources or space to keep their tables. He is, however, so enthusiastic about the game that he has occupied the footpath on the main road of the Gujjar Khanda area to make up for lack of space.

"There are many clubs like mine, in Liaquatabad, Qasim Bela, old Shujabad Road and Mazoorabad where people play billiards on the footpath, unmindful of the traffic and other distractions," Saleem, a Yuvraj Singh fan, said, sitting on the cot.

Apart from the daily wagers, motor mechanics and students also visit his club daily. "On an average, 30-40 people come here every day to play."

Surprisingly, despite the craze for the sport, there are no official local championships.

"No tournament is played in Multan and there is no city association either," said Rana Qaiser while playing a game at the elite Multan Cricket Club, barely 100 metres from Saleem's parlour.

"There is no club membership here. Anyone can come and play on any of the three tables between 11 a.m. and 1 a.m.," said Qaiser, who has his roots in Hissar in Haryana, India.

One of the three people Qaiser played with Wednesday night was the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief curator Agha Zahid, who is in Multan for the one-dayer.

Qaiser said that the game in Pakistan got a boost about 15-20 years ago after Red & White sponsored a tournament in Karachi, and later when the Karachi-based Muhammad Yousaf won the World Amateur Snooker Championship in 1993.

But some people got hooked to the sport even without having heard Yousaf's name. Sarfraz is one of such people.

But Saleem and Qaiser said that Yousaf, the first Pakistani to win the world title, is widely credited with spreading the craze for the game of green baize in Pakistan after his historic triumph.

(This story won the 'Best of News Agencies' award of the Sports Journalists Federation of India in 2006.)