Studied India’s Success, Tried to Execute Plans: Javed Aaqib

Senior Pakistan selector and head of the National Cricket Academy, Aaqib Javed has revealed that he has been following India’s success story and has tried to implement it for the betterment of the sport in his country.

India has been performing consistently in white-ball cricket with the team winning the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year and the Asia Cup in September, defeating Pakistan in the final.

“I have looked at India’s success and have to tried execute plans for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. Any cricket nation’s success is based on the quality of its talent,” Aaqib, a former pace bowler, said on a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast.

He recalled that in 2006 when India toured Pakistan, a senior official of the visiting side had requested a visit to the LCCA ground in Lahore, which was considered a top academy and facility in the region. “I think we fell away (behind) in doing the basic things correctly in our cricket system. No matter who you appoint as captain, coach or selector, unless you don’t have the quality in talent nothing changes.

And quality of talent can be assured by increasing the bench strength and competition, and this is only possible with proper infrastructure and system,” he said. Aaqib, who was until recently also the interim head coach of the Pakistan team, expressed confidence that Pakistan cricket was now moving in the right direction.

Asked about the T20 World Cup early next year in India and Sri Lanka and the upcoming international matches, he said this is the best time for Pakistan to make a impact in the global showpiece. “Indications are all there, we have good players, they have combined well and importantly there is choice of players now.”

He said the biggest advantage for Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup was that they would play all their games in Sri Lanka. “If the World Cup had been in say Australia or South Africa, I would have thought differently. But (this) is the best time for the team to do well.” He also expressed satisfaction with the talent coming through in the Pakistan Shaheens squad and from domestic cricket, and claimed that 3-4 players were ready to step into international cricket.

“Nowadays, talent is also about mental strength because players are constantly under scrutiny; they can’t move around freely, their every move is scrutinised...So you have to gauge how mentally tough a player is.” Aaqib added that after serving as a player, captain, coach and selector, he does not get unnerved by criticism. “The criticism is an aftershock; it only comes after a poor performance. So, why should I mind the criticism.

I have no problems with that because that is how you have accountability in a system. “Yes, at times the criticism is personal and they are those who will only want to criticise everything. But we have to remember when a team does well, everyone is happy and backs you. So why can’t we accept criticism when we do badly. The only way you can avoid being criticised is to do well.”