Munaf Patel at peace with the slow life
It's been more than three years since Munaf Patel last played for India. The fast bowler, who was a World Cup winner in 2011, has been on international exile since August that year, but Munaf remains a hero in his village Ikhar. As someone who has seen fa
12-Jan-2015
It's been more than three years since Munaf Patel last played for India. The fast bowler, who was a World Cup winner in 2011, has been on international exile since August that year, but Munaf remains a hero in his village Ikhar. As someone who has seen fame and riches come and go, Munaf is at peace with himself. Sriram Veera of the Indian Express has more.
Meanwhile, his father isn't happy. Every day, at dinner, young Munaf is asked to quit playing cricket and join him at work. And eventually go to Africa. "I would just stay silent; my mother would tell him to let me play." For Ikhar, a village of poor cotton farmers, Africa was the passport out of poverty. Every year, a youngster or two would land up at a friend, relative or acquaintance's house in Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa or Zimbabwe to find work in a factory or a shop. Patel had an uncle in Zambia and so his future seemed set in stone. "You can't blame my father. No one here really knew that cricket had this kind of scope. That I can even earn money from this."