Pakistan: Saeed Anwar honoured (30 Sep 1997)

30 September 1997

Saeed Anwar honoured

By Our Sports Reporter

KARACHI, Sept 29: Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar has said that it is rather early to expect the team too much in the aftermath of the Sahara Cup debacle.

The dashing opening stated this while speaking at a function in his honour by Malir Muslim Sports for creating the world record of the highest individual score in One-day Internationals when he made 194 against India in the Independence Cup last May.

Saeed asked the followers of Pakistan cricket to be patient since winning and losing is part of the game. He hoped that Pakistan will wrap up the one-day series against the Indians here at National Stadium tomorrow (Tuesday).

Some of Saeed's teammates, Aaqib Javed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi and Hasan Raza, also graced the occasion as did team coach Haroon Rashid. Discarded Test wicket-keeper Rashid Latif was also a late arrival amidst thunderous applause.

Ex-Test cricketer Salahuddin Ahmed, who is a former national selector, praised the leadership qualities of Saeed Anwar and said that under his helmsmanship Pakistan will come out of the lean patch that began from the Asia Cup tournament in Colombo.

He said that Saeed possesses a fine cricketing brain since it was Saeed's hindsight that enabled Shahid Afridi to smash the world record of scoring the quickest ever one-day century when he was promoted to bat at No 3 against Sri Lanka in Nairobi last October when Saeed was leading the team in Wasim Akram's absence.

Munir Hussain, who is the KCCA vice-president, also paid glowing tribute to Saeed. He said once Allan Border, the former Australian skipper and one of the finest cricketers, observed that Saeed has got the rare ability of hitting the good length deliveries to the fence which he himself (Border) would have struggled to block.

Munir noted that young off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq wouldn't have become the world-class bowler that he is now because one of the selectors had opposed his inclusion in favour of a mediocre bowler like Arshad Khan.

Haroon Rashid, in his brief speech, said that Saeed Anwar is a thorough gentleman and there is no parallel to him as an opening batsman on the current world stage. He endorsed Saeed's view that it will take time for Pakistan team to reclaim their lost standing among the leading sides in world cricket.

Later, the chief guest, Zafar Ahmed Khan, presented a gold medal to the Pakistan captain.

Source:: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)