“Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in instalments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day’s success.”
Said Israelmore Ayivor, a motivational speaker for youth. This comes apt for Pakistan’s new shining star Saud Shakeel. The left-handed batter has earned a name for himself with consistent hard work, day in, day out. His double hundred in the recent Galle Test was a testimony of his hard work and fast attaining maturity in Pakistan’s red ball cricket. His achievement, a stout 208 not, helped Pakistan win the first Test with complete domination.
It was an accomplishment which great batters like Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan could not achieve in their careers as this was the first double ton by a Pakistani on Sri Lankan land.
So consistent has been Saud’s scoring that he became the first batter in Test cricket’s 146-year history to score seven half-centuries in his first seven Tests! A remarkable unique distinction.
There is a famous adage that ‘good things come in small packages,’ and it best suits greats like Sir Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Hanif Mohammad, et al. Saud, although he still has miles to go to attain a similar height, is also small in size. But he has always been tall on ambitions.
Cricket, like other players, struck him in his childhood. “Cricket was a childhood love, so we all used to play at home and then on the ground in our locality,” recalls Saud. “My Uncle (mother’s brother) was the inspiration behind cricket. He would always push me into cricket and lent the best support.”
Most of the Karachiites either play on the road as there is a serious dearth of playing fields. Saud was lucky to get a proper mentor in Azam Khan who has milked a large number of players in the city. Saud’s baptism to club cricket came as soon as he attained boyhood. “Azam Khan took me under his wings and he helped me get through the zonal cricket, Under-15, Under -16, Under-17, and Under-19. Under Azam Khan I played for Pakistan Cricket Club and to this date, whenever I get a chance I play for the club. Azam bhai showed me the pathway to high-level cricket. Credit goes to him.”
Saud was lucky that players like former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq were also at hand for initial guidance as they both played for the same club. “Sarfaraz is my childhood friend and has been a great support. He was already a star when I started,” said Saud of his association with the former skipper.
“He (Sarfaraz) introduced me to the club and told me the intricacies of batting. He guided me very well. He treated me just like his younger brother. Asad Shafiq and Anwar Ali supported me. ”
Saud entered the first class arena in 2015 and gradually made his mark. Once he joined Pakistan Television in the first class circuit he made rapid strides under head coach Mohammad Wasim. His tally in the 2017-18 Quaid Trophy was 488 runs in seven matches and then 414 in five matches the following season. Saud reckons joining PTV was the turning point in his career. “I got a big boost after Joining PTV,” he recalled. “Rashid Latif (former Pakistan captain and a great backer of talent) sent me to PTV and Nauman Niaz (former MD PTV and a cricket connoisseur) supported me to the hilt. I made a mark with Mohammad Waseem as coach. He supported me and in fact selected me for Pakistan. I owe a great thanks to him.”
Saud’s best season was 2022-23 as he amassed 754 runs at 68.54 with four centuries for eventual runners-up Sindh. That prompted Sarfaraz, skippering Sindh, to prophesy that Saud will be the next big thing in Pakistan cricket in the next couple of years.
Sarfaraz was spot on
“Even two words of appreciation from Saifi bhai meant a lot to me,” said a thankful Saud. “He always gives me his bat and whenever I have used his bat I have scored runs. In the last season when I scored a hundred it was his bat. Asad bhai gave me his bat. In fact no one refused and were full of support.”
Saud was selected in the Pakistan ODI squad before Tests. He managed just five on debut but scored a half century in the losing cause against England and after three more ODIs — scores of 3, 3 not out and did not bat, was dumped from white ball cricket. He had to wait for nearly a year to enter the Tests — arena where his style of batting is best suited.
Saud has not looked back since
Saud acknowledges the support of batting coach Hanif Malik is attaining maturity in batting. “Whatever degree I have progressed and whatever is the rise in my growth, it is due to batting coach Hanif Malik. He has guided me through the technical aspects of the game. Mohammad Masroor has been supportive as coach.”
Saud’s idol is Kumar Sangakkara. The great Sri Lankan attained astronomical heights in his career and was a great treat to watch when in full flow. The left-handed genius attracts Saud but he follows his own style. “Sangakkara was technically very solid so he always used to attract me,” said Saud whose ambition in cricket is to play for a longer period for Pakistan.
“I want to serve Pakistan for a long time and the main aim is that when I score runs, my team should win.”
Saud is back in the ODI squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan. he has all the talent and qualities to make his place permanent in white ball cricket.
