A rejuvenated Pakistan side won convincingly against England thanks in part to the transformation of Shoaib Akhtar from a national embarassment to a team man. For the sake of Pakistan cricket, let's hope the change is a permanant one and not just a temporary aberration. Nonetheless it is also clearly evident that the Shoaib Akhtar of 2006 is a far cry from the strapping and athletic young man who ripped through the South African line up five or so years ago. In those days Shoaibs delivery stride leap matched that of Imran Khan in his pomp and another trademark of his athleticism was that his bum would soon have a black mark on it that came from his sole actually hitting his backside as he leapt into final delivery stride. The Shoaib of then was a picture of athleticism yet today he is a far cry from that. Now he has to rely on sheer brute force (and a brilliantly devised slower ball) to prise out a batsman. Gone is the sustained pace and the big swinging in dipping toe crushing yorkers. Over the years Shoaib's body has bulked up and he is no longer able to swing the ball even half as effectively as he once could. Those deliveries in Calcutta when he ripped out Dravid and Tendulkar's middle stump in succession was one of the most exhilerating moments in cricket history, yet sadly.......the Shoaib of now will never again be able to reproduce that sublime form - his body is simply no longer capable of it........plus of course given that his age is not quite as stated (it is one of the miracles of humanity that Shahid Afridi is still in his mid 20's...........and that I am in fact the Queen of England!) It is a well established fact that no one is Pakistan EVER lets on about their true age and the fact is that Inzamam Ul Haq, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and most glaringly Shahid Afridi are not quite the age that their birth certificates suggest.

Then there is this mass singing of the praises of Inzamam Ul Haq as being the greatest thing to ever happen to Pakistan cricket - I am sorry but I beg to differ. This is the same Inzamam Ul Haq who pretended to have a back ailment last year when the team was touring Australia and sat out matches rather than face having his impeccable reputation tarnished in any way. It is a fact that Inzamam ul Haq chickened out of playing against McGrath, Lee and company on those bouncy Aussie tracks and that there is a question mark against him in comparisons with Tendulkar or Lara.........frankly, i don't recall Sachin or Brian Lara ever chickening out of matches and feigning injury.....especially when they were the leader of a particularly green bunch.

Then there is the insidious blending of the tableeghi brand of Islam and force-feeding it on the team. We have already had the transformation of Yousuf Youhanna into Mohammad Yousuf..........and now the odds on Danish Kaneria soon turning into Mohammad Danish if he wishes a prolongued run in the Pakistan side is definitely on the cards. Then you have Prime Chamcha and born again Muslim.........yes the same Mushy Ahmed who was caught cavorting with some Essex girls on the beach of Grenada not so long ago..............with a good number of joints and some local rust coloured drink...................yes the same Mushy Ahmed who now publicly denounces the October Earthquake as being a curse from "Mighty Allah" - a punishment for all the sinners and a message for the heavens above for humanity to follow in the righteous path of Mushtaq Ahmed. Oh, incidentally, now as Mushtaq Ahmed has become a player on the Tableegh circuit, he is being made into the bowling coach so that he can travel with the team and ensure that the Tableegh morals are enforced and permeated at all levels.........the latest member seems to be Younis Khan and before him Shahid Afridi appears to be paying as much attention to his newly sprouted beard as he does to his blond streaks and highlights on his flowing hair!

I reckon Bazid Khan, who has been horribly treated by the national selectors at the behest of Inzamam and his Tableeghi brigade that time and again Bazid has been sidelined and Inzamam's personal lackey Yassir Hameed (who is now touching 30) has been bought back time and again despite his continuing failure and massive batting flaws..............simply because he is one of Inzi's lackeys and Bazid is not. The other beneficiery of Inzamam's Tableeghi selection policy is that Abdul Razzak must be part of the set up despite his totally pathetic bowling that is no longer penetrative on the Test level at any rate..........yet time and again Razzak is preferred to Yasir Arafat who must reckon there is no justice and not much point in continuing to attempt to play for his country because it is becoming increasingly clear that if you dont fit into the pic and dont fit into the picture of what Inzamam Ul Haq thinks his young jehadis should be, then it seems you wont be able to play for Pakistan.

The appointment of Mushtaq Ahmed as bowling coach despite the fact that the PCB has not advertised the post in the open nor the fact that this appointment has not been made on merit at all...........the single and ONLY reason that Mushtaq Ahmed is being appointed is that he is Inzamam's new Tableeghi buddy whose "bubbly" presence is much loved in the players dressing room....................by whom is the question. Answer - Inzamam Ul Haq, Saeed Anwer and the new Tableeghi brigade.

I should add at this time that soon after the World Cup ended (the last WC) I received a phone call from Saeed Anwer who was extra chummy on the line though i dont really know the man at all well. But it appeared that he was very keen to meet me for tea the next day to explain a few things to me and to help me to focus on life the way I should." Each to his own.....and I absolutely did NOT meet Saeed Anwer for his pep talk as I would have reacted violently at being told how to conduct my life by some born again preacher. As far as I am concerned, each to his own...............but when it comes to forcing people or coercing them to think a certain way, i reckon that is pretty despicable. But what is even worse is when a young mans lifelong ambition is denied him because he doesn't quite fit the myopic thinking of your pea brained leader who now wields far more influence than he ever should have been allowed. The Pakistan cricket team is being run by born again Taliban type Tableeghi Missionaries - and though they like every one else are entitled to their beliefs, there is no way in which their beliefs should become criterion for a cricketers chances of playing for his country. At the moment, I fear that this is the case and that young, deserving cricketers are being denied because they don't quite fit the Tableeghi profile as they apparently should.

The sooner the burly, bulky shadow of Inzamam ul Haq recedes from Pakistan cricket the better it will be for all concerned. Apparently justice, equality and fair play are only reserved for their own kind and not to be administered to people who dont fit the profile. Sad........very sad indeed.