Member Interview : Mamoon

[GLORY OF '92]

PakPassion.net : Why do you believe Pakistani cricket will only fall down from here?

Mamoon : There are numerous reasons, but the most important factor which has stagnated our cricket is the fact that mentally, we are still living in the 80s and 90s. Throughout the course of our history, we have had great teams in patches only – depending largely on individual brilliance. Unfortunately, that individual brilliance is nowhere to be found today. Cricket has changed today, and it is becoming more and more methodical and tactical, but we haven’t moved on with the times, and are applying the same methods that worked for us in the past even though, we don’t have players anymore of that quality.

There is no doubt that there is very little talent left in Pakistan today and most of the young players are either not good enough or don’t have enough application, but the mismanagement hasn’t helped either. We have failed to utilize even the little talent that is left in the country and the highlight of this management has been the lack of future planning and throwing all eggs in one basket.

In the period of 2012-2014, in the buildup to the World Cup, our most important batsman, pacer, spinner and all-rounders had an average age of around 35, which is a glaring example of short-term thinking. Today, the spinner is suspended, the batsman/Captain is about to retire along with one of the two main all-rounders, while the other one is in the last phase of his career as well, and now we are in panic mode because the core of the team is disintegrating and we have no replacements.


Players make a promising start and then they fizzle out. Umar Akmal was the most exciting and talked about young batsman in the world in 2009, and today he barely makes it into the top ten, if at all. Not only do we overrate our players, but our players overrate themselves as well. The decline of a cricketer starts believing in his own hype, and thinks of himself twice the player he actually is. We keep hearing bullish statements in the press, but none of them seems to walk the talk. Other than Misbah, Shafiq and Azhar who are model professionals, I doubt if any Pakistani cricketer today is aware of the fact that he is not as good as he thinks he is. After Sarfraz smashed a few Test hundreds, a few people started considering him a better wicket-keeper batsman than Dhoni. Now if something like this ever reaches his ears, half of his career will be over at that point.

I could go on and on, but to keep it relatively brief, the aforementioned reasons are the three highlights of why there is little hope for the future and why most importantly, our cricket declined in the first place.


PakPassion.net : Who will be the stars of the Pakistan cricket team 10 years from now?

Mamoon : I think the core of the youngsters that has started to develop lately will be around for the next decade. The likes of Umar, Shehzad, Maqsood, Haris, Babar, Raza, Rizwan, Gohar, Amin, Aslam, Adil etc. perhaps even Amir, if he makes a successful comeback will play for Pakistan for a long time and they are the ones who are going to form the core of the team but the problem is that majority of these players will be ‘TTFs’ in the future, with people calling for their heads in a decade’s time and finding some other young ‘talents’ to hype, essentially repeating the cycle. Other than a few, I really don’t see any top class talent that will be good enough to compete with what other teams have to offer in his position, a problem that is quite prevalent in Pakistan*today. When Misbah, Shehzad, Irfan, Sarfraz and Afridi are your best batsman, opener, pacer, wicket-keeper and all-rounder respectively, it is quite obvious that you are scraping the bottom of the barrel for top quality cricketers.

As far as captaincy is concerned, at this point, I can see someone like Haris Captain Pakistan in all three formats within the next 5-6 years.


PakPassion.net : Considering your opinion that Ajmal won't be effective in LOIs anymore, ho do you think Pakistan should invest as a spinner in LOIs?


Mamoon : My pick would be Zafar Gohar. I think he is a genuinely good prospect and has the tools to be a very good, Limited Overs cricketer. He seems to be someone who has a good understanding of the needs of modern day cricket, and has developed his secondary skills like batting and fielding as well, to complement his bowling which is very rare for a Pakistan cricketer.

As far as Ajmal is concerned, we need to be less emotional and more pragmatic here. His best days are behind him and he looked past his sell-by date before he got suspended, especially in Test cricket. At the age of 37 with a new action, we need to let go of him. In any case, he hardly has 15-16 months of cricket left in him.


PakPassion.net : Who is your favorite cricketer?

Mamoon : A very hard question. There hasn’t been one cricketer who was the ultimate player for me at all levels. As far as Pakistani players are concerned, my favorite bowler is Waqar Younis and my favorite batsman is Mohammad Yousuf without question. I also loved watching Shoaib Akhtar and Saeed Anwar back in the day.

As far as non-Pakistani cricketers are concerned, I was a big fan of Dravid, Aravinda, Warne, Damien Martyn and Shane Bond. As far as current Pakistani and non-Pakistani players are concerned, there is no one in the Pakistani team that I truly admire at any level which sums up the state of our cricket, but I’d probably pick Haris Sohail and Asad Shafiq. Current non-Pakistani players include Sangakkara, Mathews, Clarke, Smith, Bell, Anderson, Root, Williamson, Boult and Rahane. That would be my top ten, not necessarily in order.


PakPassion.net : Do you prefer watching Tests, ODI or T20 cricket and why?

Mamoon : ODI's definitely. It’s the ideal balance between Tests and ODIs and I find it a highly gripping format. Test cricket may be the premier format, but it can definitely get too tedious at times and Twenty20s are just too short. Very entertaining, but it is more of an appetizer before a full course.

The World Cup, easily the greatest spectacle in cricket and something I would take over the number one ranking in Tests any day, also has contributed greatly to my love for ODI cricket.


PakPassion.net : Have you ever done debating?

Mamoon : Yes I love to, and I am up for it any time. I am not really a talkative person and not into random chitchat much, but I love to engage in discussions with people and argue on a wide array of topics and exchange ideas, as long as it remains civilized. It is important that you possess the ability and the confidence to present your viewpoint and not hold back anything just because you fear a negative reaction. You have to say what you have to, and the way people react is their prerogative, and nothing to fear.

That is the main reason why I signed up for PakPassion and have racked up close to 50,000 posts in three years, and there is little reason why it shouldn’t continue for a few more years.


PakPassion.net : What's life in Peshawar like?

Mamoon : Life in Peshawar is fairly good, but I think it has held me back a little in terms of my interests. For example, there is very little scope for art and literature here, and pursuing either professionally is a lost cause. I see so many broke artists and writers around me and no one is there to put them on a pedestal and give them a platform and recognition so that they can launch their careers. I’m thankful that I don’t have any financial constraints and motives to paint and write, but there is no doubt that my paintings would have been better recognized in Lahore or Karachi. I’m currently writing a novel which I will complete by 2017 most likely, and having it published in the small city of Peshawar is going to be worthless, so I will have to reconsider my options. Certainly moving out of the city is not feasible at this point, due to family reasons.

Other than that, in spite of it being the prime target of terrorists, Peshawar has come a long way in the last decade or so, in terms of infrastructure, education, health facilities etc., and is on its way up in terms of development. A good city to live in, if you want all the important privileges, but also privacy and serenity, where its small size and relatively small population definitely helps. The residential areas here are top notch.


PakPassion.net : Have you played cricket? At what level and how good at that level? And what were you, batsman, bowler, all rounder, keeper etc?

Mamoon : I used to play club cricket here as a top order batsman in Peshawar as a young boy, and it was quite a pain for my family because other than my Grandfather who died in 2000, absolutely no one has any interest in this game. I was quite good for my age, was obsessed with having the perfect technique and enjoyed fielding more than anything. Never bowled though, I am certain I must have been dreadful at it.

However, unfortunately I had a severe car accident in 2004 that almost took my life. I almost broke my back and needed 3 surgeries on my right shoulder, which kept me out of any sort of physical activity for around 15 months, and I didn’t go back to cricket afterwards and took up golf, which is more of a family sport. Thankfully I have fully recovered physically, and there have been no long-term repercussions.

I come from a very academic family though, and the idea of playing any professional sport at any level was never an option, it was merely as an outlet to keep mentally and physically healthy, which I still strongly believe in today.


PakPassion.net : Which would be your favourite era of cricket and why? Like the 80s, 90s, 00s etc.

Mamoon : I didn’t experience the 80s and the early 90s, so I can’t comment. However, given the quality of players that we possessed, it must have been thrilling compared to what you have today. On the flip side, however, the lack of quality coverage and media was probably off-putting and distanced the players from the people unlike today, where they are a click away.

I really enjoyed cricket from 1998-2007, growing up with the players I admired, including Pakistani teams full of flamboyance and quality, but after the fruitful and entertaining Inzamam-Woolmer era ended, Pakistan cricket nosedived big time. There is nothing wrong the cricketing world in general, but to see a poor Pakistan team has obviously contributed to my distaste for cricket today.


PakPassion.net : Glass half full or half empty? Which is your approach to life ? Does it reflect in your analysis of cricket as well?

Mamoon : In my view, the glass is neither half full nor half empty; it holds the quantity of water that you see, and the way you see it is not going to change the reality, only your perception of it. Concepts like ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ thinking are very shallow, because at the end of the day, there are only facts, which will not change whether you take it ‘positively’ or ‘negatively’. I firmly believe in Murphy’s Law – Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

In any dimension, the probability of an unfavorable outcome will always be more likely, and hence, one should always be prepared for the worst so that they can gather the strength to deal with it. On the contrary, hoping that everything will be fine gives you a false sense of security and weakens you, which means you are no longer in a good position to deal with adversity. In any case, it is important to not linger on failures for long, or to not let go of something good, because they all come to an eventually and you have to move on.


PakPassion.net : What is your fondest cricketing memory?

Mamoon : In general, the Sharjah Cups of the late 90s, but in terms of specific memories, the Chennai Test in 1999 to this day remains my favorite cricketing memory, but nostalgia plays a big part admittedly. It has been 16 years and I was 8 years old only, but I still remember each and every moment and the big performances. Afridi’s greatest ever knocks, Saqlain’s brilliance and Tendulkar’s masterclass. That match had everything, and is arguably the greatest Test ever played between Pakistan and India. Other than that, the World T20 2009, Bangalore Test 2005, ODI series win in India in 2005, and the series vs England in that year remain my favorite memories. The ODI series win in Australia in 2002 deserves a mention as well.


PakPassion.net : Who is Pakistans brightest upcoming prospect in your view?

Mamoon : Babar Azam without question. I think he’s one batsman who can’t just be good by Pakistani standards but has genuine ability to compete with the best in the world. Of course, at this moment, it is all potential and we don’t have a great track-record either when it comes to developing young players, so time will tell how it pans out. Other than him, Zafar Gohar has interesting potential as well and Raza is a fine spinner too. Haris as well if he can be considered an upcoming prospect. Other than that, I don’t see much great talent and the mediocrity of Pakistan remain is likely to stay put.


PakPassion.net : Has your realist attitude ever gotten you into trouble in real life?

Mamoon : Many, many times. What I have learned in life so far that no one likes to hear the truth and honest opinions are worthless, unless they suit you. It is best to not tell people what they do not want to hear, but at the same time, if someone seeks your advice, you have to call it as you see it, otherwise there is no point. I often get into trouble though, especially in college with the Professors, but don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no discipline issues and have never been reprimanded for misconduct, merely differences of opinion which some people deem as arrogance, which is not the case at all. My friends and family are quite used to it now.


PakPassion.net : Who is your favourite fielder of all time?

Mamoon : As a big fan of fielding, I have always stressed on its importance and to see how it is ignored in Pakistan cricket especially at the junior level is very disappointing. My favorite fielder of all-time would Herschelle Gibbs. He had a certain aura about him in the field, and you could see that he was in complete control of proceedings. People remain in awe of Jonty Rhodes, who changed the art of fielding forever, but quite often he came across as a bit of a showboat and someone who thrived on theatrics, and making the easy look hard for the camera. Gibbs on the other hand, made the simple look simple, and the hard look hard yet easy in its own way. It is difficult to describe, but he was a superb and interestingly arrogant fielder, which was reflected in his batting as well.


PakPassion.net : Tell us about the best cricket match you ever attended?

Mamoon : I like to watch cricket alone so that I can focus on the game with no one to disturb me, but the 2006 ODI vs. India in Peshawar remains the best cricket match I’ve ever watched, and sadly the last to be played in Peshawar.

It was a privilege to watch Tendulkar at his best, notching up yet another hundred, and the young, flamboyant and brash Dhoni take the bowlers to the cleaners.

Pakistan was off to a flyer before Kamran was dismissed, but what followed was an ODI batting masterclass between Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik and we were cruising at one point, before India pulled things back with quick wickets.

That match is most famously remembered for Inzamam obstructing the field, which was quite hilarious in hindsight but very frustrating at that point. We held our never and won the game, but it was marred by the D/L method because such a fantastic game deserved a better closure. It was also our only win in what proved to be a sorry series.

[Arsh_afridi]

Good interview throper!

[shaz619]

Was looking forward to this interview, great stuff from Mamoon especially the stuff about having realistic expectations and being prepared for the worst in-order to deal with adversity better.

[imranq]

Good read

[imranq]

As Mamoon would say "Typical Pakistani" answers

[Azzurri]

Pretty Decent Interview .

[Hamza_]

I wish every Pakistani had the mindset and mentality like that of Mamoon, Not biased, Realistic and always good to read his posts. Very good read this.

[mon858]

i used to think you are much older for the maturity you display in your comments. very hard to believe you are only 24.

[slice]

All nice and dandy but Mamoon only looks at one side a brass coin and expects that side to be gold.
If you go by the logic that we are " scraping the barrel " in terms of talent,then just about every team is " scraping the barrel ".
No team has an endless line of pacers,spinners and batsmen who are world class (and what does he define as world class ?)-the differences are just marginal.I feel Mamoon assumes that a comparable non-Pakistani player is miles ahead of his Pakistani counterpart.This is also a delusion of sorts.

[world cup captain]

Good interview to read. Showed a lot of maturity.

[CricFan2012]

Awesome interview guys! Would love to see more interviews of our fellow PP friends. Next up should be Dr.Bassim, BD, and Savak maybe

[CricFan2012]

And how can I forget SiF!

[MMHS]

Nice read.

Sometimes he is too critical, may be this is his way of holding rush on expectations; but in general Mamoon is spot on most times. & I think, he spends fair bit of time in Cricket studies. I have found a lot of times similarity in thought process of his & mine.

May be, once he finishes his studies, still 'll be involved in cricket literature & history (like me).

Cheers & Good luck.

[iafzal]

[B][COLOR="#006400"]
Mamoon : In my view, the glass is neither half full nor half empty; it holds the quantity of water that you see, and the way you see it is not going to change the reality, only your perception of it. Concepts like ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ thinking are very shallow, because at the end of the day, there are only facts, which will not change whether you take it ‘positively’ or ‘negatively’. I firmly believe in Murphy’s Law – Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

In any dimension, the probability of an unfavorable outcome will always be more likely, and hence, one should always be prepared for the worst so that they can gather the strength to deal with it. On the contrary, hoping that everything will be fine gives you a false sense of security and weakens you, which means you are no longer in a good position to deal with adversity. In any case, it is important to not linger on failures for long, or to not let go of something good, because they all come to an eventually and you have to move on.

Mamoon,
Some very thoughtful answers.
I am lost here, If you firmly believe in Murphy's law then is it not leaning towards glass is half empty? or many here calling it negativity?

I have seen many happy go luck people who have done quite well as they do not obsess over things going wrong but concentrate on thing going right.

That being said I fully agree that not being prepared to face adversity is also foolish but there needs to be a balance with some focus on facing adversity and more focus on being getting better/successful.

[Mo_Ahmed84]

Great interview from one of the better and more sensible posters on this site.
Nice to see we share the same favourite fielder

[Square Drive]

Although I'm not a big fan of Mamoon, I must say this was a very enjoyable read.

[UpInTheAir]

Need more open mindedness in the country like this to make the country move forward.

[IAJ]

Somehow he reminds me of Hasan Nisar.

[jazba]

I often disagree with Mamoon's rebuttals on various topics but always appreciate his comments.

[BlackThunder]

Very interesting read from the most intriguing Pakistani poster on this site. Good stuff @Mamoon as usual.

[Dr_Bassim]

I was interested in the art and literature thing.

In Pakistan you can only be doctor or engineer. The scope for being anything else is ridiculously small.

Also I didn't know about the car accident, but perhaps because you had to rise from adversity, your views are sometimes a tad negative.

But a good interview nonetheless.

[Hawkeye]

Good interview kid!

[iHammad]

Looking forward to your novel

[Yatoo]

So you are of my age give or take an year

[Canistani Hero]

Good read. Intrigued by this novel, what is it about?

[DarkKnightRisesAgain]

Wonderful interview from the most sensible and reasonable poster on PakPassion, Thats why I admire Mamoon for his realistic and straight forward analysis and views on Pakistan's Cricket and life in general. He shows a lot of maturity and intellectual clarity beyond his age which is surprising. Anyway a very nice read and good luck with your novel!

[AZ]

some of his opinions may be absurd and against the grain but @Mamoon never loses his cool and can provide his logic for them without getting emotional, which I really respect.

an interesting chap, and certainly one of the better posters on PP.

[mithun_minhas]

Mamoon is one of the brightest minds on PP. I am sure the guy is very smart in real life too.

[Anchorman]

Great interview. My favorite poster on here. PP wouldn't be the same without you, man.

[MenInG]

Excellent answers and expect nothing else The Mamoon!

[DrSchultz]

Mamoon is a PP legend. No doubt about it.

[yadunoe]

lol mamoon should be the president of pakistan

[GreenKnightRises]

Wonderful Interview and typical Mamoon answers

[Sizzling Soul]

it was nice to read this interview. great,

[mussu-100]

Comfortably one of the best posters on PP.

Great interview @Mamoon!

[Firebreaker]

LOL Asad Shafiq as the favourite player

[Watsupdoc]

Good interview. Good points about being ready to face adversity because its a reality if life. Having said that I do think people need to be positive as well otherwise you might end up going in depression.

Mamoon you art is good - you should definitely try holding an exhibition either in Lahore or Karachi.

[sensible-indian-fan]

Mamoon the PP legend.

[hussain123]

One of posters over here, who never loses his cool, and argues logically.probably, one of the best posters over here.

[IndianWillow]

Interesting read from a legend here! Good analyst, but sometimes I feel he does "micro analysis"!!

[OZGOD]

Good interview from one of our more interesting forum members. Whatever you think about Mamoon, what is undeniable is he stands up for what he believes and is prepared to defend his views regardless of what other people think, and is able to articulate his views well. Well done mate.

On another note, Peshawar and the Khyber Pass are two places I would love to visit.

[hur rizvi]

Nice read!
@Mamoon great interview bro

[dhump]

Good interview...I hardly agree with mamoons over critical views and always like to see some light at the end of the tunnel, but he provides a perfect blend with all those over optimistic and over patriotic annoying posters we have on PP in huge majority.

[slice]

Good interview...I hardly agree with mamoons over critical views and always like to see some light at the end of the tunnel, but he provides a perfect blend with all those over optimistic and over patriotic annoying posters we have on PP in huge majority.

I don`t think there are any patriotic posters left on this forum these days.

[Dr_Bassim]

I don`t think there are any patriotic posters left on this forum these days.

@ Bullet Drive @ Square Drive @Bilal7

Lots of others too but there three will be eternal optimists.

I don't know how you can say no patriotic posters left.

[slice]

@ Bullet Drive @ Square Drive @Bilal7

Lots of others too but there three will be eternal optimists.

I don't know how you can say no patriotic posters left.

The patriotic posters are like "atay mein namak".

[Bilal7]

@ Bullet Drive @ Square Drive @Bilal7

Lots of others too but there three will be eternal optimists.

I don't know how you can say no patriotic posters left.

I'm not really patriotic though.

[rizrox]

Good interview I must say ....I always appreciate Mamoon's views on cricketing matters & the way he defends his arguments .. Yeah sometimes tends to be overcritical but nonetheless one of the best minds here on PP .... Hard to believe that u r just 24 ! ... Good luck bro !

[Bilal7]

Don't agree with half the stuff said but a great interview nonetheless. Sorry to hear about your accident.

[Mamoon]

Thank you everyone.

Actually I turned 23 only a few months ago.
@MMHS

Same here, I very rarely find myself disagreeing with your assessments and yes, I love studying about cticket especially the technical aspects of the game that are often overlooked.
@Canistani Hero

My novel is about a boy who is blind by birth, but his parents in orde to protect him from the world and the harsh reality of his condition, bring him up without revealing to him the existence of eyesight.

I have POV chapters of his parents and the struggles and hardships they have faced for him as well as POV chapters for the kid and the picture that he has painted in his head of the world around him, where he doesn't even feel and realize that he's different from the world. It's the most fascinating part, because imagining the world without vision is quite intriguing, and enhances the significance of other senses. There a few other minor characters as well.

[MMHS]

Thank you everyone.

Actually I turned 23 only a few months ago.
@MMHS

Same here, I very rarely find myself disagreeing with your assessments and yes, I love studying about cticket especially the technical aspects of the game that are often overlooked.
@Canistani Hero

My novel is about a boy who is blind by birth, but his parents in orde to protect him from the world and the harsh reality of his condition, bring him up without revealing to him the existence of eyesight.

I have POV chapters of his parents and the struggles and hardships they have faced for him as well as POV chapters for the kid and the picture that he has painted in his head of the world around him, where he doesn't even feel and realize that he's different from the world. It's the most fascinating part, because imagining the world without vision is quite intriguing, and enhances the significance of other senses. There a few other minor characters as well.

Thanks. Interest which way - surgery, internal medicine, community epidemics, research, pediatrics, eye specialist? What about sports medicine?

Anyway, best of luck

[James]

One of the best member interviews that PP has conducted with one of its greatest ever posters.

My novel is about a boy who is blind by birth, but his parents in orde to protect him from the world and the harsh reality of his condition, bring him up without revealing to him the existence of eyesight.

I have POV chapters of his parents and the struggles and hardships they have faced for him as well as POV chapters for the kid and the picture that he has painted in his head of the world around him, where he doesn't even feel and realize that he's different from the world. It's the most fascinating part, because imagining the world without vision is quite intriguing, and enhances the significance of other senses. There a few other minor characters as well.

This genuinely sounds really really good! How far along are you with the project as a whole? If you still need any help I would love to be involved in some way.

[Mamoon]

One of the best member interviews that PP has conducted with one of its greatest ever posters.



This genuinely sounds really really good! How far along are you with the project as a whole? If you still need any help I would love to be involved in some way.

Thank you James.

I'm around halfway done, but these days I'm having a writer's block which is why I've decided to let it go for like a year, do some other stuff and go back to it refreshed. As a rough estimate, I've kept 2017-2018 as my aim, but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. I'm just 23, and I don't see myself penning a dozen books. It is just an idea that popped into my head, somewhat inspired by H. G. Wells' The Country of the Blind and I just went along with it and soon developed into something bigger than I initially anticipated.

[shaz619]

Thank you everyone.

Actually I turned 23 only a few months ago.
@MMHS

Same here, I very rarely find myself disagreeing with your assessments and yes, I love studying about cticket especially the technical aspects of the game that are often overlooked.
@Canistani Hero

My novel is about a boy who is blind by birth, but his parents in orde to protect him from the world and the harsh reality of his condition, bring him up without revealing to him the existence of eyesight.

I have POV chapters of his parents and the struggles and hardships they have faced for him as well as POV chapters for the kid and the picture that he has painted in his head of the world around him, where he doesn't even feel and realize that he's different from the world. It's the most fascinating part, because imagining the world without vision is quite intriguing, and enhances the significance of other senses. There a few other minor characters as well.

Pretty awesome narrative!! very intriguing I'd buy the book, would love to read your work if you ever choose to reveal a chapter or extract on PP. I love writing myself and still do here and there if am free (rarely) a work in progress though but given financial constraints have pursue'd a career in engineering due to the reasons you highlighted. Since finances were not an issue for you, why didn't you pursue a career in art or writing? was it because of family pressure or how the Pakistani society would look upon you because generally writers and artists are not held in high regard.

[Mamoon]

Pretty awesome narrative!! very intriguing I'd buy the book, would love to read your work if you ever choose to reveal a chapter or extract on PP. I love writing myself and still do here and there if am free (rarely) a work in progress though but given financial constraints have pursue'd a career in engineering due to the reasons you highlighted. Since finances were not an issue for you, why didn't you pursue a career in art or writing? was it because of family pressure or how the Pakistani society would look upon you because generally writers and artists are not held in high regard.

Sorry for the late reply, missed your post.

Bit of both actually. In Pakistan, it's very difficult to be self-sufficient as a professional artist, because the scope is so limited. Parental pressure is there as well, and my Dad always wanted me to do medicine. I have a knack for it though, I definitely enjoy it. Parental pressure is a consequence of social pressure though, if your son is a painter or a writer, he will be deemed useless. That's the sad reality.

[Mamoon]

@slice

Actually that is the case these days. Most of the players other teams have to offer are superior to our best options, which is the reason why we are mediocre. None of our players today make the top 5 in their category, and hence we are firmly a mid-table outfit.

[JibranAnsari]

A good read.

Though I do not agree with him most of the times but he definitely keeps things interesting.

[Mamoon]

@iafzal

Maybe you can say that, but a negative/glass half-empty guy would find negatives in everything for the sake of it, but that isn't the case. However if you guy by the universal definition, then probably I am.

[Varun]

Solid interview, and one of the most readable posters here when it comes to Pakistani cricket.

[aukhan]

Great interview.

Mamoon is a top poster.

[Fantasy]

One thing I learñt from Mamoon is to make your viewpoint and whatever people think about you hardly matters...And other thing is possibly to have that self confidence and not necessarily over confidence......Now interesting questions from me...(If you can answer):
1:What will you do if you are handed the responsibility to run cricket in Pak??
2:What are your faviourite analysts,hosts or pundits...Looking at this interview and your posts in general you seem to be a really big fan of Dr.Nauman Niaz.... istn't it??

[Mamoon]

One thing I learñt from Mamoon is to make your viewpoint and whatever people think about you hardly matters...And other thing is possibly to have that self confidence and not necessarily over confidence......Now interesting questions from me...(If you can answer):
1:What will you do if you are handed the responsibility to run cricket in Pak??
2:What are your faviourite analysts,hosts or pundits...Looking at this interview and your posts in general you seem to be a really big fan of Dr.Nauman Niaz.... istn't it??

- The first thing I will do is to introduce school cricket, because players technically develop between the age of 9-14 and at this point, our players are playing tape ball cricket in the streets and thus they are technically hampered big time.

Proper hard ball cricket at school level, with inter-school tournaments like Sri Lanka and India will help these kids develop a very good understanding of the game.

Not really, but I do enjoy listening to Dr. Nauman, Mohammad Wasim and Aamir Sohail. Basit Ali often makes good points as well.

[fahadshah]

Realistic interview lol ! Trying to be over as usual !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Robert]

A highly articulate and readable interview of a mature poster who gets a lot of unfair stick IMO.

[Fantasy]

- The first thing I will do is to introduce school cricket, because players technically develop between the age of 9-14 and at this point, our players are playing tape ball cricket in the streets and thus they are technically hampered big time.

Proper hard ball cricket at school level, with inter-school tournaments like Sri Lanka and India will help these kids develop a very good understanding of the game.

Not really, but I do enjoy listening to Dr. Nauman, Mohammad Wasim and Aamir Sohail. Basit Ali often makes good points as well.

Although completely out of context but I am mesmerized as well as a bit jealous (LOL) with your English though...So I wanna know how you remember words bacause it is really hard for me remembering those words which I listen for the first time....So I donno how you remember them??

[Mamoon]

Although completely out of context but I am mesmerized as well as a bit jealous (LOL) with your English though...So I wanna know how you remember words bacause it is really hard for me remembering those words which I listen for the first time....So I donno how you remember them??

Lol, my English is just normal.

Anyhow, I read a lot and have had more exposure because of my schooling and having many British Pakistanis cousins who unfortunately cannot speak Pashto/Urdu, so I've no choice but to converse in English with them.

Personally, I don't like the idea of speaking English unless it is unavoidable.

[raskolnikov]

@Mamoon -- Sometimes I take you as someone was born and raised in England because the kind of words you use here. Did you spend some time in UK? This thought always crosses my mind. Good interview, though.

[Mamoon]

@Mamoon -- Sometimes I take you as someone was born and raised in England because the kind of words you use here. Did you spend some time in UK? This thought always crosses my mind. Good interview, though.

Born and raised in Pakistan, but I've been to the UK numerous times and have plenty of family members residing there.

[Barragan]

Solid interview.

Also, I guess your obsession with wanting a "perfect technique" may lead to shafiq being among your favs.

[Fantasy]

Lol, my English is just normal.

Anyhow, I read a lot and have had more exposure because of my schooling and having many British Pakistanis cousins who unfortunately cannot speak Pashto/Urdu, so I've no choice but to converse in English with them.

Personally, I don't like the idea of speaking English unless it is unavoidable.

Bdw your real name full name and wbu education???

[Mamoon]

@Asif Javaid

I'm a final year Medical student.
@Barragan

Perhaps, you can say that, but I also like his attitude and I think he can do a good job as Test captain after Misbah.

[Zero]

Very cynical man, yet equally as intelligent.
Good poster, enjoy his views most of the time.

[blinding light]

Nice interview - part about debating and arguing whilst remaining within the bounds of civility was perhaps my most favourite bit.

Wish him all the best ahead

[Fallen King]

Mamoon : Yes I love to, and I am up for it any time. I am not really a talkative person and not into random chitchat much, but I love to engage in discussions with people and argue on a wide array of topics and exchange ideas, as long as it remains civilized. It is important that you possess the ability and the confidence to present your viewpoint and not hold back anything just because you fear a negative reaction. You have to say what you have to, and the way people react is their prerogative, and nothing to fear.

That is the main reason why I signed up for PakPassion and have racked up close to 50,000 posts in three years, and there is little reason why it shouldn’t continue for a few more years.


Point to be noted, very good lesson for Imranistan!

[Fallen King]

That's Mamoon i know. Brilliant interview.

Before Azadi march, i never knew him. During Azadi march, i have learned a lot about him, his opinions, and his background. I am glad to know him and glad to be part of the same battle against Imranistan.

Top notch interview, brother Mamoon!

Mind you, he is indeed one of few true Patriotic unlike proclaimed patriotic so-called overseas Imranistan. He had opportunity to join overseas, but instead chose to represent Pakistan in Pakistan, especially as medical field where the contribution from medical official teams is unappreciative. Also, he is honest, and his opinions in Pakistani political affairs is always spot on - realistic to be precise.

He always gave impression that he is born abroad because of his English writing style, not to mention his sophisticated words have been very tough to decipher sometimes. As i am living in overseas more than 10 years, still struggle to match his level of English.

He is my hero, and God bless you. @Mamoon

[Romali_rotti]

One of my favorite posters here and one who I respect quite a lot due to his no bullsh* honest straight forward attitude... Great read, thanks mods.

[Mamoon]

Thanks @blinding light, @Zero and @Romali_rotti

@Fallen King

thank you for the tribute, love your views on most things as well, and how you stand up for what you believe in.

@MMHS

I'm more inclined towards surgery, because I think it suits my capabilities, but at the same time, I will have to forego my other interests because it requires full time commitment. It's a high stake job and I haven't seen many surgeons who are living a good life. Sure their families do with all the $$$, but that's not my priority. I'm interested in some sort of medical research, which seems the more likely option. Sports medicine not so much. Community health is also interesting.

In Pakistan, the exploitation of poor people when it comes to healthcare is ridiculous. The over the top fees which they have to pay even when they cannot afford a meal and so many doctors have their deals with medication suppliers, a commission that they receive if they sell x amount of certain drugs in a given year or 6 months, which means that they don't prescribe a cheaper alternative even when it is available, just to make more money.

Private practice in Pakistan is a farce, and that's not the route I want to take. Public hospitals don't pay much especially early in your career, but at least you are not going to exploit other people and there is still some exploitation, but at least not at an individual level.

[Romali_rotti]

Thanks @blinding light, @Zero and @Romali_rotti

@Fallen King

thank you for the tribute, love your views on most things as well, and how you stand up for what you believe in.

Pleasure my friend, your unbiased nature is very UN-Pakistani like and I must say almost non human.. *compliments*

[Fallen King]

Thanks @blinding light, @Zero and @Romali_rotti

@Fallen King

thank you for the tribute, love your views on most things as well, and how you stand up for what you believe in.

We have something in common after all.

[Hamza_]

Pleasure my friend, your unbiased nature is very UN-Pakistani like and I must say almost non human.. *compliments*

Seriously. Mamoon bhai is truly unbiased which is how a person must be, Imo we can't move ahead as a nation due to being extremely biased and living in the past.