October 10 Thursday 2002
Uncle's boots still too big for me, says Faisal

SHARJAH: Pakistan's new batting hero Faisal Iqbal bears a stark resemblance to his uncle Javed Miandad. He is cheeky, brave, and loves to bait the Australians.

But there is where the similarities end. Faisal, the son of Miandad's eldest sister, laughs off any comparisons with the legendary batsman and captain. 

"I have always idolised my uncle and want to be like the man I have watched with envy from childhood," he said in an interview. "But I still have a long way to go, his shoes are too big for me."

Miandad, Pakistan's leading run-getter with 8,832 from 124 Tests, could not inspire his two younger brothers, Anwar and Sohail, to play Test cricket. But young Faisal finally came into his own last week when he hit a gutsy 83 off 85 balls in Pakistan's first innings of the first Test against Australia in Colombo. The knock was not enough to 
save Pakistan from a 41-run defeat, but established him as a batsman whom the Australians will not take lightly.

"He has it in him to go far," said Australia's champion leg-spinner Shane Warne after the first Test. Just as Miandad would try and seize the advantage from the start with cheeky strokes, Faisal welcomed Warne with a lofted hit back over the bowler's head. He went on to hit 16 boundaries, and was last man out for 39 in the second innings 
after running out of partners.

It was more than what captain Waqar Younis could expect from a 21-year-old playing only his sixth Test. "There's a lot of Javed in Faisal," said former Pakistan opener Aamer Sohail, who played a lot with the master. Comparisons were inevitable and when Faisal stepped on the field to represent Pakistan at the Under-15 World Cup in England in 1996, he was tipped to be another Miandad. "I was seven when Javed uncle gave me my first bat, and since then I've learnt all my cricket from him," Faisal said. 

"He taught me to occupy the crease and stressed that runs would come as long as I kept my cool out there in the middle."

Faisal hit a fighting half-century against the touring Australians in a three-day game in Karachi in 1998-99 which earned a few tips from the elegant Aussie right-hander Mark Waugh. It was rumoured that Faisal was kept away from the Pakistan team by people out to settle scores with Miandad.

But the old man was not concerned. "I know Faisal has talent and it's upto him to perform so that no one could stop him," Miandad once said. The chance came last year when Faisal was summoned to New Zealand after an injury to key batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq. With Miandad himself the team's coach, Faisal grabbed the opportunity by 
making 42 and 52 not out on debut to help Pakistan win the Auckland Test.

He followed that with a gritty 63 in the second Test. When he fell for 16 and 14 against England at Old Trafford last summer, exposing his weakness against the short, rising ball, Miandad took the youngster back in his stride.

The result was evident in Colombo when he stood up to the dreaded pace trio of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. Just as Miandad had done against the likes of Dennis Lillee two decades ago.