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Never shying away from criticising board policies or selection mishaps, Rashid blamed Pakistan’s recent failures against better teams on inconsistency and the board’s failure to think of the future.
While most people remember the Pakistan versus Bangladesh Test match at Multan in 2003 by Inzamam’s dogged 138 that saved Pakistan from a humiliating defeat, the fixture also connoted a premature farewell to the Test career of Rashid Latif, one of the most efficient wicketkeeper-batsmen Pakistan ever produced.

Following a disastrous World Cup in 2003 the PCB had appointed Rashid captain of the national side. Banned for five ODIs after he claimed a dropped catch in the Multan Test, Rashid was subsequently replaced temporarily as captain — he went on to resign from the position — and finally dropped from the team altogether as the board opted for younger legs in the form of Kamran Akmal. While Akmal has failed to match the intensity his predecessors had behind the stumps, Rashid has continued to stay attached and make his mark on cricket instead of parting ways with the game.

He formed the Port Qasim cricket squad from scratch, was appointed the coach and led them to an unbeaten maiden Grade II season, including a victory in the final that saw his return to playing ways. He has also been involved in a successfully running cricket academy in Karachi that has witnessed the presence of Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Asim Kamal, Younis Khan and Shadab Kabir. Rashid acted as PCB’s wicketkeeping coach for talent-hunt schemes and short camps prior to tournaments and has been representing the Kent-based club Lashing’s XI annually.“It’s true that I have a lot on my plate but I’m enjoying it,” Rashid said after scoring a quick-fire 34 for Lashing’s XI in a Twenty20 match. “I miss playing cricket and it’s a hunger I will never be able to bury, but I’ve realised coaching youngsters and preparing them to represent their country bears more fruit.”

Grateful to his involvement with Lashing’s XI — in its fifth year — for precisely that reason, Rashid is involved at playing level while he learnt from the greats what he can pass on to others. “Playing alongside Richie Richardson, Sachin Tendulkar and Marvan Attapattu is not just good for my ego but also aids my coaching techniques as whatever I learn is then passed onto the juniors in the academy which will hopefully benefit Pakistan in the future.”

It wasn’t all an easy ride when the Allied Bank Limited cricket team was dismantled in 2003 due to management problems. “We had a decent squad that was suddenly told to find alternatives as they couldn’t play anymore. Although Port Qasim stood out among the offers I had, creating a new squad in a government organisation is not easy. I approached, and convinced, a few international players to join but upon hearing this their departments not only doubled their salaries in order to retain them, but also offered them extra incentives. With that, I decided to work with the players I had done in the past and hoped that they perform well.”

And even though Port Qasim isn’t guaranteed a promotion despite running away with the trophy, Rashid hopes it is the case, for the sake of young and talented players in his squad and because a return to first-class cricket may also see Rashid’s return to the middle with the bat after an absence of four years.

Never shying away from criticising board policies or selection mishaps, Rashid blamed Pakistan’s recent failures against better teams on inconsistency and the board’s failure to think of the future. “Perhaps the PCB was scared of losing or maybe it lacked confidence in youngsters, but we wasted a glorious opportunity against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to test our bench-strength fully. The team now suffers when replacements fail to perform against quality opposition after being in the wilderness for months.

“Take the case of Akmal: he dropped catches consistently and instead of lining up a suitable replacement while giving Akmal a break, they opted to persist with him leaving Pakistan with either an under-performed Akmal or a relative newcomer (Sarfraz Ahmed) for the Champions Trophy.

“Asim (Kamal) performed exceptionally in domestic cricket and proved his worth in the international arena but is still being ignored and by that the selectors aren’t just letting him but the whole nation down.

“Danish Kaneria, too, deserves an extended run in ODI and Twenty20 squad and by opting to play part-time spinners and ignoring a quality spinner like him the selectors can never hope to build a consistent winning combination. Preferring Mansoor Amjad — a batsman who can bowl leg-spin — was a baffling one by the selectors.”

Before the phenomenal rise of Adam Gilchrist — who re-wrote the definition of wicketkeeper-batsman — it was more the act behind the stumps that the individual was judged upon, rather than in front. And Rashid shone brightly at that. Although clutching onto the unimaginable became his forte, it was his failure with the bat that sparked a healthy competition with Moin. And as fate would have it, his last Test match brought him only 10 runs but seven catches, and a victory.

But as he nears his 40th birthday — having spent years scouting for talent and nourishing it — Rashid is well aware of its abundance that lies in the domestic pool. “There is no dearth of talent in the country in any department of the game. We have the youth waiting to be molded into the world-class cricketers of tomorrow but it is our (his and the national selectors) duty to acknowledge their existence.”