Owais Shah has been a journeyman in cricket — he is here, there and everywhere. Born in Karachi, he played for England. And his cricketing exploits have spread all over the world.
Owais Shah has been a journeyman in cricket — he is here, there and everywhere. Born in Karachi, he played for England. And his cricketing exploits have spread all over the world.
The 32-year-old all-rounder, who represented Middlesex and Essex in English county cricket, has played in the domestic teams in New Zealand, South Africa and India. Currently, he is in Cape Town, representing the Cobras. On Monday, he was at the Newlands, preparing for the Cobras’ next game but kept tab of the goings-on Down Under and also here in the stadium.
“Your guys are doing well, isn’t it,” he said when asked about India’s chances in the third and final Test against South Africa. He had the updates of the match underway in the Sydney Cricket Ground too. “England bowlers doing a great job,” he remarked. “They are doing an excellent job.”
So, what’s the reason for England’s success? “There is no one individual or a factor responsible. It is a collective effort. The bowling surely has done the trick for England. Jimmy Anderson and others have done very well. But the batting too has clicked. Obviously, without the backing of the batsmen, this result would not be possible.” He felt Australia missed a quality bowler like Shane Warne.
Shah, however, loves to talk about India. “I love playing in India. I have rolled myself in the IPL auction. If I get picked up, I would like to have a go. I had a wonderful experience playing for Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders.”
The 32-year-old Englishman says the atmosphere at the One-Day Internationals and the IPL matches in India are incredible. “The crowds are amazing over there. The IPL games and the ODIs, it’s a great experience.”
Shah, who has played six Tests and 71 ODIs, says cricketers have become universal. “That is the way it is. Cricketers get to play in every country and make friends there. But when they play for their country, they forget the friendship. They play hard. The friendships made during other tournaments are forgotten. There are no friends out in the middle. The country is more important. I loved playing for my country.”
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