The six-hitter from Chakwal

Khurram Shehzad talks about his journey of playing tape-ball cricket

With tape-ball cricket growing its branches from the streets to every part of Pakistan, the fondness for this format keeps rising as well with its fan base tremendously soaring within days.

Tape-ball players have now pursued this form of cricket professionally, gaining as much stardom as hard-ball cricket professionals, if not more. Their videos receive millions of views and appreciation across social platforms.

Every neighbourhood is filled with the enthusiasm and thrill of the game; fans take up the bat and ball to play day and night.

An explosive six-hitter

One such individual is Khurram Shehzad aka Khurram Chakwal. The 35-year-old tape-ball genius hailing from Chakwal has been in the circuit for the past 15 years, making continuous waves on the field.

While he plays hard-ball cricket as well, Khurram’s area of expertise is tape-ball cricket. In an exclusive interview with Bol News, he revealed his cricketing journey, gave insights on some of the local cricket action and also named some of the best players in the country at the moment in tape-ball cricket.

“I am grateful to Allah for honouring me with so much respect. Starting my cricket at my home village, Hadala, in Chakwal district, I first reached the district level and eventually played region. All this was a process,” Khurram said.

Pros and cons

Khurram emphasised that while it can be challenging to advance in a hard-ball team, tape-ball is accessible to everyone and so it boosts one’s drive to succeed and make a name for themselves.

“As you are all aware, tape-ball cricket is becoming increasingly popular across the nation. While playing tape-ball is accessible to all cricketers, playing domestic or international cricket is not. Also, this form of cricket is enjoyable for the masses as well. Also, hardball is a different game and it requires more effort.”

Transition

He shared that he has first-hand experience of playing both forms of the game, hardball and tape-ball, so he knows well the hurdles an individual faces while pursuing a professional form of cricket.

However having said that, Khurram added: “I have featured in First-Class cricket from the Pindi region and I still play club cricket and represent my district.”

He said that even though playing hardball is more complex and its system is more complicated, he is still trying to ride his luck by preparing to give his best whenever he receives a chance in the circuit.

“I am still trying and I will give my best whenever I receive a chance,” he maintained.

Among the stars

Further adding, Khurram said that he believes players from tape-ball are capable of playing T20 Cricket as he has played with a handful of international stars who were tape-ball players in the past.

“T20 cricket is a sport that skilled tape-ball players can play. They could play cricket at the top level if they were invested in it. The best power hitters and openers can be found with tape ball,” he opined.

“Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf have played cricket with me. We have featured in tape-ball and hard-ball cricket together. Moreover, Sohail Tanvir captained the side during the time I played for the Rawalpindi region.”

Naming the best bowlers in the tape-ball community Khurram said: “Currently the best bowlers in tape-ball cricket are Farhad Ahmed Abdali, Jallat Khan, Maaz from Rawalpindi, Umair Charsadda. There is a lot of competition among tape-ball bowlers.”

Traveling places

Khurram further claimed that the excitement level of playing tape-ball cricket is the same regardless of location.

“Cricket is played across all the nations and I like it everywhere since each city and each event has its own essence,” he said. “I am currently competing in Karachi and the enjoyment has been the same. This is because the organisers work hard to set up better tournaments everywhere. We have also travelled outside Pakistan as I’ve played in UAE, Uganda and Oman.”

Different conditions

Talking about how a change in venue impacts the overall outcome for the players, Khurram believes that the difference in six-hitting in Punjab and Karachi is down to the size of the grounds.

“The boundaries in Karachi are bigger compared to Punjab,” he said. “The air is also heavy and the batters face some difficulty here. Whereas in Punjab, the six-hitting ratio is high because the boundaries are short while the conditions are also favourable for the batters.”

Experience in Karachi over the years

The tape-ball sensation also named his favourite ground in Karachi and the experience he had in the city of lights over the years.

“I have been coming to Karachi since 2009 as my In-Laws are also from here,” he said. “The food here is delicious and one can’t stay bored during their stay here.

“There are great grounds in Karachi where I enjoy playing, but Eid Gaah ground is my favourite. However, it is an absolute honour for me to represent Chakwal and when my name comes up with the city, it feels great.”

Moving further on to the discussion about players being associated with cities, Khurram said: “If my name is mentioned somewhere, the city where I have lived all my life [Chakwal] would definitely be brought up as well. Mostly, players have been associated with city names and later, their city’s name gains popularity.”

 Hard-hitting

Famous for his monstrous maximums, Khurram, however, does not remember how many times he has cleared the boundary in a single inning. He also does not remember his highest score but recalls having hit quite a few hundreds while playing.

“I don’t remember my highest score as there are many instances where scores have not been recorded, but I have scored centuries on many occasions,” Khurram maintained.

“As for the sixes, I can’t remember exactly as well but I have smacked approximately 14-15 sixes in an innings, where we (team) have chased high scores too. This is the beauty of tape-ball where scores like 120-130 are chased down within 6-8 overs. There are great players of this format across the country.”

The armory 

Having some of the best shots in his ranks, Khurram listed his favourites among them. “Be it the shot over extra-cover, cut shot through point or any other, I have all the shots in my manual. This is what Allah has rewarded me with after all the hard work I’ve put in,” he added.

The 35-year-old also revealed that he does not fear facing any bowler and has faced quality bowling throughout his career.

“I have faced top-quality bowlers in tape-ball cricket. Sometimes, they are on my side while on other occasions, they come up against me. I have hit them for sixes and also been dismissed by them.”

‘Absorbing pressure is key’

The Chakwal-born emphasised that absorbing pressure is the only thing that sets batters apart from the bowlers in tape-ball cricket.

“The key for a batter is to absorb pressure and have the courage to play their shots. A batter must be aware of the bowler’s strengths and go-to deliveries to be sure that the shot selection is accurate. This helps the batter overcome the bowler’s smartness,” he said.

He then shared his experience of playing in Karachi by saying: “A batter gets the idea after a couple of balls over what bowler is trying to do. In Karachi, the ball swings due to air. We have things in mind and make our plans based on that, after judging a couple of deliveries to predict the bowler’s next move.”

Grateful to supporters

Khurram concluded by appreciating fans for showering unconditional love on him over the years. He thanked the viewers and his supporters by saying:

“We are famous due to our fans and the people have played a huge role in shaping us the way we are today,” he said. “It feels surreal to see them coming in large numbers to watch us play.”