Being consistently attuned to a bigger picture of the world beyond the cricket field has led Andy Flower to putting together a diverse and robust World XI squad to tour Pakistan in September
Osman Samiuddin25-Aug-20172:25
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Until recently, Andy Flower would not have been expected to figure prominently across the radar of most Pakistani fans. Sure they will know of him: former England coach, brother to Pakistan’s batting coach, a legend from a different time, nuggety and determined enough as an opponent to force his way into Wasim Akram’s all-time XI.By the end of next month, by the end of this year, in five years hopefully, in a decade perhaps, if all goes well, they might come to remember him indelibly as the man who led big-time international cricket back to Pakistan.As coach of the World XI side that will face Pakistan in Lahore in three T20Is in September, Flower is not the only one responsible for bringing the highest-profile international games to the country in over eight years. The ECB president Giles Clarke, as head of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Team (PTT), the PCB itself – Shaharyar Khan has gone but left this behind – and the ICC have come together for this.But it was Flower who got a diverse and robust 14-man squad together, with enough established names to make this more than just an invitational XI. Clarke had first mentioned the prospect of such a series to Flower last year, though it only became a more tangible project before the start of this English summer.”Inititally I had to look at who was busy during this period of the year,” Flower told ESPNcricinfo. “And initially we didn’t settle on the dates specifically so it was a little difficult working out exactly who was going to be physically available. Then I started having some phone conversations with players and agents.”Security was a “robust” part of these conversations, according to Flower. But the presence of two experienced and trusted security firms, veteran security officials such as Reg Dickason, as well as a more or less incident-free PSL final in Lahore earlier this year meant players were “comfortable and trusting of the expertise on offer from these companies that will be working closely in conjunction with Pakistanis security experts.””In general the response was very positive. Obviously these are professional cricketers we are dealing with and this is part of their profession but there’s a deeper meaning to this tour and the players will really embrace the spirit with which the Independence Cup will be played. And I also believe they will be surprised and pleased by the reception they get from the Pakistani people.”Flower had no hesitation in wanting to get involved. Part of it stems from being consistently attuned to a bigger picture of the world beyond the cricket field. But it is also because Pakistan and Pakistanis figure prominently through a rich career. He toured Pakistan as a player three times in five years, as well as the 1996 World Cup; in all he’s played across nine venues in the country, “fascinating” experiences as he remembers them.Playing and working with Pakistanis has provided further insight, as well as a stint with Peshawar Zalmi in the first season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). And, of course, there is his brother Grant, batting coach of Pakistan now for three years, and uniquely placed to provide an outsider’s insider perspective.Andy Flower: “I think everybody involved in the Independence Cup will realise there are bigger issues at stake than winning at cricket.”•Getty Images”I speak regularly with him of course. But I’ve also got some other strong connections. I coached England with Mushtaq Ahmed for a few years. And we became strong friends. And I also played cricket with Mohammad Akram and coached with him at Peshawar Zalmi. So I had very fond memories of Pakistan and some really good relationships with people from the country.”What has driven Flower on as much is that same understanding of the wider world in which cricket operates which led to his famous political protest alongside Henry Olonga at the 2003 World Cup, in which they bemoaned the “death of democracy” in Zimbabwe.Before that, in the late 90s, he had surprised many in Zimbabwe by moving, as the country’s finest white batsman and captain, across a creeping racial divide, to a black club. It was a seminal moment for the game there.Bringing international cricket back to a country pining for it is part of that tapestry. “I think we are all responsible for doing our best for the game,” Flower said.”And if we are lucky enough to be given opportunities where we can make a positive contribution to – it could be your club, school, a representative team, your national team or if you’re really lucky you might be given opportunities to positively affect the world game in some way. We all have our little parts to play. So I’m thankful for the opportunity to come to Pakistan with this team.”Among his players, Flower will have to balance the sense of being part of a bigger-than-usual occasion with the seriousness of competitive cricket. These are international matches after all and Pakistan’s first assignment as winners of the Champions Trophy. Do not expect knockabouts.”I think everybody involved in the Independence Cup will realise there are bigger issues at stake than winning at cricket,” Flower said. “However, I think when these excellent players get together as a team, their competitive juices will undoubtedly flow and they will come together and be doing everything in their power to win those games, I’m pretty certain about that.”But I think it will actually be a lovely experience to be part of something that will be bigger than just winning cricket matches. So yes they will be competitive. The people that come will be richly entertained and that is really important. But it is nice to be part of something bigger than this.”
