JEDDAH: Saeed Anwar, Pakistan’s one-time public delight who was capable of destroying even the best bowling attacks with his seemingly effortless flicks and superb timing, is today batting on different pitch.

After retiring from cricket Anwar took to preaching from the platform of Tablighi Jamaat-Pakistan’s largest nonpolitical religious group. But his love for the game is still evident. And he is ready to answer cricket’s call too.

“Apart from my Tablighi activities, with regard to cricket I’ll be an ambassador of the game,” he said. “Wherever they want me to promote the game, I’ll go there.”

This is what brought Anwar, the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997, to Jeddah: To promote the launch of cricketing activities of the Jeddah Cricket Association, which had a soft opening on Thursday of their inaugural league at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

In the brief meeting with the press, he touched on the new face of cricket — the slam-bang version (20/20), cricket in his own country and dispelled the rumor that former West Indies captain Brian Lara had embraced Islam.

He confirmed that the advent of 20/20 had changed the game drastically from the days he played cricket.

“But whenever anything new comes, it brings with it its own charisma, its own attraction,” he said. “But as time passes, things will settle down and it will find its place in the scheme of things,” Anwar said.

He also made a case for this version of cricket — a shorter game that raises the ire of many purists — as ideal for bringing the game to new places.

“This short version of the game is ideal for places where cricket is not known or needs promotion, like the United States and Europe,” he said. “Here we cannot take Tests and 50-over matches as promotional gambits as the people in these areas need to understand the game. The 20/20 matches are short, thrilling and they can captivate a new audience.”

He said the situation in Pakistan was definitely affecting cricket and cricketers. For the past year and a half, Pakistani players have had very little exposure and it is affecting their game and also Pakistan’s stature in world cricket.

The situation globally is bad, but it should be managed in such a way that sports are not affected, he added.

“It is my belief that sports should be the means through which countries could be brought closer, but for that to happen security has to be tight and confidence should be there that all would be secure,” he said when asked about the cricketing nation’s refusal to play in Pakistan following the attacks recently on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

“Pakistan were able to stage the series against Sri Lanka and in Karachi it was all OK, but the authorities took it easy in Lahore and that incident happened. That was unfortunate,” he said.

“If security is tightened a bit sports in general and cricket in particular could come up in Pakistan. In my opinion the best example of a show of confidence would be for a World XI to come and play in Pakistan and prove that cricket could be a healer.”

On the Pakistan Cricket Board’s move to win back the right to host the World Cup following this security foulup, Anwar said: “That I doubt ... The situation in Pakistan is still fluid and also there is not enough support for Pakistan from other countries. This has definitely affected cricket in Pakistan and the national cricketers are also suffering because lack of match practice for over a year and a half.”

They have not played any Test matches and this could affect their talent, he said, adding that the lack of exposure to big cricket prevents new faces to come on to the big stage.

“Playing One-Day cricket is not enough,” he said. “One’s talent cannot be gauged on the basis of their limited overs performance.”

A member challenged Anwar’s assertion that on the one hand he says that Tests are a must for cricketers to hone their talents and on the other hand he makes a case for 20/20. Anwar says one version of the game doesn’t necessarily have to exclude the other.

“Playing Tests shows the mettle of a player, and one cannot gauge the talent of a player in the shorter versions,” he said. “If the player concentrates on the limited overs then his technique would be affected, and the only way a player can prove to be a class one is when he simultaneously plays Test and limited overs and performs in both.”

On Younis Khan’s recent statement that he would quit the captaincy of the limited overs game after the World Cup in England, Anwar said that it is his call.

“Today we don’t have players in the caliber of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis or Inzamamul Haq who could switch from Tests to limited overs. Today the pressure of the game tells on the younger players and it is better for the player to know his strengths.” He refrained from picking the team that would emerge as the 20/20 champion in the forthcoming World Cup in England.

“Every team is a favorite in this form of the game,” he said. “It is the form of the team on the given day that would dictate the trend. The team that plays well during the event would succeed.”

On Pakistan’s chances after finishing runners-up to India in the first World Cup he said: “Their chances are not that bright. Not only do they lack practice, but also they are not settled into a team. The people who could contribute, like Mohammed Yousuf and Abdul Razzak, are sidelined by their contracts with the Indian Cricket League.”

But he held out hope that players from the Indian Cricket League (ICL) could make it to the side despite the ICC-ICL imbroglio.

“There is some thaw, and the ICL has said that they are ready to release players with contractual obligations,” he said. “That means Pakistan can avail the services of these players.”

On Shoaib Akhtar and Pakistan’s future, Anwar was circumspect but also said that Pakistan is in the rebuilding stage and a revival is on the cards.

“We do not have academies as Australia has, and the players they churn out could enable the Australians to pick three to four class teams,” he said. “They also plan out the future while we do not — and you cannot build a team in a day. But on the present strength Pakistan is on the revival path, both in batting and bowling, but we all need patience and the results will come.”

Anwar showed that he has not lost his sharpness when he effected a classy cut during his talks with the press. When it was suggested that Anwar could be considered by the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams especially since ex players from Down Under are participating in the IPL, Anwar retorted, “I’ll definitely play when they start an OPL — Old Players League.”

On the rumors that he has been instrumental in converting Brian Lara to Islam, Anwar denied the rumor.

“I’ve not talked to Brian on this issue at all,” he said. “But he has been in contact with (Mohammed) Yousuf and if he has been impressed with the change Islam has brought in Yousuf then it is something personal.”