JEDDAH, 29 October 2004 — Zahid Ali Khan, who returns home for good soon, is happy that he has been able to perform well in cricket during his 30- year stay here. “I’ve spent the best period of my life here both at work and in cricket,” Khan told Arab News.
In the local matches and tournaments organized by the Jeddah Cricket League over the years, Khan, 58, come to be known as the “lead bowler, wicket taker and batsman of crisis.”
When he arrived in Jeddah at the age of 28, Khan began his new cricketing chapter by playing for the Embassy of India. He subsequently represented clubs like Red Sea, BMW, Saudia Milk and Mahmood Saeed.
His cricketing days back home in India were memorable both in terms of the level of matches he played and the bowling and batting performances he gave.
Khan started playing cricket from his school days in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad and every year he was declared the best bowler - the best left arm spinner and right hand batsman that he was.
He had a checkered cricketing career in Hyderabad, having played for his college, university, state and south zone. He played in the interstate Ranji Trophy tournament and captained the south zone in the Duleep Trophy tournament, in addition to representing his university in the all-India interuniversity tournament, ultimately winning the final against the mighty Bombay team those days.
He remembers a match he played in his early days against a team, as the event featured great players like West Indies’ Rohan Kanhai, India’s Salim Durrani, Sri Lanka’s Dilip Mendes and some others. “In that match I took five wickets, including those of Kanhai, (Nawab of) Pataudi (India) and Dilip Mendes,” Khan said.
Khan is still undecided what he will do back home. “I’ve been a professional cricketer and would like to continue to dedicate myself to cricket. Given the right environment and opportunity, I would play any role in developing and promoting the game,” he said.
Khan, however, has one regret. Even when he had peaked as a cricketer, particularly as a spinner, in his early days in Hyderabad, he could not figure in the Indian team. “That was the time when India had four dreaded spinners, all at one time - Chandrasekar, Bedi, Prasanna and Venkataraghavan. So there were many other spinners like me who did not get a chance to be considered for the national team,” said Khan who was recently honored by JCL with a plaque of appreciation.
