Greats relive cricket magic moments

KOLKATA: What was Javed Miandad thinking when he smashed Chetan Sharma for a six off the last ball of the Sharjah Champions’ Trophy? How did Syed Kirmani, on the non-striker’s end, feel when Kapil Dev knocked 175 runs at Tunbridge Wells?
A book that seeks to go into the mind of one-day cricket’s 60 most sensational players is on its way. Written in the first person, each cricketer remembers that magic moment on the field that he would like to relive, over and over again.
Brainchild of cricket crazy Indian-born Middle East cement and cable tycoon Shyam Bhatia, the book will be launched during the February 2003 World Cup by “someone important. We are trying to rope in Nelson Mandela,� said cricket chronicler and commentator Kishore Bhimani who conducted the interviews.
The book cannot be picked off the shelves. It will be an exclusive for cricketing institutions all over the world, players and others in the cricketing fraternity.
The probable date for launch is February 28, the day before India and Pakistan meet at Pretoria. Present will be the captains of all nations playing the Cup and those written about. To be published in Dubai, the book will be ready by January.
The list was drawn up by Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Bhatia and Bhimani. Each interview, after being penned, was sent back to the cricketer to be cleared so that there were “no wounded vanities�. Each essay will be of equal length, too.
It has not been smooth sailing for Bhimani, who took on this project last November. Kiwi Martin Crowe dismissed him, calling “all Indians bookmakers�. Security cover and publicity managers made the going tougher. Gordon Greenidge and Shane Warne, busy promoting their own book, are still eluding Bhimani.
In the author’s note will be little known facts like Jonty Rhodes’ love for children and that most Pakistanis need to be talked to in Urdu.