Views from an avid Pakistani Cricket Fan

It was an overcast day at London on June 21^st, 2009. Expectations were high and Pakistanis were saying their prayers all over the world for their team which had unexpectedly turned the tables in the later part of the tournament and had reached the final. Many people still remembered the memories etched into their minds of Pakistan's Worldcup victory in 1992 under the leadership of the great Imran Khan. Not surprisingly, people expected another Khan, Younis Khan, to lead Pakistan to that glory again. The world of cricket had crashed for avid Pakistani cricket fans ever since there was a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team at Lahore earlier that year. Elders and youngsters alike had the same enthusiasm for the final.

The match began with high hopes for Pakistanis. Straight into the fifth ball of the match's first over, the new rookie left arm pacemen Mohammad Aamir struck gold by dismissing Dilshan, the highest run scorer in the tournament for a mere duck.

Of course Pakistanis went into high spirit after the first attack. Their relentless attack crippled the highly skilled Sri Lankans and reduced them to a total of just 138 runs in 20 overs. Pakistan then set forth to chase that target. Although the batting lacked the 'smashing' part until the later part of the innings, Pakistanis' hearts thumped with each and every run taken and a wicket fallen. It finally came down crashing to a few overs. This is precisely when Shahid Afridi made the moment for the Pakistanis for years to follow. The six towering over the Lords stadium, was not only aimed to clear the boundary but to win the hearts of the Pakistanis who wanted nothing more but to have the privilege to bringing the Cup to their country. Just the moment when the ball crossed the boundary line, people sensed that something was going to happen, Of course Pakistan still needed some runs to win but they sensed it. It was, a feeling, that perhaps no word or adjective could define, but it did penetrate the hearts of the millions of people watching the match at home on large TV screens. No matter what the model of the TV they were watching the match on was, no matter where they were watching the match was, there was the same happiness engrossed in every single Pakistani soul. They smelled triumph even before it came.

Of course, millions more tuned in to see their national cricket team hold the Cup and run around the stadium overjoyed at the mere thought of winning the Worldcup.

That day, it was like every sins had been washed out. People phoned their friends and relatives and blabbed for hours about this and that players' performance. No one knew which player to praise more, whether the new Aamir who took the much prized wicket of Dilshan, or Boom Boom Afridi who hit a booming six into the crowd right in the midst of tension. The captain, Younis Khan found a good reason to retire on a good note from T20 Cricket.

I had only heard about the celebrations of the 1992 Worldcup victory of Pakistanis from my elders but that day, I witnessed the scene. The scene that must have happened in Melbourne, and in Pakistan, the people's gleaming faces. Yes indeed one commentator was right, “ The young ones watching would of course remember this and recount it to their younger ones later on”. I am proud to say that I witnessed a moment in Pakistani and cricketing history that I can always narrate with joy to other people who would never get the chance to witness that particular moment. The moment of joy, the moment of Pakistan winning the T20 Worldcup when it seemed like cricket had ended for Pakistan.

Now, another Worldcup tournament is just around the corner. For Pakistanis, it means the absolute need to win this tournament too to retain the title of being the 'T20 Champions'. Of course, there are cricket gurus and speculators who would say that the current Pakistani team lacks the players or the morale to win the 'big one' again too but I would say this, Pakistanis have proved themselves to be a really unpredictable team but when their high time comes, nothing can beat them, be it ordinary players from their own side or formidable ones from the competing side. This time, it can be their high time too, and of course if it is, then victory is certain. Rock on, Pakistan.

Written By Hammad Hussain

The ground breaking and cutting edge research into the 2012 Armageddon Conspiracy

Well the most shocking thing in this conspiracy, or as I say, a hole in the conspiracy, which is that, the conspirers say that the world'll end on 22 December 2012 on 11 PM, now the most shocking thing about it is that, how come the world'll end on 22 December 2012 on 11 PM just like that, because there is a time difference all over the world, i.e. first 11 PM in Australia and lastly in USA, so what type of Armageddon is it where the world ends in parts following 11 PM.

Research Done by Faizan Chaki

Mark Zuckerberg Uncovered

This script is based on Mark Zuckerburg, the founder of Facebook, wandering around, lost in the streets of Paposh. He is in rags but feels elated from within beacause of the news being relayed to him recently that the 'Guardian of Facebook' is returning back to Facebook!

Zuckerburg: Hey, you! Do you know about the Guardian of Facebook? I am Mark...

Theley waala: Arey kaun ho tum? Mujhe kia pata kaun hai ye guardian!! Bhai main to thela chalaata hoon aur is ki kamaai se roti khaata hoon! Mujhe kia pata hoga in baato ka? Aur tum bhi koi kaam karo, tum kia ye aesey phir rahe ho?

Zuckerburg: Actually I am looking for Shaheryar Hasan. I think he lives here, in Paposh.

Theley waala: Acha haan wo idhar hi rehta hai! Saamne waali galli mein jaao!

Zuckerburg is now at Shaheryar's doorstep.

(TING TONG)

Voice from inside: Kaun hai?

Zuckerburg: Mark Zuckerburg. The founder of Facebook. I presume this is Shaheryar Hasan's house, is it?

Voice from inside: Ji ji wo idhar hi rehta hai. Aap ko usse kaam?

Zuckerburg: I can only tell this to Shaheryar himself in person. He is really important to my cause.

( Zuckerburg is now led in the house. He is made to sit in the drawing room and to wait for Shaheryar. Half an hour passes after which Shaheryar enters the room)

Zuckerburg: Hello, Shaheryar.

Shaheryar: Hello Zuckerburg Bhaiyya!!!!

Zuckerburg: Bhaiyaa means?

Shaheryar: Brother.

(They hug each other now. Zuckerburg actually breaks into tears).

Shaheryar: C'mon now.

Zuckerburg: I can't!! ( He sobs unashamedly)

Shaheryar: Now, now there is no need to cry.

Zuckerburg: These are tears of happiness! Do you know how much I suffered?? How much pain did I withstand????

Shaheryar: C'mon. I am one guy. There are millions others perhaps on Facebook to generate income for you. What did you exactly have to go through?

Zuckerburg: But you are Facebook! Those millions are not the ones who sit on Facebook all day. They do not share videos! They are not the ones who write good statuses!! Most of 'em don't even open their accounts for months!

(Zuckerburg is now sobbing uncontrollably)

Shaheryar: Just relax. Put on some nice clothes.

Zuckerburg: Only if I had the money to do it! I have lost all my possessions. My house, my car. Oh for God's sake, they even took my toilet papers! And I don't have money to buy them now.

Written by Hammad Hussain
“Its just for a laugh (winks)”

A Day in the Life of Shaheryar Hasan

When we read history or infact do anything, we always learn about the 'greats'. No one ever gives importance to the 'averages. They are in essence always forgotten while the former have their names cemented in the annals of history forever. So here I feel privileged to write about a 'great' that I have met and with whom I also happen to be very best friends. Don't get me wrong, readers. The 'great''s name is Shaheryar Hasan. The boy who ended up with 10 As in his O Levels and sure is to break some havoc in the A Levels as well.

Now here the fun starts. You all readers with me? OK. So Shaheryar Hasan hails from Paposh, Karachi. Paposhis are known for their untapped potential and their eerie, albeit much-liked personalities. But Shaheryar is more than just one of those genius Paposhis.

Shaheryar, widely agreed upon by many people who witnessed him gain influence and practically create an aura of awesomeness of Facebook, is its guardian, its saviour, its protector. It would not be wrong to say that Facebook would have ceased to exist a long time ago had it not been for Shaheryar's jaw-breaking efforts to entertain all 'Facebookies'.

Wake up at 2 in the afternoon, earn some nice comments from your mum and daddy, sit grudgingly on your PC to cheer youself up and BOOM there you have it!! Shaheryar is online. You have a nice talk with him. You gotta do some work now. Your say BYE. Do your work. Turn back the PC after the work finishes and there you have it, Shaheryar is still online!! You may be allured into believing that he is a kind of mythical tech being who is always ready to embrace any tech and software-savvy personality. OK. Log on to Facebook at the dead of the night. When there is only the rustling of the leaves on the trees because of the blows of cool night air, when only the dogs bark in the distance, you would find Shaheryar still online to accompany you to another interesting night.

Shaheryar's love for celebrities, most notably singers and his teachers is perhaps unmatched by anyone. Miley Cyrus is one of Shaheryar's favourites and whatever his mood may be, he likes nothing better but to listen to some 'Miley'. Throughout his student life, Shaheryar has expressed his gratitude and respect for his teachers but there is one teacher of which Shaheryar is a die-hard fan of. His English teacher, Miss Nazish. Although deemed by many to be sarcastic, according to Shaheryar, Miss Nazish has a lot of hand in shaping him where he is. At least his language!! We all know after all the great 'statuses' set by Shaheryar in the 'Golden Facebooking Era'. Those statuses echoed someone's name. Yes!! Miss Nazish!! She was after all the one who taught him English! Had she not taught him, who would have written those statuses? Or an even more bigger question, who would have been the guardian of Facebook?

Friends, although I would like to talk about Shaheryar for as long as I live, I can't do it due to time and space constraints. So, I end this expository essay about Shaheryar here. While Facebook still craves for Shaheryar, the man who led it to glory, who doesn't seem for now to have any plans to return to Facebook, many people, including me, want him to. Clearly as long as Shaheryar lives, so would live Facebook and the virtual world as a whole. Salute to Shaheryar Hasan, the guardian of Facebook.

Written by Hammad Hussain

Shaheryar Hasan is Returning to Facebook - See yourself