Pacer Javed Khan plays on for Mumbai 'A' vs England despite bereavement
It was an unforgettable moment for medium-pacer Javed Khan when the Mumbai ‘A’ bowler dismissed England’s Jonathan Trott at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.
Mumbai ‘A’ pacer Javed Khan bowls against England on Saturday. PIC/Atul Kamble
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The satisfaction of claiming his maiden first-class wicket though was quickly dampened by the thought of his father Jayish, who passed away the previous evening after a prolonged heart ailment.u00a0Though Javed conceded 75 runs in 17 overs at an economy rate of 4.41, he picked up two crucial wickets. Centurion Jonny Bairstow (118) was his second as England scored 338 for six on Day One of their second warm-up match Javed decided to play on as his father’s last rites were performed but he spent some moments in prayer after stumps were drawn.
Mumbai ‘A’ coach Pradeep Sundaram lauded Javed’s commitment. “It was a very courageous act from Javed. He was quite disturbed when he came for the match but was keen to play. I was very surprised (by his decision),” Sundaram told SUNDAY MiD DAY.u00a0Raju Pathak, Javed’s school and college coach at Rizvi, was touched too. “Playing for Mumbai ‘A’ was a big opportunity for him; he didn’t want to miss it at any cost. We asked him about his decision and he said he would like to play this match for his father,” said Pathak.
Javed’s friends recalled how Khan Sr would attend matches and keenly followed his son’s progress. He would talk to coaches and sit for hours in Mumbai’s maidans to watch Javed bowl.u00a0“In fact, he wanted to delay his open-heart surgery just to watch Javed play. But his condition worsened and there was no option but to have him admitted to hospital. Just a few days ago, he requested the doctors to allow him to witness the match at DY Patil Stadium,” said Pathak.
Javed has joined an illustrious list of Indian players who played through their grief — Sachin Tendulkar (scored a hundred against Kenya on his return to the World Cup 1999 after attending his father’s funeral in Mumbai), Virat Kohli (played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi a day after his father passed away), Eknath Solkar (returned to continue his Mumbai duties in the 1968-69 Ranji Trophy final against Bengal after performing the last rites of his departed father) and Wasim Jaffer (playing on after being informed of his mother’s death during Mumbai’s chase against Himachal Pradesh in the 2003 Ranji Trophy season).u00a0
Brief Scores: England: 338 for six in 86 overs (Jonny Bairstow 118, Eoin Morgan 76, Samit Patel 59*; Kshemal Waingankar 2-68, Javed Khan 2-75)
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