Draft:Haji Muhammad Bashir

  • Comment: So this draft has undergone multiple rejections and is currently pending review once again. Upon conducting a thorough WP:BEFORE search on the subject, it appears that the bio fails to meet the WP:N. Therefore, I have decided to simply decline the draft and kindly request the creator to refrain from resubmitting it for further review, as it does not meet the WP:N. —Saqib (talk I contribs) 19:08, 5 June 2024 (UTC)


Muhammad Bashir
Born(1940-12-16)16 December 1940
Tehaiet, Punjab, British India
(now Punjab, Pakistan)
Died18 November 2020(2020-11-18) (aged 79)
Lahore, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
OccupationCricket groundsman
Years active1959–2016
Children5
AwardsPCB Curator of the Year 2012[1]

Haji Muhammad Bashir (16 December 1940 – 18 November 2020) was a Pakistani cricket groundman.

Early life

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Born in December 1940[2] in Tehaiet, Punjab, in what was then British India (now part of Green Town, Lahore), Bashir was the child of Mian Siraj Din, an employee of the Railways. He commenced his career at Lahore Stadium as a gardener on 1 November 1959, and advanced to the role of assistant groundman.[2] His career initiation coincided with the venue's first Test match.[3]

Career

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Bashir was involved in the development of multiple cricket venues throughout Pakistan including Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.[4][5] His tenure was continued until his retirement in 2016.[2]

After Pakistan's loss in a Test series to England, there was contemplation within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about introducing a foreign curator to prepare pitches in Pakistan, reflecting the scrutiny and expectations placed on groundskeeping staff, including Bashir.[6]

Bashir also worked at international venues, notably in the development of cricket grounds in the UAE, Bangladesh, and Morocco.[2][7]

Criticism

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Bashir encountered criticism regarding pitch preparation, notably during matches against India and a one-day series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.[8][9] The critiques often focused on the pitches being flat and not favoring the home team's playing style. This led to the dissatisfaction of the PCB. Commentators and former players highlighted these pitches' unsuitability for certain matches.[10]

Post-retirement

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Following his retirement in 1991, Bashir occasionally continued his involvement in groundskeeping on a contractual basis with Pakistan Cricket Board and Lahore Qalandars, indicating his continued relevance to Pakistani cricket.[2]

Personal life and death

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In his later years, Bashir was working on the reconstruction of a local mosque.[2] He was married and had two sons, three daughters, and nineteen grandchildren [2]. His elder son, Mohammad Ashraf,[11] has also worked in the field of cricket groundskeeping.

Bashir died on 18 November 2020, and was mourned by the cricket community.[12] Notable figures, including Ali Anwar Jafri, Majid Khan, and Agha Zahid, acknowledged his dedication to and impact on cricket in Pakistan.[2][13][14]

Prominent cricket figures such as Muhammad Hafeez, Shoaib Akhtar, and Kamran Akmal expressed their condolences.[15][16][17]

References

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  1. ^ "PCB Awards 2012".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Heart and Soil of Pakistan Cricket". Cricket World. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Gaddafi Stadium celebrates its 50th year". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ^ "The Gaddafi and the man behind it". The Express Tribune. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – A Historic Perspective". Cricket World. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Why the Pakistan Cricket Board needs to rethink its strategy". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Bashir for Tangier". DAWN.COM. 26 June 2002. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  8. ^ "PCB rushes curator to Faisalabad". Hindustan Times. 16 January 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Pakistan curator faces PCB wrath for poor pitches against Oz". DNA India. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Gaddafi curator not in sight". gulfnews.com. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Ashraf resigns over differences with PCB chief curator". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  12. ^ "PCB former chief curator Haji Bashir Ahmed passes away". 92 News HD. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Test and Tribulation - Agha Zahid". Cricket World. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Former ICC umpire Khizer Hayat condoles death of former PCB curator". The Nation. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  15. ^ Altaf, Arhama (18 November 2020). "Haji Bashir, former head curator passes away; cricketers express sorrow". BOL News. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  16. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Sports (19 November 2020). "Former PCB chief curator Haji Bashir passes away". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Umpire Khizer Hayat saddened by Bashir's demise". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 January 2024.