Andy Flower was a champion batsman of his time and has a huge fan-base across the world including Pakistan but the latest wave of admiration, for him, in Pakistan is not because of his elegant batting but for the vital role he played in making the World XI series a possibility.
He indeed played an integral part in pulling off a daunting task along with the Pakistan Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council.
This correspondent interacted with Andy Flower, via Skype, for a private TV channel, News One, to know about the birth of this idea, the strategy, the hurdles and the huge money which, many people say, lured in the international players to join the bandwagon.
When and how did it begin?
Andy Flower: Giles Clarke (head of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Team) planted the seed of the idea last year but things couldn’t happen for various reasons. He approached me again at the start of this English summer in April-May and said that the PCB and the Pakistan Task Team wanted this (World XI tour) to happen. I was asked to recruit the international team in consultation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
What prompted you to say yes to the idea?
Andy Flower: I think that was a great cause to get involved with and I also thought it would be something exciting to lead. Not often the cricketers get a chance to do something out of the ordinary and to be able to make a difference so I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.
What were the initial hurdles you faced?
Andy Flower: Initially we looked at the international schedule of the teams. Australia were in the midst of preparations for the Indian series, England were hosting the West India and New Zealand were preparing for their tour of the subcontinent. Initially the NZ board wasn’t keen to relinquish their players for the endeavour. So, that left us with various other options.
How did you begin your course?
Andy Flower: I recruited a friend of mine who is an agent and eventually managed the tour as well. We started making phone calls around the world to gauge the interest of international stars. Later, I shared my initial investigation, into international cricketers’ interest, with Giles Clarke and the PCB. The quality of the players, we were talking, was excellent and the PCB was happy with that.
Any difficulty in players’ contracts?
Andy Flower: The next hurdle to overcome was to ensure that the players’ contracts – with the PCB – were approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA). Ensuring that the FICA and players were happy with the security plan was absolutely crucial.
Was the World XI series a one-time affair?
Andy Flower: Only the PCB can answer this question. It was obviously a very successful week but I am not sure that they [PCB] wanted this to happen next year again.
Are you willing to come back to Pakistan in the same capacity?
Andy Flower: Yes, I would love to do it again. I really enjoyed getting the team together. We got a really good bunch of people together.
How this step will pave way for international cricket revival in Pakistan?
Andy Flower: The next step is for Sri Lanka to play international match in Pakistan and then for the West Indies to do the same. If that sort of momentum is continued, I don’t think it will be necessary for the World XI to come back to Pakistan.
What is the feedback from the World XI players?
Andy Flower: The players in our squad really enjoyed their week. The facilities were great but most especially the players loved the warm welcome and the passion for the game they experienced among the public in Pakistan.
Was money the major temptation?
Andy Flower: Well, money was part of it of course. The players are professionals and they get paid for their job to play cricket. I think that was a part of getting them to Pakistan. Once we got the team together, we discussed the greater goal and the real intent behind the trip to Pakistan. I think they [players] understood their part in making a contribution to the reintroduction of international cricket in Pakistan.
They embraced the fact that Pakistan as a nation would grow from the reintroduction of international cricket. There was a great feel within our dressing room, a real feel of doing the right thing and I think that’s one of the reasons why they would want to come back to Pakistan.