The Karims- A sporting Dynasty

29 Jul, 2014 By Aasif Karim

Category: Cricket
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The publishers of Sports Monthly magazine, Alpha Sports Limited (part of Safinaz Group of Companies) produced a documentary entitled “The Karims – A Sporting Dynasty” that was nominated in the recently watched Tiger Paw Sports Film Festival in Delhi – India.

The festival had 82 entries and 22 were nominated from short to feature movies/documentaries. The movie was directed by Amit Tyiagi who has also produced a local Kenyan film - Muigwithania. The documentary and the sports festival were very well received in India, including our Kenyan documentary.

As usual, the reception was a nostalgic experience/ feeling like the way the Kenyan cricket team used to be received during our tours. My colleagues on the team will remember the same. It is now time for Kenya as a country, which has produced world class athletes from the runners, cricketers, hockey and other sports to not only host such festivals but also produce documentaries of our own sports ambassadors who have done our nation proud.

This is important for record purposes and for the youngsters to come to motivate the performances of the “unsung heroes” of this nation. This is a lead that should be taken by the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Heritage and the National Museums of Kenya.

I must put on record on the following the Kenyan cricket has to date in India from media to past Indian cricketers; and all had the same question with sadness - “What happened to Kenyan cricket?” The recent trip by the national cricket team to Scotland did not produce the desired or expected results.

Kenyans were outplayed in Scotland. It was a shocker to learn that the team travelled without a designated manager in the last two tours. The national team has to put in a lot of work and need to be hungry for success if they are to do well in the next few months and if cricket is ever to revive or brought to respectable state in Kenya and Internationally.

Next month, Kenya tour Dubai to play Afghanistan in the ICC intercontinental cup (four-day game) and one day matches. In November, Kenya travel again to UAE to play the 20/20 world Cup qualifiers. The next 20/20 World Cup in next four years in Bangladesh where six teams will have the opportunity to qualify from the Associate countries.

In January 2014, Kenya to travel to New Zealand to play the World Cup 2015 qualifiers where 10 teams will compete for the two positions left for the Associate.

Ireland has already qualified for the World Cup 2015 to be played in Australia /New Zealand. The East Africa League has been completed. For the 20/20, we had the Pakistani team players participate.

This was a welcome move by Cricket Kenya, the organisers and the sponsors.

This needs to be encouraged regularly as it may assist in improving our domestic cricket. Such players are required for the entire season where each team would have at least two professionals from sub-continent to participate as was the case in the late 80s and early 90s when we had players such as Sandeep Patil, Chandrakant Pandit, Bolu Sandhu, Jaydeep Mathur among others.

The 20/20 tournament was won by a Kenyan team and for the 50/50 tournament, the two Ugandan teams qualified for the finals. Ugandan cricket has grown and seems to have their cricket go in a good direction. Unfortunately and sadly, the Kenyan cricket sinks further down as witnessed in the East African Premier League.

Who is responsible? The past administration? Current administration? Players? Management?? Your guess is as a good as mine! Tragedy indeed!! The Karim documentary and a coffee table book of 200 pages on the Karims is expected to be launched in Kenya in October 2013. Indeed a proud moment for the Karim family and Kenya as a nation. A befitting start as Kenya commences to celebrate 50 years of independence.