The Chinese have the potential and motivation to make a big impact in international
cricket, a former Pakistan Test player has said.
Rashid Khan, who is on a coaching assignment with the China cricket association,
believes the Communist nation can be a force to be reckoned with in the sport
in the future.
He has been working in that country with the junior players
and women and achieved a major breakthrough as coach when the Chinese eves'
team qualified for the semifinals of the Asian Championships in Johar Baru
in Malaysia in their very first appearance in the tournament.
"To defeat Singapore and UAE to qualify for the semifinals
is no small achievement. It shows the amount of potential and interest in cricket
that prevails in China," Rashid said in an interview.
The Chinese women's team plays Nepal in the semifinals of the
championship tomorrow.
Rashid, who was handed the assignment by Asian Cricket Council,
said he was very optimistic about the future of cricket in China because the
locals were taking up the game.
"Unlike some other Asian and even Western countries where
expatriates belonging to Test playing cricket nations make up the majority in
the new teams, in China only the locals are involved," he said, adding
the women's team playing in the Asian Championship was made up solely of local
players.
Rashid said the China Cricket Association deserved a lot of
credit for the professional manner in which they were building up the structure
and promoting the game at the grassroots level.
"The best part is the Chinese boys and women are keen to learn all the
time," he said.
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