For Farhan Yasin cricket is an integral entity around which most of his life revolves. This ingrained love for the game infused with his charitable nature has led him all the way from Karachi to our cricket crazed shores.
Nelson Mendis |
Farhan, a coach who provides free lessons for a number of Pakistan’s underprivileged youth, traveled to Sri Lanka on a 10 day mission to hone his coaching skills. The source which will aid him in this fine tuning exercise is the embodiment of coaching perfection, CCC School of Cricket founder, Nelson Mendis.
While owning and running his own garment factory, Farhan also gives free coaching lessons to roughly 30 young boys who previously lacked basic cricketing equipment such as bats or even cricket shoes.
His hectic daily schedule begins when he wakes up early in the morning to rush to the cricket pitch where the boys assemble.
He continues coaching them until nine in the morning, before rushing back to oversee the progress of his factory. Halving a twelve hour work day, he then scoots back to the ground at three to resume the afternoon coaching session with the boys which carries on until six.
FarhanYasin |
Farhan learned of Mendis’ coaching prowess through a chance meeting with cricketing great Roshan Mahanama’s father, Upali Mahanama. At the time Farhan’s clothing retail outlet caught the eye of Upali Mahanama. Upon entering the shop, Upali Mahanama struck up a conversation which revealed the proprietor’s deep affection for coaching and giving back to the game which he deeply loved.
Upali Mahanama, moved by Farhan’s determination and passion, later informed him of Nelson Mendis, labeling him the “doyen of Sri Lankan cricketing coaches” and heaping further praise on him by saying, “ What Nelson Mendis does not know about coaching is not worth knowing.”
Farhan has been involved with the game from an early age. He made his entrance into the cricketing arena by captaining his alma mater, S. Thomas’ Karachi’s first XI team. He then assumed the role of wicketkeeper and opening batsman for the Dasgiar Cricket Club, playing in a distinguished Under 19 zonal cricket tournament. Finally he graduated to coaching and captaining the cricket team of the British High Commission in Karachi.
All his sacrifices toward the cause of bringing the game to those deprived of it are spurred by the knowledge that it was his mother’s greatest wish for him to do something significant for cricket. |
E-mail
