“Their odyssey will come to an end, one way or the other, here in Kolkata, the city of endless night. It seems somehow fitting, thinks Sanam Khan, as she takes off her helmet to wipe the sweat off her brow, that the journey that she and her teammates embarked upon six months ago, which has taken them halfway round the world, from the well-manicured parks of Australia and New Zealand to the heat and dust of India, will finish here on the banks of Hooghly river.” Omar Shahid Hamid’s fitting description, as seen in this excerpt from his latest novel, The Fix, explains much about his writing prowess that grips the reader from the start. While the story begins with “this odyssey will come to an end,” the real trouble for Sanam Khan, Captain of Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team and her vice-captain, Fatima, begins the moment they beat India to win the Asia Cup. The action, however, begins from the first chapter, when Omar Shahid Hamid takes us right in the middle of the pitch and effortlessly explains the proceedings of the match at the Asia Cup final between Pakistan and India. Hamid wastes little time in telling us about the network of bookies, match-fixers and their uncanny ability to tarnish the image of Pakistan men’s cricket team, most of them who are now retired. The same bookies now lure Sanam to do spot-fixing and earn money beyond her imagination. Will she abide by her principles or obey the bookies? The opening chapters reveal the on-field bond between Sanam Khan and Fatima. There is Babar Qadir, a former cricketer disgraced for fixing matches and still not turning a new leaf. Saleem Memon or Saleem Euro, the bookie who knows how to sell his ‘script’ to team captains and make millions out of each deal remains a major part of the story. Tariq Zaman, who has recently passed away, is credited for changing men’s cricket in Pakistan. The Fix will give you hints to, perhaps, real-life former cricketers of Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team and their links with match-fixing syndicates. Where Sanam Khan is the protagonist, it may seem that Babar Qadir or Saleem Euro are the antagonists. In reality, someone else is commanding the bookies and the dots connect to South Africa. A number of characters influence the story; however, Hamid does not overburden readers with memorising each one as the character’s persona clearly differentiates them with each other Where Sanam Khan is the protagonist, it may seem that Babar Qadir or Saleem Euro are the antagonists. In reality, someone else is commanding the bookies and the dots connect to South Africa. A number of characters influence the story; however, Hamid does not overburden readers with memorizing each one as the character’s persona clearly differentiates them with each other. Furthermore, Hamid’s writing dexterity helps him to reveal characters’ traits with value addition. For instance, he does not tell that Ovais Tawheed, a former cricketer belonged to the Afridi tribe, but he writes, “…his sense of personal honour was fuelled by his tribal Afridi ancestry…” The Fix looks at how Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team remained unnoticed but after defeating India in the Asia Cup final the bookies considered the team their gold mine, especially ahead of the T20 Cricket World Cup in England. The major part of the story is set in England when Sanam Khan protects her players from bookies, confronts Saleem Euro and tries her best to hide her injury while practicing in the nets for the World Cup. A particular character, Faisal Qureshi, a former cricketer, may have a real-life equivalent. Hamid reveals his physical appearance as, “there are grey streaks in his signature shoulder-length mane, and the familiar pockmarked face has a wizened look to it.” Faisal Qureshi knew nothing about match-fixing six months before the 1995 World Cup but Rumessa Apa, Tariq Zaman’s sister, holds Faisal Qureshi along with his teammates responsible for destroying Zaman’s life. Zaman is referred to as Skipper throughout the novel. Ring any bells? Sanam Khan and Faisal Qureshi also stir a romantic relationship spotted by the press. You will be shocked to see where Sanam ends up with her association with Faisal Qureshi. Each of the novel’s 20 chapters discusses events leading to the climax, refers to the past performances of the men’s cricket team, focuses on Sanam and Faisal Qureshi and explains how cricket and match-fixing are intertwined. Certain parts of the novel do seem to be a drag but they build up the narrative for the next one. Nonetheless, all chapters are akin to a movie script; they have a beginning, middle and an end. Hamid begins the book brilliantly. However, you will have a plethora of questions while reading the epilogue. Sanam’s career revolves between ‘The attempt to fix the World Cup final’ to ‘Khan cleared of corruption charge.’ As the climax approaches, Sanam does not have much to cherish because those whom she thought to be on her side had a different game plan. Overall, a must-read and a good read! The writer is an independent researcher, author and columnist. He can be reached at omariftikhar@hotmail.com