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The Fix
Will the profusely talented Sanam Khan’s rise to the pinnacle of world cricket be interrupted by the bookies and the powerful match-fixing mafia?
Ever since she was fifteen years old, the talented Sanam Khan has only had one dream: to win a world cup for her country. Now, thanks to her own efforts as the captain, her team of talented misfits in the Pakistan Women’s cricket team stand on the verge of realizing that dream. But fate intervenes, and the team’s success attracts the great corruptors of the sport, the match-fixing syndicates that captured the men’s team two decades ago. Will Sanam and her girls succeed where the men failed, or will history repeat itself?
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2019
9 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Omar Shahid Hamid
11 books189 followersOmar Shahid Hamid served with Pakistan's Karachi police for 12 years, during which time he was targeted by various terrorist groups and criminal outfits. He received his Masters in Criminal Justice Policy from the London School of Economics, and his Masters in Law from University College London.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 12, 2019
3.75 rounded off to 4
Review
This is a story of passion, friendship, unbreakable bonds, love, greed, deceit and despair. All the emotions one can feel have been beautifully captured in this tale of a thrilling game that unites heartbeats of a nation and can shatter same hearts in milliseconds.
Our protagonist Sanam Khan, captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team has had only one dream growing up; to win the World Cup for her country. She belongs to a wealthy family and is privilleged to have a supportive father who fuels her passion for Cricket. On the other hand, we have foul-mouthed and sassy Fatima Shah, daughter of a Cricket coach. She is a vice captain and a close friend of Sanam Khan. Unlike Sanam, Fatima belongs to a poor family and her father despite being a dedicated Cricket coach himself doesn't feel proud of her daughter's talent. I loved this contrast of a sheltered princess and a street-toughened punk and how they both were connected by their passion for Cricket and winning for their country.
The negligence of Cricket board towards Women's team doesn't stop these girls from gathering a team of talented misfits that proves to be undefeatable in the Asia Cup Final. They beat India in their home ground with flying colors and were declared favorites for the upcoming Cricket World Cup. And this is where the trouble begins when they caught the attention of the bookies aka match fixers.
Cautious after knowing how 1992 Men's Cricket Team was humiliated and accused of throwing matches, Sanam and Fatima decided to shield the team from the bookies and win the World Cup fair and square. But every match brings them more challenges and to their horror, they find the bookies won't take no for an answer.
Surrounded by deceitful people and stigmatized by scandals, would Sanam be able to fulfil her dream while safegaurding her team from the claws of the bookies?
Cover Art
The cover is just perfect. Amidst a cricket field, a kookaburra cricket ball is hitting the wickets and throwing off the bails that are shown as money rolls. Just looking at the title and the cover we get the clear idea that this book is about match fixing.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed reading this book because of the strong plot, fast pace and the cricket season fever. The story flows nicely and there is no dull moment, whatsoever. The characters are perfectly portrayed. There are no absolute blacks and whites but mostly gray characters that make them more human and relatable. What I didn't like was the end. To me, it was incomplete and unsatifying.
I would recommend this book to all cricket fans who cheer the loudest when their team hits 4s and 6s and sulk for the whole day when the team loses. To the cricket fans, who live for engrossing games and fair play.
Thank you Liberty Books for sending me this review copy for honest review.
You can grab your copy from here
www.libertybooks.com
Review
This is a story of passion, friendship, unbreakable bonds, love, greed, deceit and despair. All the emotions one can feel have been beautifully captured in this tale of a thrilling game that unites heartbeats of a nation and can shatter same hearts in milliseconds.
Our protagonist Sanam Khan, captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team has had only one dream growing up; to win the World Cup for her country. She belongs to a wealthy family and is privilleged to have a supportive father who fuels her passion for Cricket. On the other hand, we have foul-mouthed and sassy Fatima Shah, daughter of a Cricket coach. She is a vice captain and a close friend of Sanam Khan. Unlike Sanam, Fatima belongs to a poor family and her father despite being a dedicated Cricket coach himself doesn't feel proud of her daughter's talent. I loved this contrast of a sheltered princess and a street-toughened punk and how they both were connected by their passion for Cricket and winning for their country.
The negligence of Cricket board towards Women's team doesn't stop these girls from gathering a team of talented misfits that proves to be undefeatable in the Asia Cup Final. They beat India in their home ground with flying colors and were declared favorites for the upcoming Cricket World Cup. And this is where the trouble begins when they caught the attention of the bookies aka match fixers.
Cautious after knowing how 1992 Men's Cricket Team was humiliated and accused of throwing matches, Sanam and Fatima decided to shield the team from the bookies and win the World Cup fair and square. But every match brings them more challenges and to their horror, they find the bookies won't take no for an answer.
Surrounded by deceitful people and stigmatized by scandals, would Sanam be able to fulfil her dream while safegaurding her team from the claws of the bookies?
Cover Art
The cover is just perfect. Amidst a cricket field, a kookaburra cricket ball is hitting the wickets and throwing off the bails that are shown as money rolls. Just looking at the title and the cover we get the clear idea that this book is about match fixing.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed reading this book because of the strong plot, fast pace and the cricket season fever. The story flows nicely and there is no dull moment, whatsoever. The characters are perfectly portrayed. There are no absolute blacks and whites but mostly gray characters that make them more human and relatable. What I didn't like was the end. To me, it was incomplete and unsatifying.
I would recommend this book to all cricket fans who cheer the loudest when their team hits 4s and 6s and sulk for the whole day when the team loses. To the cricket fans, who live for engrossing games and fair play.
Thank you Liberty Books for sending me this review copy for honest review.
You can grab your copy from here
www.libertybooks.com
June 21, 2019
I’ve loved all of Omar’s previous works but was let down by this one. Interesting topic since I love cricket but felt there was no depth to the story. Great and captivating read though, like all the others.
June 29, 2019
Reading this book whilst the chaos of World Cup'19 has been amazing. I didn't think i would like a book like this I mean i have never read books with such plots or themes like Cricket but this one turned out to be a good read.
Synopsis: Sanam Khan, the captain of Pakistan Women cricket team has had only one dream growing up, Winning the World Cup for her country. But Since no one really shows interest in Women's cricket in Pakistan, they have never been properly trained or treated the way their male counterparts are, nor have they ever received all the luxuries that the male national cricketers get. Sanam, belonging to a rich household, has put everything behind her to realize that one dream of hers for which she has calmly undergone every mistreatment.
On their tour to India for Asia Cup, Sanam and her team are made to sleep in the dressing room of the cricket ground just to diminish their morale. And Sanam knows better how to answer their childish tricks, while on strike with her Vice Captain, Fatima Shah, with the entire ground chanting INDIA! INDIA! When the Pakistani pair Strikes boundary after boundary, All the crowd goes dead. And Sanam and Fatima takes revenge of not only treating them bad but also thinking low of them by defeating Indian team on their home ground.
After this glorious victory, Pakistan Women's Team comes under the radar of every Pakistani and the board finally recognizes Team's struggles and Babar Ali, the chief selector and an ex-cricketer, happily sends them for the World Cup two months after Asia Cup. Team reaches London early for practice and the girls are stunned to find their stay has been arranged in a five star hotel with extra staff and a Bus always available to them. Finally Sanam's struggles get them what they desserved all along.
But things get nasty when the underworld Bookies start approaching the Team. Having seen the fate of their famous male national cricketers who were charged or blamed to have fixed matches and thrown games, Sanam tries her best to protect her girls and herself from this swamp of corruption. But with Babar Ali, Faisal Qureshi, Ajju sir, Owais Tawheed - all ex cricketers in picture, Sanam has to make some harsh decisions. But will the Pakistan Women Team be able to lift the Trophy in spite of the jaws of corruption clinging onto their throats?
-
This books is available at all outlets of @liberybooks and online at www.libertybooks.com.
Synopsis: Sanam Khan, the captain of Pakistan Women cricket team has had only one dream growing up, Winning the World Cup for her country. But Since no one really shows interest in Women's cricket in Pakistan, they have never been properly trained or treated the way their male counterparts are, nor have they ever received all the luxuries that the male national cricketers get. Sanam, belonging to a rich household, has put everything behind her to realize that one dream of hers for which she has calmly undergone every mistreatment.
On their tour to India for Asia Cup, Sanam and her team are made to sleep in the dressing room of the cricket ground just to diminish their morale. And Sanam knows better how to answer their childish tricks, while on strike with her Vice Captain, Fatima Shah, with the entire ground chanting INDIA! INDIA! When the Pakistani pair Strikes boundary after boundary, All the crowd goes dead. And Sanam and Fatima takes revenge of not only treating them bad but also thinking low of them by defeating Indian team on their home ground.
After this glorious victory, Pakistan Women's Team comes under the radar of every Pakistani and the board finally recognizes Team's struggles and Babar Ali, the chief selector and an ex-cricketer, happily sends them for the World Cup two months after Asia Cup. Team reaches London early for practice and the girls are stunned to find their stay has been arranged in a five star hotel with extra staff and a Bus always available to them. Finally Sanam's struggles get them what they desserved all along.
But things get nasty when the underworld Bookies start approaching the Team. Having seen the fate of their famous male national cricketers who were charged or blamed to have fixed matches and thrown games, Sanam tries her best to protect her girls and herself from this swamp of corruption. But with Babar Ali, Faisal Qureshi, Ajju sir, Owais Tawheed - all ex cricketers in picture, Sanam has to make some harsh decisions. But will the Pakistan Women Team be able to lift the Trophy in spite of the jaws of corruption clinging onto their throats?
-
This books is available at all outlets of @liberybooks and online at www.libertybooks.com.
July 1, 2023
Pretty good, I'd say the only let down is the lack of depth to the story.
June 26, 2019
Recent memes notwithstanding, the 1992 Cricket World Cup will always be this memory of my Abbu yelling in sheer joy, picking me in his arms and dancing around our small TV lounge in a two-bedroom apartment in Peshawar. This memory is as much my true north to victory as looking at my daughter and knowing what love is. Imran Khan’s speech as he held the shimmering trophy aloft, various Pakistani players running around the pitch, wrapped in the green and white of our flag, all of it seemed to signal that a new era of progress and prosperity was upon us, that our place and our voice on the world’s stage was assured.
And then the proverbial excrement hit the metaphorical fan.
While Pakistan has soldiered on, in spite of the naysayers and the crippling loss of human lives, somehow the betrayal of cricket felt the worst. It’s one thing to be dumped by the world, quite another when your own heroes sell out your faith to make a quick buck for themselves. After 1997, I stopped watching cricket—what was the point of giving your tiny ten-year-old heart to people who absolutely did not give a rat’s ass about it? Cricket seemed to collapse in on itself, a sad star on the verge of becoming a black hole that would swallow all our hopes for the future.
Omar Shahid Hamid’s ‘The Fix’ accurately captures that sense of idealistic fatalism that informs so much of our life in Pakistan. His remarkable portrayal of the underbelly of cricket, swarming with bookies, dirty money and paranoid conspiracies is both a damning indictment of how greed destroyed a nation’s team but also how corruption damned its soul.
While ‘The Fix’ is nowhere near as stylistically accomplished or well-written as my absolute favorite book on cricket, Shehahn Karunatilaka’s ‘Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew’, it’s still a fast-paced thriller that manages to hold your attention for the entirety of its slim length. The pace, like a fast bowler’s run-up, is both the book’s saving grace and complete line of attack. The characters, sadly, are cardboard cut-outs, their motivations are even more flimsy, all held together with a shine of a spit on a ball after an eight-day test-match—too ragged to make much sense but fun to see spinning around.
Told as a series of narratives from the point of the various characters, the plot is straightforward enough but too much of its resolution occurs in the last five or six pages with a villain coming clean… in a flashback? Confusing but well, artistic license allows it so, shrug. I enjoyed the various parallels Mr Hamid draws to the actual 1992 team members particularly the post-Cricket lives they end up having. Is it a bleak, depressing book? Not at all, but it is one that leaves a lot of potential plot points unexplored, which makes ‘The Fix’ a passable thriller when it could have been so much more.
That’s not to say this a bad book, it just suffers from bad editing. The way the characters talk to and about each other is flat and shows little to no tonal variation. Take any of the dialogue from Fatima, the co-captain and give it to Sanam, the captain, and it’s virtually the same. Sanam’s more intimate interactions with Faisal Qureshi, the ex-captain, feel like they’re lifted word-for-word from a Mills & Boon novel. In fact, the most compelling scenes in the novel, the ones that felt most real, are the ones involving the bookies. Possibly, because these are people who Mr Hamid actually met and spoke to while researching his novel. Everyone else in the story just feels like a shadowy reflection caught through a dark window—lacking in substance.
Still, I am intrigued enough by Mr Hamid’s writing to read more of his novels about Pakistan. His gritty portrayal of the darker corners of our national psyche is a welcome addition to the variety of Pakistani voices taking center stage in front of a world that looks at us with wary curiosity.
And then the proverbial excrement hit the metaphorical fan.
While Pakistan has soldiered on, in spite of the naysayers and the crippling loss of human lives, somehow the betrayal of cricket felt the worst. It’s one thing to be dumped by the world, quite another when your own heroes sell out your faith to make a quick buck for themselves. After 1997, I stopped watching cricket—what was the point of giving your tiny ten-year-old heart to people who absolutely did not give a rat’s ass about it? Cricket seemed to collapse in on itself, a sad star on the verge of becoming a black hole that would swallow all our hopes for the future.
Omar Shahid Hamid’s ‘The Fix’ accurately captures that sense of idealistic fatalism that informs so much of our life in Pakistan. His remarkable portrayal of the underbelly of cricket, swarming with bookies, dirty money and paranoid conspiracies is both a damning indictment of how greed destroyed a nation’s team but also how corruption damned its soul.
While ‘The Fix’ is nowhere near as stylistically accomplished or well-written as my absolute favorite book on cricket, Shehahn Karunatilaka’s ‘Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew’, it’s still a fast-paced thriller that manages to hold your attention for the entirety of its slim length. The pace, like a fast bowler’s run-up, is both the book’s saving grace and complete line of attack. The characters, sadly, are cardboard cut-outs, their motivations are even more flimsy, all held together with a shine of a spit on a ball after an eight-day test-match—too ragged to make much sense but fun to see spinning around.
Told as a series of narratives from the point of the various characters, the plot is straightforward enough but too much of its resolution occurs in the last five or six pages with a villain coming clean… in a flashback? Confusing but well, artistic license allows it so, shrug. I enjoyed the various parallels Mr Hamid draws to the actual 1992 team members particularly the post-Cricket lives they end up having. Is it a bleak, depressing book? Not at all, but it is one that leaves a lot of potential plot points unexplored, which makes ‘The Fix’ a passable thriller when it could have been so much more.
That’s not to say this a bad book, it just suffers from bad editing. The way the characters talk to and about each other is flat and shows little to no tonal variation. Take any of the dialogue from Fatima, the co-captain and give it to Sanam, the captain, and it’s virtually the same. Sanam’s more intimate interactions with Faisal Qureshi, the ex-captain, feel like they’re lifted word-for-word from a Mills & Boon novel. In fact, the most compelling scenes in the novel, the ones that felt most real, are the ones involving the bookies. Possibly, because these are people who Mr Hamid actually met and spoke to while researching his novel. Everyone else in the story just feels like a shadowy reflection caught through a dark window—lacking in substance.
Still, I am intrigued enough by Mr Hamid’s writing to read more of his novels about Pakistan. His gritty portrayal of the darker corners of our national psyche is a welcome addition to the variety of Pakistani voices taking center stage in front of a world that looks at us with wary curiosity.
October 11, 2019
What I liked about 'The Fix' is that unusually, the main protagonist is a woman and the setting is women's cricket, themes which Hamid fans will find quite a change from his usual serving. Omar Hamid writes in a fast paced style and the book keeps you hooked - I finished reading mine quite some time but have been delinquent posting my review. It is a pretty absorbing read over all and I especially enjoyed speculating on the personalities on whom Omar models his characters given that we were in the midst of Cricket World Cup as the book hit the shelves. It makes the point that despite all the strictures, purity in sport will remain questionable and this book will continue to feed that controversy. However, Hamid is new to writing about women and in this case the romantic involvement of the main character whilst she harbors doubts about her love interest. And whilst he is adept at painting criminal characters, the women who are breaking new ground in a hostile environment for women's sport, remain somewhat one dimensional and embedded their class divide.
February 11, 2020
The Fix: A thrilling dive into the gloomy world of Match Fixing
The story unfolds with Sanam Khan & Fatima Shah as the two main protagonists. Coming from an affluent and urbane background, Sanam has grown up with just one dream: to lift the ICC world cup trophy for Pakistan. Her childhood passion is fueled by her father’s constant support. Contrarily, a foul-mouthed & crass Fatima Shah comes from a poor family. Her father is the Coach for the men’s cricket, and doesn’t hold much regard for his daughter’s talent.
Despite the ignorance of the cricket board, Sanam & Fatima put together a team of talented misfits and manage to reach the finals of the Asia Cup after being forced to sleep in the dressing rooms and being humiliated not just by the hosts but by their board too. The girls put up their best show and both Sanam & Fatima strike boundary after boundary amid a crowd chanting slogans in support of India, leading Pakistan to win the Asia Cup Final.
For the team, the Asia Cup win not only brings accolades and the much needed attention from the cricket board, but also puts Pakistan in the top favorites for the impending world cup. For Sanam however, things begin to go down as bookies start making their approach to her.
A strong headed Sanam confides in Fatima and together the two resolve to lead the team to the world cup final without letting the bookies hamper their way. The team glides its way forward through the world cup and Sanam comes across the two biggest nightmares of her career: an injury that could cost her the final & the bookies who won’t take no for an answer.
In midst of the world cup chaos, an organized bookies’ rink functioning within the hotel lobbies & dressing rooms, the world’s eyes on the Pakistani cricket team & her worsening injury, Sanam falls for Faisal Qureshi, a former cricketer and a part of the team which was accused of throwing matches in the 1992 world cup and lead the Pakistan’s cricket team to its doom. Against her parents and Fatima’s advice, Sanam continues to secretly meet Faisal in the suburbs or London hiding from the eyes of the media.
It’s too late before Sanam realizes she’s neck deep in trouble, not just with her injury but with deceit simmering in the minds of those closest to her.
A brilliantly carved plot, The Fix has a lot more than just chills & thrills to offer. Hamid intelligently carved characters bearing stark resemblance to Imran Khan, Waseem Akram, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar and other Pakistani cricketing superstars, which made it an even more interesting read.
The book takes a meandering but fast pace whilst capturing all the emotions of a cricket enthusiast. Every page of The Fix promises the thrill of the final over in an India Pakistan cricket face off and you won’t put the book down until you have read it all in one go.
The Fix primarily highlights negligence of women’s cricket not just in Pakistan but world over and the lack of facilities for cricketing women in comparison to their male counterparts. There couldn’t be a more pertinent example of the disregard for women’s cricket than the fact that publishing houses in England refused to publish the book during the CWC’19, despite Hamid’s wish, reasoning the market for women’s sporting fiction was virtually non-existent and the book would not reap any benefits off the biggest cricketing event.
In a book so short & captivating, Hamid managed to address quite a few social dilemmas without making it preachy or enforced. The strong bond between Fatima & Sanam despite starkly contrasting personalities speaks volumes about cricket being the nation’s fuel for enthusiasm, friendship & enmity. The grave concerns of Sanam’s mother for finding a suitable son in law for a woman who knows nothing about domestic life, the coach’s continual dismissal of his daughter’s talent, the influence & grip of bookies of the underworld on the cricketing world and the tough choice our cricketers’ are made to make between integrity & life all present a deep insight into the society.
The Fix is a well-researched & remarkably written book and the story flows quite smoothly at a rapid pace not giving a single dull moment. The characters are complex beyond the idea of pure evil and pure good, making them more realistic and relatable. It is an extraordinary tale of passion, integrity, success, defeat, deceit, greed & love.
Recommended.
_____________________________________________________
A brilliantly carved story. There was not a single dull moment in the book. Love the depth of characters in the book. It's interesting to find a bit of Imran Khan, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Javed Miandad and other iconic cricketers in the characters of this book. Despite all the inspiration drawn from the cricketing legends, the author managed to keep the characters original and there was no absolute black or white, making it all the more relatable and interesting. Had me quite upset towards the end, which signifies the strength of Omer's writing. Nothing less than 5 stars.
Detailed review coming soon!
Sanam Khan, the captain of national women’s cricket team, after a decisive win against India in the Asia Cup Final, leads Pakistan into ICC Women’s World Cup only to find her world crashing down as she lands amid bookies in London.
The story unfolds with Sanam Khan & Fatima Shah as the two main protagonists. Coming from an affluent and urbane background, Sanam has grown up with just one dream: to lift the ICC world cup trophy for Pakistan. Her childhood passion is fueled by her father’s constant support. Contrarily, a foul-mouthed & crass Fatima Shah comes from a poor family. Her father is the Coach for the men’s cricket, and doesn’t hold much regard for his daughter’s talent.
Despite the ignorance of the cricket board, Sanam & Fatima put together a team of talented misfits and manage to reach the finals of the Asia Cup after being forced to sleep in the dressing rooms and being humiliated not just by the hosts but by their board too. The girls put up their best show and both Sanam & Fatima strike boundary after boundary amid a crowd chanting slogans in support of India, leading Pakistan to win the Asia Cup Final.
For the team, the Asia Cup win not only brings accolades and the much needed attention from the cricket board, but also puts Pakistan in the top favorites for the impending world cup. For Sanam however, things begin to go down as bookies start making their approach to her.
A strong headed Sanam confides in Fatima and together the two resolve to lead the team to the world cup final without letting the bookies hamper their way. The team glides its way forward through the world cup and Sanam comes across the two biggest nightmares of her career: an injury that could cost her the final & the bookies who won’t take no for an answer.
In midst of the world cup chaos, an organized bookies’ rink functioning within the hotel lobbies & dressing rooms, the world’s eyes on the Pakistani cricket team & her worsening injury, Sanam falls for Faisal Qureshi, a former cricketer and a part of the team which was accused of throwing matches in the 1992 world cup and lead the Pakistan’s cricket team to its doom. Against her parents and Fatima’s advice, Sanam continues to secretly meet Faisal in the suburbs or London hiding from the eyes of the media.
It’s too late before Sanam realizes she’s neck deep in trouble, not just with her injury but with deceit simmering in the minds of those closest to her.
A brilliantly carved plot, The Fix has a lot more than just chills & thrills to offer. Hamid intelligently carved characters bearing stark resemblance to Imran Khan, Waseem Akram, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar and other Pakistani cricketing superstars, which made it an even more interesting read.
The book takes a meandering but fast pace whilst capturing all the emotions of a cricket enthusiast. Every page of The Fix promises the thrill of the final over in an India Pakistan cricket face off and you won’t put the book down until you have read it all in one go.
The Fix primarily highlights negligence of women’s cricket not just in Pakistan but world over and the lack of facilities for cricketing women in comparison to their male counterparts. There couldn’t be a more pertinent example of the disregard for women’s cricket than the fact that publishing houses in England refused to publish the book during the CWC’19, despite Hamid’s wish, reasoning the market for women’s sporting fiction was virtually non-existent and the book would not reap any benefits off the biggest cricketing event.
In a book so short & captivating, Hamid managed to address quite a few social dilemmas without making it preachy or enforced. The strong bond between Fatima & Sanam despite starkly contrasting personalities speaks volumes about cricket being the nation’s fuel for enthusiasm, friendship & enmity. The grave concerns of Sanam’s mother for finding a suitable son in law for a woman who knows nothing about domestic life, the coach’s continual dismissal of his daughter’s talent, the influence & grip of bookies of the underworld on the cricketing world and the tough choice our cricketers’ are made to make between integrity & life all present a deep insight into the society.
“For God’s sake, Sanam, this is Pakistan. Here, prime ministers are assassinated, and no one is ever caught for the crime. You think the authorities would have done anything for a nobody like me? People like us, the only thing we can do is survive in in this system and hope that we do it with our reputations intact. I wasn’t even able to do that”
The Fix is a well-researched & remarkably written book and the story flows quite smoothly at a rapid pace not giving a single dull moment. The characters are complex beyond the idea of pure evil and pure good, making them more realistic and relatable. It is an extraordinary tale of passion, integrity, success, defeat, deceit, greed & love.
Recommended.
_____________________________________________________
A brilliantly carved story. There was not a single dull moment in the book. Love the depth of characters in the book. It's interesting to find a bit of Imran Khan, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Javed Miandad and other iconic cricketers in the characters of this book. Despite all the inspiration drawn from the cricketing legends, the author managed to keep the characters original and there was no absolute black or white, making it all the more relatable and interesting. Had me quite upset towards the end, which signifies the strength of Omer's writing. Nothing less than 5 stars.
Detailed review coming soon!
September 9, 2019
I am a fan of Omar’s books - but The Fix has left me disappointed, and for many reasons:
- i wish the story was based on Men’s cricket instead of women, which is the cult sport of the nation and where the issue of match fixing majorly exists (who even cares about women’s cricket in Pakistan)
- the characters were neither properly fictional nor fully real - so as a reader I was neither able to connect with the history narrated, nor was I able to forget the history & just immerse myself in the fictional world created by the author.
- was the Sanam-FQ romance really needed - not for me.
- a lot of times the book also gives you the feeling of Bollywood sports movies we have seen like Chak De India, Jannat, etc!
It’s at max a 2.5 book for me - that too coz it was an easy read and small one too !!
- i wish the story was based on Men’s cricket instead of women, which is the cult sport of the nation and where the issue of match fixing majorly exists (who even cares about women’s cricket in Pakistan)
- the characters were neither properly fictional nor fully real - so as a reader I was neither able to connect with the history narrated, nor was I able to forget the history & just immerse myself in the fictional world created by the author.
- was the Sanam-FQ romance really needed - not for me.
- a lot of times the book also gives you the feeling of Bollywood sports movies we have seen like Chak De India, Jannat, etc!
It’s at max a 2.5 book for me - that too coz it was an easy read and small one too !!
July 21, 2019
Very captivating read indeed! Thoroughly enjoyed it! Comparing to his previous books, this one lacks a depth!
But amazing portrayal of a headstrong yet flawed protagonist, the Captain Of Pakistan Women’s Cricket, Sanam Khan. The stigma related to Fixing and the consequences attached to it was portrayed brilliantly, felt very real mainly because the of the authenticity Omar Shahid Hamid provides by interviewing certain Bookies.
Overall, it was a fast-paced read! Finished it in just 2 sittings. Difficult to put it down despite lacking depth.
But amazing portrayal of a headstrong yet flawed protagonist, the Captain Of Pakistan Women’s Cricket, Sanam Khan. The stigma related to Fixing and the consequences attached to it was portrayed brilliantly, felt very real mainly because the of the authenticity Omar Shahid Hamid provides by interviewing certain Bookies.
Overall, it was a fast-paced read! Finished it in just 2 sittings. Difficult to put it down despite lacking depth.
January 9, 2020
Match-fixing is a term that has been used synonymous to cricket these days. There was a time the laymen used to watch cricket like a religious practice. But now, a dropped catch or a wicket or a no ball or a sixer would be seen with a frown. Fix is a tale of match fixing in Pakistan Women's Cricket.
Sanam is the Pakistan cricket team captain. The girl who changed the perspective about women's cricket in a retrograde country like Pakistan. She , with her girls reaches UK to play women's World Cup. The whole media is focussed on the Women in Green. While everything seems right, Sanam is contacted by a well known bookie, and she falls for an ex- cricketer who allegedly fixed men's World Cup years before. Thenceforth we get to see a thrilling tale brimful of suspense. How she deals with the challenges is the rest of the tale.
Author has put forward the intricacies of spot fixing like a seasoned bookie. The expanse of research invested in the book is transparently evident to the readers. Without taking any names, author has clearly delineated who is who in th whole plot. How Sanam meets the bookie, and how he gets access to the Pakistan Cricket captain, is deftly rendered. How Sanam reacts is an impulsive sentiment. Fatima is the game changer in the cat and mouse game between bookies and players. The book is all about how the players will be forced to succumb to the pressure so as to help the bookies at least in sopt fixing,
The depiction of Indian captian as someone who brazenly joins hands with the bookie didn't come down well with me as an Indian. There were a few loose plots. Nonetheless the book has managed to impress the readers
Sanam is the Pakistan cricket team captain. The girl who changed the perspective about women's cricket in a retrograde country like Pakistan. She , with her girls reaches UK to play women's World Cup. The whole media is focussed on the Women in Green. While everything seems right, Sanam is contacted by a well known bookie, and she falls for an ex- cricketer who allegedly fixed men's World Cup years before. Thenceforth we get to see a thrilling tale brimful of suspense. How she deals with the challenges is the rest of the tale.
Author has put forward the intricacies of spot fixing like a seasoned bookie. The expanse of research invested in the book is transparently evident to the readers. Without taking any names, author has clearly delineated who is who in th whole plot. How Sanam meets the bookie, and how he gets access to the Pakistan Cricket captain, is deftly rendered. How Sanam reacts is an impulsive sentiment. Fatima is the game changer in the cat and mouse game between bookies and players. The book is all about how the players will be forced to succumb to the pressure so as to help the bookies at least in sopt fixing,
The depiction of Indian captian as someone who brazenly joins hands with the bookie didn't come down well with me as an Indian. There were a few loose plots. Nonetheless the book has managed to impress the readers
June 27, 2020
The narrative of the book revolves around the burgeoning Pakistan's Women's Cricket team (awesome, isn't it?) and the seeds of corruption that are being carefully sown in its ranks by the dark forces of the cricketing world that we often hear about. We as readers are made to follow the protagonist of the novel, Sanam Khan, as she tries to dodge multiple attempts of the "bookies" who attempt to lure her into the manifold temptations of match-fixing. But whether she is able to completely avoid the mafia and stop them from ruining her glorious career or not is something that we are unable to find out till the very end.
To be very honest, I had very little expectations from this book because the author's third novel, this is his fourth, turned out to be an extreme disappointment. This one proved to be an even less exciting read but I was okay with that because I had already been expecting it to be so!
For starters, the characters are flat, show little to no development, and are very similar to the ones in his previous books. The style is also a bit meh which is very sad because I'm a huge fan of Hamid's writing in his first two novels. This one is nothing in comparison to his other books especially as far as style is concerned. The plot is also very predictable and clichéd. Tbh, I genuinely don't understand why the writer even bothered churning this book out after proving to be an amazing storyteller with his other books. He definitely could've done so much better with this one!
The only plus point I could find about this book was that it was fast-paced and didn't make me waste too much of my precious time.
To be very honest, I had very little expectations from this book because the author's third novel, this is his fourth, turned out to be an extreme disappointment. This one proved to be an even less exciting read but I was okay with that because I had already been expecting it to be so!
For starters, the characters are flat, show little to no development, and are very similar to the ones in his previous books. The style is also a bit meh which is very sad because I'm a huge fan of Hamid's writing in his first two novels. This one is nothing in comparison to his other books especially as far as style is concerned. The plot is also very predictable and clichéd. Tbh, I genuinely don't understand why the writer even bothered churning this book out after proving to be an amazing storyteller with his other books. He definitely could've done so much better with this one!
The only plus point I could find about this book was that it was fast-paced and didn't make me waste too much of my precious time.
July 27, 2020
This is actually the first book I have read by the author, it I'd perhaps not his most popular work. But it does appear to be based on some reserach through interviews because some insights on matchfixing and cricket cannot have been fabricated. The storytelling is pretty good and good enough to make a movie out of infact.
It is based on the life/career of Sanam Khan who is the captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Sports unfortunately in Pakistan is completely dominated by men. So matchfixing in women's cricket seemed too much of an extrapolation. However the link the author has formed with success and fixers as sharks that sniff blood seems plausible.
But that said, this book made me feel sad. I am not much into watching sports but the little interest that I may developed is well extinguished by the prospect that it kinda infect all be staged.
It is based on the life/career of Sanam Khan who is the captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Sports unfortunately in Pakistan is completely dominated by men. So matchfixing in women's cricket seemed too much of an extrapolation. However the link the author has formed with success and fixers as sharks that sniff blood seems plausible.
But that said, this book made me feel sad. I am not much into watching sports but the little interest that I may developed is well extinguished by the prospect that it kinda infect all be staged.
February 27, 2025
I have enjoyed Omar Shahid Hamid's books, specially his first one, The Prisoner. But The Fix was disappointing from an author of his caliber. The characters were well portrayed and the story could have been great...but it wasn't. Quite simply, it lacked depth. There were also some unanswered questions, most importantly, what caused FQ to suddenly become straight? It couldn't have been his "love" for Sanam because he committed a murder during his involvement with her. He also continued to lie to her until the very end. So what brought about the change? I liked Fatima Shah's character and the interesting twist at the end when she also becomes party to spot fixing.
Read
November 16, 2020On bookies, from cricket demigods to mafiosos, on spot fixing and scandalous affairs - The Fix by author Omar Shahid Hamid is again, a riveting novel that targets various networks of match fixing in the world of cricket - except his world has women cricket players facing the pressure on a stretch with cutthroat fan and press not up-to their rescue when things tumble and falter.
Read only if you have an understanding and passion about cricket.
Read only if you have an understanding and passion about cricket.
March 17, 2020
A book about match fixing in women's cricket team of pakistan. It's really interesting to read about various incidents of match fixing in the mens cricket team in the past and it's effects on the lives of the cricketers concerned.
The author manages to catch the right atmosphere of the game of cricket, it's administration and the world of bookies.
An interesting read from a gifted author.
The author manages to catch the right atmosphere of the game of cricket, it's administration and the world of bookies.
An interesting read from a gifted author.
December 18, 2021
Would consider this as his best book written, book is based on cricket and the corruption surrounding it.
All characters in the book seem to have resemblance to real life players and you cannot stop yourself from drawing comparisions.
Be warned if cricket is your love, be prepared to have your heart broken.
All characters in the book seem to have resemblance to real life players and you cannot stop yourself from drawing comparisions.
Be warned if cricket is your love, be prepared to have your heart broken.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2023
The first half of the book is truly a love letter from a cricket fan(Pakistani) to the sport that this region considers to be the second religion. But, when the reality of the dark past hits (most of the incidents were inspired by real world events happened in the 90s - early 00s) the love letter turns into something that can make one guts turn.
Over all a good read gripping read.
Over all a good read gripping read.
March 23, 2021
I read this book out of sheer fandom I have for Hamid’s work. To be honest, I wasn’t even expecting much. The book is fine like that movie which you watch, enjoy and forget. Looking forward for his next book, Betrayal, though.
April 16, 2020
Amazing storyline and captivating to say the least. It really has done justice on the story he has put with respect to Fixing.
June 1, 2021
Murky under world of Cricket, a sport loved by billions. How matches are fixed by bookies and how matches can be scripted.
February 26, 2024
Opens your mind to the world of match fixing and to what extent they can go.
October 17, 2019
Not being a cricket fan I just picked it up because of the author and I must say the way this book is written, you don't need to be a cricket fanatic because it all unravels as the story goes by. The characters are very well illustrated with very well crafted story and really loved the flashbacks to provide the background on the characters.
The protagonist is a women cricket team captain who is fully determined to win the World Cup and would not let any of the bookies taint her team. The whole story have resemblance to the real life fiascos of the Pakistani men team which had been in the past alleged to fix matches, some even getting charged over it. The book beautifully portrays the workings of the Dark world of the Cricket World and how the players get sucked into it.
The protagonist is a women cricket team captain who is fully determined to win the World Cup and would not let any of the bookies taint her team. The whole story have resemblance to the real life fiascos of the Pakistani men team which had been in the past alleged to fix matches, some even getting charged over it. The book beautifully portrays the workings of the Dark world of the Cricket World and how the players get sucked into it.
August 27, 2019
The Fix by Omar Shahid Hamid turned out to be a page-turner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and exploring about the networks of fixing in the world of cricket. Hamid has done a tremendous job by writing a novel about deep rooted corruption, politics, & controversies that surround gentleman's game. A must read for fans of cricket.
November 29, 2019
You can't go wrong if you are reading a book by Omar Shahid Hamid.
You don't have to be a huge cricket fan to enjoy this book. This was a great read with so much to relate to in terms of the match fixing scandals which we have been reading about.
Can't wait to read his next book!
You don't have to be a huge cricket fan to enjoy this book. This was a great read with so much to relate to in terms of the match fixing scandals which we have been reading about.
Can't wait to read his next book!
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