LAHORE, Feb 18: Rana Navedul Hasan is proof that determination can take even an average person to heights the most talented fail to reach. Naved, 27 this month, emerged as Pakistan's spearhead in recent tri-nation cricket series in Australia in the absence of injured Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.

He wholeheartedly led attack with 14 wickets in the tournament, second only to Brett Lee of Australia. With 4-29 against West Indies at Perth, he paved his team's way into finals. But soon his happiness turned into gloom as news reached him from back home in Sheikhupura of his father's death. Rana Mehdi Hasan had been Naved's mentor and motivator - and his main inspiration as he battled to gain a place in national side.

Naved told BBC Sport: "I was thrilled to bits with my performance (in Australia) but a message on my mobile that my father had died shocked me." "My father was a sports teacher in a school and he taught me basics of game and always told me that even an average man can achieve best through hard work," he reminisces.

"I didn't want to be number one bowler in the world. I just wanted to be as good as I could be. Working hard and pushing myself have been my strongest points." Pushing for a place in national side had previously proved too Hard for Naved with all-rounders such as Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood frequent fixtures in team.

He was in squad for home series against New Zealand, however, but that was cancelled after Sept 11 atrocities. He stood on sidelines in Pakistan's neutral venue series against Australia in 2002.

Finally Pakistan discarded eight players, including Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, after their failed 2003 World Cup campaign. Naved was among new entrants a month later at a one-day tournament in Sharjah.

He had never been disheartened by misfortune, feeling his chance would come eventually, and remained in reckoning after being leading wicket-taker in a domestic tournament soon afterwards.

When former England batsman Bob Woolmer took over, he spotted Naved as a most committed player. He used him as spearhead in one-day matches - a ploy which earned Pakistan invaluable wins last year. -PPI