Test Match Special - #40from40: Malala Yousafzai

Episode Date: March 30, 2020

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai chats to Simon Mann at Edgbaston in 2016 in a memorable View from the Boundary interview.

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Boundary on BBC Sounds. This is Jonathan Agnew, bringing you another classic view from the boundary interview. Today's one of the most special moments we've had on the program, was perhaps the most famous teenager in the world at the time, joined us at Edgebaston. Having been a blogger promoting women's education, Malala Yusufsay was 15 years old when she was attacked by the Taliban in Pakistan as she travelled home from school.

She was shot in the head, but remarkably survived thanks to extraordinary work from medical teams both in Pakistan and eventually the United Kingdom. After the attack, Malala made a home in the Midlands and soon became the youngest Nobel laureate at the age of 17. She joined us at Edgebaston as her beloved Pakistan side took on England and she spoke to Simon Mann. First of all, thank you, Simon,

and I'm really proud to be here and to see the match between Pakistan and England, and it's very special day. Tell us about your interest in cricket. Well, I have been a fan of cricket for my whole life and this is something that every Pakistani young person would be passionate about. So I was passionate about cricket right from the very early age and I have been following it and it's really nice to see it here as well

and to see it with your own eyes. I have seen it on TV but to see it in the field it makes it more special. So the first time you've been to a test match live or any cricket match live? So it's the first test match that I'm seeing live. I have seen one day it was in Sharjah and it was Sri Lanka versus Pakistan. Pakistan won that so I hope they win this one as well.

But what do you think about the state of the game? It's going well right now and I think a few more wickets are needed and then Pakistan will win definitely if not win and I hope for a draw but if Pakistan lose then I wouldn't be as sad because England is also a good team

and the country has welcomed me as like a sister and I have always been grateful for the support that I have received and the treatment and the good education that I'm getting here. So I would still be sad, but not too much. Right. Yeah. Did you watch cricket here or did you watch cricket in Pakistan when you were growing up?

I watched cricket in Pakistan. We played cricket in the streets and with my brothers and always like they would tell me like I'm cheating in cricket. I said, no, I'm always been the best and they don't accept it. So yes, just as a normal Pakistani girl, I have played cricket. in the streets of my city and I still love it and I follow it and I believe that this is a game that can bring countries together, cultures together and different nationalities together. So we need to celebrate it and enjoy it.

What sort of cricketer are you? Batsman, bowler? I think I'm good at everything but my brothers think I'm good at nothing. What about your brothers are they? Are they any good? They are good, batting, bowling. They are very good. They consider themselves all rounders. I don't accept that at all. So do you play here? Have you looked to play here? We do try to play in our garden

and I also played at school but unfortunately the weather is not always nice so don't get a chance to play It's always raining Yeah, sorry about that Well, it's fine, I forgive you for that What about the players While you were growing up

You're still very young But who are your sort of heroes In the Pakistan or perhaps other sides as well Well, I have loved cricket, and I love all cricket players, but in Pakistan, especially Shaida Fridi, everyone is Shida Friedi's fan, but seeing Mispah, Eunice, like, or top players and also the ballers like Amir, and so it's really great, like seeing Yasser playing and doing really well, but also I have loved many players like Shane Watson, Shane Warren, and in England cooked it really well.

and it's so all the players like I love cricket and I love all cricket players so I wouldn't be biased but obviously Pakistani players I think are the best have you met any of any players any Pakistan players or any other countries I have I met Brian Lara once and I was so excited that I have never been so excited before like meeting presidents and prime ministers not that excited but when I see a cricket player like it's just it's just the best moment yeah what does it shy it freedy has that other people don't i think he just when he hits the ball it just feels like it's the real cricket that's what you want to see and the he is very passionate as well very energetic but then when he gets out

then we all lose hope yeah let's talk about um other aspects of your life you're you're living in the UK now um is you're you can stay here this is where you're going to make your home now So I have been in the UK in Birmingham for more than three and a half years, and this is where I got my treatment in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and I'm also getting my education right now. I finished my AS levels, and I have one year of air levels left, and I would be applying to university right now for next year. So I'm really excited, and I want to study here and get quality and good education.

That's what I dream for, because that's what I stand up for as well to ensure that every girl has the right to go to school, and that's what I have been campaigning for, whether it's girls in Nigeria or Pakistan or India. So that's my campaign, but I also want myself to get education as well. So I'm hoping to get quality education here. Yeah, and then once you've done your education, what after that?

Well, I'm hoping to continue the campaign and our Malala Fund, our aim is to have advocacy and to also do work on the ground building schools, so I want to continue that work. and hopefully one day go back to Pakistan and make sure that we bring peace in the country and we have amazing youth

I want the youth to be empowered so they can get education but also to have good relations in terms of like with other countries and also to spread cricket around the world and make sure we have many more tests and cricket matches within Pakistan as well so I'm hoping for peace in Pakistan.

Yeah because Pakistan don't play at home that's something you'd like to see Do you think there's a possibility of that happening that the Pakistan will play home matches again, home international matches? Yes, that's what my dream is, that Pakistan gets the opportunity to have home matches. But that is possible when peace comes. And I think for that, everyone has to contribute the young generation of Pakistan and also our leaders, they have to contribute to ensure that we stand together against terrorism and we unite for education and for peace in the country.

Yeah. I mean, do you want to go back and live in Pakistan? Was that what you'd like to do in the future? Yes, definitely. That's where I began my campaign. That's where I stood up for my right to go to school. So that's what I want to continue this mission. And I'm hoping that we all can change. We all can bring the change that we want to see.

So for that, our contribution is needed. So I can't just wait and stand here and see my country good. I have to go there and contribute from my side. So I'm hoping to go back. Tell us a bit more about the charity work you do, you know, the fundraising, the raising of awareness around child education, girls' education, not just in Pakistan, but other countries in the world. You mentioned Nigeria, didn't you?

And I think Syria as well as another country where you have a lot of interest. What are you doing? How does the campaigning work? So actually we have three key things to do. First one is advocacy, second, investment and third, Amplify. So in advocacy, we spread the message of 12 years of quality education. education for every child, which means primary and secondary, but also our goal is to make sure that the Syrian refugee children, they get education.

So that's the message that I have been spreading among leaders, whether it's Barack Obama or the president of Nigeria or the president of Lebanon and Jordan, to speak out for refugee children, but also to do work on the ground, that is investment in the local projects. And we have done projects in Lebanon, such as building two schools in a refugee camp. We have done projects in Pakistan in Swat Valley, which is my hometown. So that is building schools, giving scholarships. So we want to do something from our side and show the leaders that if we can build one school, like, why can't you? Why are you stepping back?

And then the third one is to amplify the young girls' voices. So it's not just me speaking out, but I have girls from Syria, girls from Nigeria, girls from Pakistan, having a voice and speaking out for themselves so that they do not wait for someone else to come and speak for them, that they get their own voice and have a platform to speak out. I mean, do you see the rest of your life as a campaigner or would you sort of get to a stage, do you think you might get to a stage, I don't know, in 10 years' time when other people take over and you, for want of a better word, live a normal life or, you know, different life, you know, following a profession or something like that?

Or do you think you'll be a campaigner for the rest of your life? My campaign would continue for the rest of my life. And this is my new life. I've been through that incident where I was attacked. And when I survived, it was because of the prayers of people. and it was for a purpose that I believe. So this life is for the purpose of education to serve humanity, but I do want to get my own education,

to live a bit of a normal life, to get a job. But I am normal. I'm quite normal likes. I have two younger brothers, fighting with them is very normal, and they keep annoying me, so that keeps me normal. I mean, it's a remarkable life you've had. I mean, you're 19, aren't you? Yes, I'm 19. It's a remarkable life that you've had.

You know, the fact that, you know, what happened to you, the fact that you were shot, you recovered. And you mentioned there meeting presidents and prime ministers. It's open a huge amount of doors, isn't it? I mean, it's such a bizarre thing to happen to someone. Well, a lot happened in 19 years of my life. But to see people's support, that gives you strength each and every day. So I'm hoping that I will continue my education and mission,

and that's something that I'm looking forward to. Yeah. Sherry Khan's here as well who's the from the PCB, the head man at the PCB. You're involved in Malala coming along today. Very much so. We are greatly honored and privileged

to have her as our chief guest for the fourth day. She's been very, very gracious to come here. And one of the thrills of my life has been that she has given me a copy of her Nobel Prize. You know the

Diploma. I really cherish that and I want to thank her for it and to say what a great pleasure it is to receive such a wonderful gift from her. She is, as you see, a wonderful person, very committed, very dedicated to education. And she continues her campaign despite the fact that she was shot in the head. She continues it. She's gone to Nigeria to rescue those poor girls that Boko Haram have have had captured, kidnapped, been to Austria, been all over the world, trying to help girls' education. It's a real inspiration to listen to her and to be with her, and it's a great, great honor

for the team. Today, after close play, the whole team will meet her, and I think she'll enjoy meeting them also. Yeah, I'm very excited for that. Who do you want to meet in particular? All of them, all of them. Just to see them, and I am like a great fan of cricket and all the cricketers. I can't even explain.

Yeah, but you've met presidents and prime ministers, but the players you want to meet most, is it? Yes, I'm very glad you said that, you know. In your future campaigning world, what will make success? What success look like? I think education is taken for granted in many countries, like in the developed world, and it is not given enough attention. And I'm hoping that world leaders,

they give it enough attention and investment. If we are thinking of a better world and better future, and if we want any advancement and improvement in technology, but we are forgetting that the future generation, they don't go to school and they're not getting access to the tools that they need in their future. So how can we think of any success? And that is the key thing that is forgotten.

So without education, we can't improve any country. we can't achieve peace and especially in Pakistan in India and Afghanistan in those countries education is it's important but it's necessary it's needed

I understand that in Pakistan it's the second largest number of girls not in school in the world yes so the top one is Nigeria and then Pakistan comes so we don't want to see that we want to see every child in Pakistan

getting education and sometimes people ask me that why is education important and I think it doesn't even need any explanation if you look at the leaders and the politicians, all of them have their daughters and sons admitted in schools. Their children go to university.

They don't need any explanation of why children should go to school because they know. They know that for a child to have a bright future, it is important that we educate them. So why don't they think the same for the rest of the world's children? What was it like being at school in the UK? Because I think you went to a girl school, didn't you, in the UK? How did they interact with you? I mean, did you look at them and think you don't know how lucky you are? In the beginning, I was a bit shy, and it was really hard for me to adjust

because the culture was new and the way that you gossip was new. Everything was new to me, but I was grateful that it was quality education that I was getting. And then as time went on, I just got used to it. I made friends, and the teachers were very helpful. So I'm enjoying it, and it's good to have a new experience and learn more. Yeah, well, you've done your GCSEs with great success, I understand. Thank you. That's right, though, isn't it?

A's and A stars, I think? Yes, yeah, well, I had to work hard To prove that education is important Yeah, and then you're on to the next stage And then off to university, yeah? Yes, yeah, and hope that I get admission in the university And I hope that they accept me. What was it like for the other girls being at school with you?

Do you think, you know, someone who, you know, is a celebrity in their midst? Actually, my school was really good because they kept, me completely normal. So when I go to school, it just doesn't look like I'm anyone special. It just looks that I'm Malala, the student. That's it.

But I do participate in school in debates, in clubs, and I stood up for the head girl role. There was election, and I couldn't win. You didn't win? You didn't, yeah, I didn't win. So it just shows how normal it is. But I did get the deputy head girl role.

Right, okay. So they had to vote for you, do they? Yes, I had to deliver a speech, and I had to write application form. I had to go through interviews. So I would have done a lot of interviews, but I couldn't really win the school elections and those things. Yeah, that's hard. Life is hard.

I'm just thinking of the girl who won, actually. We'll have on as our next view from the boundary. I think you'll agree. That was a truly remarkable interview. Since that chat in 2016, Malala's gone on to study philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford, and remains an active voice in the fight for women's rights around the world. There's so much more available from our series of Classic View from the Boundary interviews. Just hit the subscribe button on BBC Sounds.

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