Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
‘Selectors ended up picking bowlers like Wahab Riaz’: Asif explains what dwindled his chances of returning to PAK team
Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif recalled the heartbreaking moment when his chances of returning to the Pakistan team dwindled.
Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Amir had made a brilliant entry in the world of cricket. After making his debut in 2005, he soon rose to fame, especially after his exhilarating show against India in the 2006 Karachi Test. He was considered as one of the finest pacers in Pakistan’s arsenal.
Asif picked up 106 wickets in 23 Tests and 46 scalps in 38 ODIs. He also represented Pakistan in 11 T20Is and picked 13 wickets before his career went downhill. He was slapped with a 7-year ban for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal. After serving the ban, Asif tried his best to make a comeback but he could never do so.
While speaking in an interview with Pakpassion.com, the former cricketer recalled the heartbreaking moment when his chances of returning to the Pakistan team dwindled.
“When I came back to cricket after my ban, I knew that I still had the skills and ability to play international cricket. At the time I said that a fish never forgets to swim, and I showed that with my impressive form in domestic cricket for WAPDA. I was bowling well and utilising my experience and I was still full of confidence.
“In fact, I was bowling so well at that I felt that I was like an adult bowling to kids in domestic cricket. I was toying with batsmen at the domestic level and Inzamam-ul-Haq called me up and said to me that I would be called up for a training camp for the national side,” Asif was quoted as saying.
“However, the Pakistan Super League fixing controversy of 2017 put paid to my future selection for Pakistan and that was that. The selectors ended up picking bowlers like Wahab Riaz who had not even taken half the number of wickets I had that domestic season and that was both heartbreaking and frustrating,” he added.
Asif had an impressive domestic career. He played 103 First-Class games and scalped 441, including 29 five-wicket hauls. He also has 95 wickets from 86 List A games.
