Back In My Day There Was No Hiding Place As A Young Bowler: Mohammed Asif

Former Pakistan seamer Mohammed Asif has reckoned that the current players are lucky as they have the luxury of so many coaches around them, something he didn’t have when he started playing for the country.

Asif, during an interview with Wisden Cricket Monthy, recalled his maiden international trip to Australia in the winter of 2005 where the pacer was bowled into the dust in the nets before his debut game.

Mohammed Asif added that the current players are lucky to have so many support staff members around them, unlike his era, where, he felt that there was no hiding place for a youngster.

“On my first senior international tour in Australia in 2005, there weren’t many coaches with the team and as a junior bowler I was the one who was given the duty of doing a lot of bowling in the nets. When I had bowled for an hour to one batsman, the next one would be ready,” said Mohammed Asif.

”It was searing heat and it felt as if my back was going to break. It was no surprise that when my chance finally came for my debut in Sydney, I ended-up with figures of 0 for 88. Nowadays touring squads have so many coaches with them which means that the junior bowlers are well looked-after, but back in my day there was no hiding place as a young bowler when you were looking to make a name for yourself,” added Mohammed Asif.

Mohammed Asif opens up on the 2010 Spot-fixing scandal

Asif’s promising career came to an abrupt halt following his involvement in the 2010 Spot-fixing scandal alongside Salman Butt and Mohammed Amir.

Looking back at the unfortunate event, Mohammed Asif regretted his actions and apologized to his fans for letting them and the whole country down.

Asif admitted that he threw away what was turning out to be a promising career.

“There will always be remorse about what happened and my subsequent ban. I was playing a sport that I loved, a sport that I had always dreamt of playing. I was playing at the highest level for my country and I couldn’t have wished for anything more, but then I threw it away. I made mistakes, I broke hearts, I upset my fans, but we all make mistakes in life and have regrets,” he said.

”I was the main bowler in the Pakistan side, I was at the top of my game and known throughout the world as a dangerous opponent and highly respected by batsmen, but I lost it all. I definitely regret what happened and wholeheartedly apologize to my fans and cricket lovers around the world for my actions and for the hurt I caused,” he added.

Mohammed Asif featured in 23 Tests, 38 ODIs, and 11 T20Is for Pakistan, claiming a total of 165 international wickets.

Also Read: Shut Up And Start Talking Sense: Mohammed Asif Blasts Shoaib Akhtar; Urges Him To Stop Living Off A 13-Year-Old Incident