Mohammad Asif Laments At Not Getting A Second Chance; Says Players Fixed Before Him And After Him

Mohammad Asif is an epitome of what you call a ‘wasted talent’. The tainted former Pakistani bowler was once revered as the next big thing in world cricket, Asif’s career came to a premature end after he was caught in the infamous spot-fixing scandal where he deliberately bowled no-balls during the Lord’s Test against England in 2010.

Asif was found complicit in the scandal alongside teammates Mohammad Amir and the then Pakistan captain Salman Butt and following a trial in a London court was subjected to a seven-year ban.

That was curtains on Mohammad Asif’s career but the right-hander feels that he is neither the first nor the last to be involved in fixing in Pakistan cricket and he should have been given another chance.

Asif also went on to take a jibe at some of the former cricketers when he said that those who indulged in fixing before him, are currently holding positions in the PCB.

“Everyone makes mistakes and I did too. Players had been indulging in fixing before me and even after me. But those before me are working with PCB and there are few after me still playing,” Asif told ‘ESPNCricinfo’.

He added: “Everyone was given a second chance and there are few who never got the same treatment (as me). PCB never tried to save me regardless of the fact that I am the kind of bowler who was highly regarded by everyone in the world,”

Also Read: Rashid Latif Feels That Players Are Just ‘Pawns’ In Match-Fixing

Mohammad Asif satisfied with what he achieved in his career

But Asif is not the one to dwell too much on what has transpired and the prodigiously talented bowler is proud of what he was able to achieve within a short span of time in his career.

“However much I played in my career, I made it count, duniya hila ke rakh di thi (I shook up the world). That is more important for me to think about. Even today, so many years later, the best batsmen in the world still remember me and they talk about me,” Asif said.

Indeed, Asif did rock the world of the batsman who came up against him during his playing days. Time and again, the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Hashim Amla have hailed Asif as the best fast bowler that they faced during their career. KP had even admitted a lot of times that he had no clue against Asif.

“Mohammad Asif by a country mile. If I was in good form, he made sure I wasn’t in good form a couple of weeks later after playing him. And if I wasn’t in good form, I definitely knew I wasn’t after playing him a couple of weeks in a series”- KP had told PakPassion.net.

Talking about his overall numbers, Mohammad Asif played a total of 23 Tests, 38 ODIs and 11 T20Is for Pakistan between 2005-2010, during which he claimed a 165 wickets.

Also Read: Kevin Pietersen Hails Mohammad Asif As The Best Bowler He Ever Faced