Wasim Junior aims to play for Pakistan as all-rounder

KARACHI: Islamabad United emerging fast bowler Mohammad Wasim aims to play for Pakistan as an all-rounder.

‘I want to be an all-rounder for Pakistan and make my name at the international level,’ Wasim said.

Wasim has made rapid strides. The journey started with tape-ball cricket in North Waziristan in early 2011 and took a real flight once he shifted to Peshawar and trained with a hard ball.

‘It was tough,’ remembers Wasim. ‘There were very few opportunities in Waziristan. My father did not want me to play cricket, but my uncle supported me and then friends helped me in my progress,’ he said.

He caught the eyes of the junior national selection committee and was included in Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2020. In Pakistan’s tournament opener against Scotland, Wasim pulled off a five-wicket haul.

‘I was lucky to get selected for the junior World Cup. It was a great experience for me,’ Wasim recalled.

Wasim says he is lucky to be playing with Pakistan internationals like Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan and is eager to learn from their wealth of experience. ‘Islamabad United are good. We have top players in Hasan Ali and skipper Shadab Khan. Their presence is helping me a great deal,’ he added.

Wasim got an ideal start in the tournament. He took three for 29 in four overs against Multan Sultans in his side’s first match of the season after conceding ten runs in his first over.

He accounted for Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Rizwan and Shahid Afridi, the last being a first-ball duck.

Wasim’s ultimate goal is ‘to be the best emerging player in the HBL PSL 6 and then play for Pakistan’.