Irfan eager to make up for lost time

Lanky pacer has been selected by hometown Multan for third edition of PSL

KARACHI: Fast-bowler Muhammad Irfan, who became a household name due to his extraordinary height, has set his sights on once again returning to the upper echelons of cricket after slipping away from the public conscience due to a six-month ban imposed on him for his failure to report a spot-fixing approach made by a bookie.

Irfan terms those six months as some of the hardest of his life and said he felt lost during them.

“When I was banned from cricket after the Pakistan Super League, I was so confused about what to do, but my friends and family helped me and told me to focus on my cricket,” the former Islamabad United pacer told The Express Tribune. “I knew in my head that all I needed to do was ensure that my fitness levels don’t dip and I would return even stronger.”

The hard yards spent improving his fitness seemed easy though compared to the mental anguish he faced during those times, agonising over whether any PSL side would sign him after his name was associated with corruption; so often the death knell for a cricketer.

“I spent most of my time training but at the back of my mind there was always this nagging doubt that made me question whether any of this is even going to pay off,” he said. “I kept asking myself whether I would be picked up for the third edition of the PSL or not.”

Like most great athletes though, Irfan says he harnessed that negative energy to further improve himself. “That doubt pushed me even further,” he said. “I knew I had to train even harder in a bid to convince franchises to invest in me. I couldn’t leave any holes in my fitness regime or give the franchises any reason to not pick me.”

That hard work paid off though and Irfan was picked up by new franchise Multan Sultans.

“Being picked by Multan was like a dream come true,” said Irfan. “Multan is my hometown so representing it would feel great.”

Irfan had the luxury of working with the legendary Wasim Akram at Islamabad United and is understandably pleased at the chance of working with him again, with the former left-armer joining Multan as well.

“Wasim helped me improve my bowling when I was with Islamabad,” he said. “Now he is here as well so that is a great bonus for me. I am playing in the National T20 right now and I am quite optimistic that I can return to the national team if I can continue performing.”