Farhat has dismissed speculation saying his selection is always based on merit and not on his relation with chief selector Illyas. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan opening batsman Imran Farhat has said performance was his only barometer, insisting that he was not selected in the team on recommendation.
The left-handed batsman, who has played 40 Tests and 53 One-Day Internationals, has often been taunted because of his close relation with former Test cricketer and chief selector Mohammad Illyas.
However, Farhat said that being the son-in-law of Illyas has never been the reason for his inclusion in the team.
“This is a notion I want to clear,” said Farhat on the sidelines of the training camp at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.
“He (Illyas) has his own status but I never took advantage of my relation with him. It is in front of everyone that whenever I made a comeback it was always on the basis of my domestic performances. You can take my performance in the current season as an example.
“Nobody helps me there on the pitch. I perform well and that is how I get selected,” said the opener, who also scored a triple century in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy earlier this year.
“I have my own goals in cricket and I never discuss it with him. If I perform it’s good and if I don’t, I never winch.”
‘Exclusion never frustrated me’
The opener, who was never an automatic choice for the best part of his 12-year career, said he never got frustrated being in and out of the team.
“Cricket is my bread and butter.
“My objective is to keep striving and I will continue to play till I remain fit whether it’s international, domestic or league cricket.
”My primary target is to contribute to the team as much as possible whenever I get selected. However, the snub from the national team has never been a source of frustration for me.”
Speaking about the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, the seasoned opener said all the batsmen were aware of their responsibilities and hoped for an improved show.
“All of us are getting the best preparation possible for the tournament. We are training in conditions that are very similar to that in England.
“The presence of Javed Miandad has also helped us a great deal in improving our overall performance.”
With openers Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed in the team, Farhat said he will have no issues if he is demoted down the batting order.
“I am much more experienced now and can manage myself at any position. I am ready to play whereever the team management wants me to play.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2013.
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@Naveed:
wow u said absolutely true mate,,..even if we see players like brain lara and glen magrath they wont be given change without parchi.,,, they wont get even single match
Why do we only chant imran parch ,are akmal brothers ,malik ,afridi selected just on merit
As we have hear a lot from PCB Selectors and Team Fans that "Consistent performer should be in the team" The fact is Imran Farhat isn't done justice the chance given to him since his debut in 2001 and lot of other good batsmen haven't got enough chances like given to him he is bit lucky that he is still in the radar as he was not performing well in 12 years As you have seen the players who enter later than him are really performing well especially the likes of Micheal Clarke, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Virat Kohli worth to mention. Better players like Ahmed Shahzad, Fawad Alam, Hammad Azam and not given enough chances. Harris Sohail haven't got chance to play. Still don't understand the policy of PCB by selecting four or five openers in team. Keep selecting the same crop of flop players again and again.
The day Pakistan cricket Board coverts to merit against 'parchi,' that is the day the idea of a Sindh Cricket Board will be buried forever. Salams
The numbers do not lie and tell the whole truth. The career Test average of Imran Farhat is 32 runs and ODI is almost 33 runs. The respective numbers for Nasir Jamshed are 12 in tests and 45 in ODI and for Hafeez are 35 and 27 respectively. In short he is not too bad when compared to the others.
One of the worse players ever to play for Pakistan. Parchi farhat!
The guy is right. Why everything has to be corruption or conspiracy.