Meet Pakistan’s 16-year-old Chinaman bowler
Pakistan is known to produce some extraordinary fast bowlers, but over the years they have produced some quality spinners too. Spinners are doing really well in all three formats of the game. Especially the wrist spinners are the toast of the town.
One such unique bowling art is left-arm-unorthodox spin or the Chinaman bowling. Bowlers spin the ball with their wrists to turn the ball left to right after pitching. In Pakistan too, the interest in Chinaman bowling is increasing day by day.
One such player is Saad Asif, 16-year-old Chinaman bowler, who is hoping to represent Pakistan on the international level.
MM News: What inspired you chose cricket as a career?
Saad Asif: Cricket means a lot to me and not even that I am very good at cricket and I saw my future there so this thing inspired me to choose the career in cricket.
MM News: When did you start playing cricket? And what you have achieved so far?
Saad Asif: I started playing cricket when I was in fifth grade. Initially, just like other cricketers. I got selected for Under-13 team and the next year I represented it as a captain. After that, I played in U-16 for 3 years and was the second-highest wicket-taker in Sindh.
MM News: How would you describe Chinaman bowling?
Saad Asif: Such bowling is also called left-arm-unorthodox spin. It is a very difficult bowling art to emulate. Currently, There is no other Chinaman bowler in the world except Kuldeep Yadav of India. The Chinaman spinner can bowl Googly, Big Spin, Flipper and Slider. A chinaman delivery usually turns sharply owing to the spin imparted by the wrist.
MM News: How many hours a day you practice?
Saad Asif: I practice for one and a half to two hours a day. Besides bowling, I also practice batting as my aim is to be a good allrounder, and I also do yoga twice a week.
MM News: Your inspiration in cricket? Your most preferred format in cricket?
Saad Asif: The most favorite player in cricket is Babar Azam while I also like the way Umar Akmal plays and among the bowlers Shane Warne and Kuldeep Yadav are my favorites. Watching the videos of India’s Kuldeep Yadav gives me a chance to learn a lot.
MM News: Your favorite team in Pakistan Super League?
Saad Asif: Karachi Kings, absolutely. Because I also belong to Karachi. But no matter who wins the PSL, Pakistan always win. It is the identity of our beloved country.
MM News: Your most preferred format in cricket?
Saad Asif: All three formats of cricket are different but I personally prefer T20 and ODI cricket.
MM News: How important do you think fitness is for a cricketer?
Saad Asif: Fitness is everything for a cricketer. From a T20 game that is played for 3 hours to an International Test Match that stretches to 5 days, the game of cricket requires a high level of fitness for a professional player to perform effectively.
MM News: What are your future plans?
Saad Asif: Representing Pakistan’s national team and setting a record is my dream. And I practice day and night to make my dream come true.