Chasing a childhood dream, the Waqar Salamkheil way [Exclusive Interview]

Every athlete harbours a starry-eyed dream—a vision of triumph, standing on the grandest stage, basking in the glory of victory. It's a journey fraught with challenges, where perseverance and dedication become their guiding light. Yet, within this pursuit lies a poignant truth: the path to greatness is often veiled in shadows. 

For many, the dream remains an elusive spectre, tantalisingly close yet slipping away at the final moment. To be pulled from the brink of realisation, just as the fingertips graze the edge of destiny, is a profound test of resilience.

If you are wondering whether destiny could be that cruel, Afghanistan’s Waqar Salamkheil’s story would prove you wrong. The 22-year-old got to represent his country just once during a one-off Test against Ireland in 2019. Since then, he has been waiting with bated breath to prove himself on the international stage.

With potential at his disposal, Afghanistan are losing fireflies aiming for stars, as he has represented eight different leagues across the globe, with only one dream—someone sitting on the wooden chair at Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to notice his exploits and provide him the breakthrough, as he is at the end of his rope.

For some, life doesn't neatly come full circle; instead, it's a constant battle where they must regularly assert themselves. They face challenges head-on, making bold statements to carve their path amidst adversity. With four wickets in his only international game, 74 first-class wickets, and 65 wickets in T20s, Salamkheil is indeed making a statement here. Here’s the man speaking for himself exclusively with CricTracker and providing insights into his constant hustle.

You were 17 and you landed a Mzansi Super League contract? Please talk us through your experience?

It was early in the morning in Afghanistan when my agent called me and informed me that I had been drafted into the Mzansi Super League. The team I was assigned to was the Tshwane Spartans. I was surprised because I wasn’t aware of the draft. Upon reviewing the whole squad, I noticed that AB de Villiers was also part of the team.

When I arrived in South Africa, we had our first team meeting. AB de Villiers was sitting right in front of me, and I felt like I was dreaming to see such a huge star in person. It was a great experience, but I also felt pressure due to sharing the dressing room with such a big star. It was a significant moment for me.

How inspiring was Afghanistan’s ODI World Cup run?

In the past two years, India has always been our home ground. The wicket there is conducive to spinners, and it spins well. We have world-class spinners, so we were expecting to qualify for the semi-finals. However, we lost against Bangladesh and Australia. If we could have mustered a win against Bangladesh, we would have had a pretty good chance. But I felt we lacked experience, and we were dejected despite having the best spinning attack. There were scores of above 300 being posted, and no team managed to breach that mark against us. That was the saddening part for me.

What according to you has been the lowest point in your career?

I have consistently delivered strong performances in the domestic circuit. In ODIs, Tests (4-day games), and Afghanistan’s domestic T20 tournament, Shphageeza, I have been among the top performers. In fact, I was among the top two players one year, and the subsequent year, I topped the charts again. Despite these achievements, I haven't been given the opportunity to represent the national side in T20Is. This is the reason why I sometimes feel depressed that I am not able to play for my country.

Who is your cricketing role model?

Growing up, I used to bowl to Asghar Afghan in the house as he is my uncle. He used to teach me what to do and what not to do. Wherever I am today, Asghar Afghan has played a major role in my life. Four years ago, I used to lack cricketing acumen, but he always used to motivate me by saying that I would be a bowler of the topmost level. He had the ability to gauge the ability of a player, given his extensive experience. He has been my biggest supporter.

Secondly, as a spinner, I follow Rashid Khan a lot. Before stepping onto the field, I message Rashid and ask for his guidance via message, and he replies to me every time.

With T20 cricket being such a batter’s game, if given a scenario and you were bowling on a flat deck with short boundaries, what would your bowling plan be?

I am cautious about not bowling any loose balls on a flat wicket. By "loose ball," I mean avoiding bowling too full or too short. I aim to bowl within 4-5 meters and wicket to wicket. I am content if the batter takes singles and rotates the strike, as that will help my case.

It has been over five years since you last played for Afghanistan, with T20 World Cup coming up, is the next goal representing the country again?

It’s my dream to play T20I for Afghanistan. The World Cup is in the West Indies, and I have played CPL there, gaining a good amount of experience in the region. Guyana hosts Afghanistan matches, and I have played there extensively. So, the dream is to play for Afghanistan, but I haven’t been offered anything from ACB.

What would you change in Afghanistan’s grassroots for talent to turn into potential?

I would like to tell our domestic players to believe in yourselves, and one day you will definitely play for your country. Believing in yourself is most important in cricket. Players need to have bigger goals, and they will definitely achieve them.

Your most prized wicket?

I have taken some big wickets, be it Shahid Afridi, Colin Munro, Shai Hope, Andre Russell, and Saim Ayyub. But getting the wicket of Faf Du Plessis in SA20, that would be my biggest wicket.

You have played all around the globe, which do you think is the best franchise league?

I have played a lot of leagues, but there are two where I have enjoyed the most. One would be SA20, where I played for MI Cape Town. The standard of cricket is of a different level there. And the second would be CPL, where I played for Trinbago Knight Riders. It was a big team with a lot of big names. I have enjoyed playing in these two leagues, and they have a very good level of cricket.

You represented MI New York, MI Emirates and MI Cape Town, are you dreaming of playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL?

Mumbai Indians give a lot of respect to players and show a lot of love towards them. I have played for three of their franchise teams separately: MI Cape Town, MI New York, and MI Emirates. So, I had the chance to play in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, but it couldn’t happen. Insha Allah, if I get a chance next year, it would be a proud moment for me and for my family, that a player from Afghanistan is playing in the IPL.