He was worried: Mohammad Asif recalls the Karachi Test when he showed Shoaib Akhtar how to get Indian batsmen out

Mohammad Asif has been away from the public eye for quite some time now. He was a terrific bowler until 2010 when he got caught in spot-fixing issues. Since then, he hasn’t played any international match. The 37-year-old now has no hopes for an international comeback. However, he had an interview recently, where he talked about the high points in his career.

Mohammad Asif was asked regarding the best spell he had bowled. During the conversation, he revealed that his spell of 4 for 78 and 3 for 48 against India in 2006 Karachi Test was special. In that match, the right-arm fast bowler got the wickets of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag once while he took the wicket of VVS Laxman twice.

Mohammad Asif recollects memories of the Karachi Test

“So my all spells were good, but if I had to narrow it down, I’d remember the Karachi Test against India. The biggest batting line-up of the time,” said Asif in an interview with ESPN.

Recalling that match, he said that Shoaib Akhtar was worried how will they take the wickets of the strong Indian batting line-up. However, Asif showed how to take the wickets of the best batting line-up of the time.

“I remember Shoaib Akhtar in the dressing room worrying about how we’d get them out. I just got them out and showed him. So that particular game I remember,” he added.

Another spell which Asif referred to was from a Test match in Kandy against Sri Lanka in 2006. In that match, Asif had figures of 6 for 44 and 5 for 27. It was a flat pitch and Asif ran havocs on the Lankan batting unit. It was a traditional Sri Lankan wicket where the ball would only spin and not offer much swing.

“That Kandy Test where I don’t really remember who but either Umar Gul or Rao Iftikhar Anjum came to me and asked how the hell I was making the ball swing when for them the ball wasn’t moving at all. Anyway, I don’t know, either I was in a hurry or probably they [Sri Lankan batsmen] were in a hurry (laughs). Those 11 wickets were fun,” he said.

In 23 Tests, Mohammad Asif picked up 106 wickets at an average of 24.36. His strike rate was 48.7.