Name: Mohammed Asif

Birth date: 1982-12-20

Hometown: Sheikhupura

Teams: PakistanAsia XI, Delhi Daredevils, Khan Research Labs, Lahore Division, Leicestershire, Sheikhupura Cricket Association, Sialkot Cricket Association, National Bank of Pakistan

Debut: 2nd Jan 2005

ODI Best: 6 | 3-28

Test Best: 12* | 6-44

A precocious talent, who gripped the attention of cricket fans world wide with destructive match winning bowling spells of match winnings. Noticed particularly by mesmeric accuracy with the new ball, excellent seam positioning and movement off the pitch, completely bamboozling some of the world's top batsmen be it Laxman, Tendulkar, Sangakarra or Pietersen. This merely hinted at what appeared to be another Pakistani great bowler in the making.

Remarkably his debut was a rather quiet and unsuccesful occasion against Australia in 2005, this frail and lanky figure showed little sign of the talent which was so evident just a year later. After that lone match it took till the end of 2005 before Asif saw some more action, an impressive ODI debut against England followed by a place in the test side for the home series against India at the begining of 2006. It was in the third and final test in Karachi when Asif made a real impact, taking 7 wickets in total and decimating the top order in both innings.

The subsequent tour to Sri Lanka cemented Asif's repuatation as one of the finest young bowlers in world cricket and arguably one of the best new ball bowlers around. In the final test he took 11 wickets to secure a series win for Pakistan.

His reputation was enhanced further with some excellent spells of bowling in England in the summer of 2006. But then the controversy began and has haunted Asif ever since. Just prior to the Champions Trophy in India, he tested positive for Nandralone along with fellow pacemen Shoaib Akhtar - although the ban was removed within 2 months, citing ignorance the controversy remained over his head. It didn't however affect his performance, on his return he was the star bowler
of the narrowly lost test series in South Africa.

The drugs controversy failed to be lifted though as Asif missed the 2007 World Cup in West Indies with injury named as the official reason, it slowly subsided only for Asif to be embroiled in another controversy just a few months later again it was prior to a major international tournament and involved a clash with Shoaib Akhtar and allegedly being hit with a bat from his equally controversial partner.

However this time he managed to play in the tournament itself and helped guide Pakistan to the final, injuries then began taking over and removed Asif from Pakistan's already thinly spread cricket calender. Things seemed to be gradually improving for Asif, injuries clearing up, leading to an appearance in the IPL in April 2008. However he once again broke down with injuries and then subsequently was involved in two further drug incidents, the second being a another failed dope test - leading to a yet to a ban from all cricket until formalised punishment is agreed. It is still possible for Asif to make a comeback, such is his talent and the nature of Pakistani cricket, but most cricket fans are in agreement that Asif has let himself down when greatness awaited him, should he have made the right choices.

Asif sat out his ban and finally made his well awaited return against Australia in the Champions Trophy in September. With his second spell, he produced another mesmerising spell to remind all Pakistani fans what they had been missing out on. A tour to NZ and Australia in 09/10 showed what Pakistan had been missing as he finished top wicket taker in NZ and helped in routing Australia out for 127 in the first innings at the SCG while claiming 6 wickets. In a losing series against Australia, he often looked like the only bowler capable of getting a wicket. If Asif can stay fit and out of trouble, he could yet make a name for himself.