"Playing in the Ashes Would be a Dream Come True" : Fawad Ahmed

[Saj]

PakPassion Presents an exclsuive interview with Fawad Ahmed.

The Pakistan-born legspinner who played 10 first class matches in Pakistan was working in a warehouse and trying to make his way playing cricket in Australia whilst waiting for a verdict regarding his asylum application..

Ahmed lived in Pakistan's northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he was a supporter of an NGO who worked for women's rights, played cricket and coached children in the game. Those activities were considered dangerous enough to result in him being targeted and threatened by militants.

After he was made a permanent resident he was offered contracts from at least three different Big Bash League franchises. He eventually played for the Melbourne Renegades

Ahmed caught the attention of the Australian team when he bowled to them in the nets last year and has also played for Victoria in the Ryobi One Day Cup. He also played for the Prime Ministers XI against the West Indies and picked up the wicket of Darren Bravo.

Fawad also featured against the England Lions recently and also took 7 wickets in a First Class match against Queensland.


PakPassion.net How's life in Australia?

Fawad Ahmed: Oh it’s fantastic, I'm loving it. It's a life that every cricketer hopes for and something that he works hard for. The fruits of my labours - I am finally starting to get those now. I am performing well in domestic cricket and everything is working out the way I wanted it to.

I’m very happy with my recent performances for Victoria and I'm hopeful that this continues into the future as well. I hope to continue to play good cricket not just now but for many years to come.


PakPassion.net You must be missing Pakistan and your family though?

Fawad Ahmed: Definitely. Pakistan is my country. My heart and mind is always with Pakistan and I still feel sad when I hear the negative news coming out of Pakistan from the various news channels. Just recently I was talking to an Australian friend of mine and I told him that my people back home have been paying the price of poor leadership for quite some time now.

It deeply saddens me when I hear of bomb blasts back home and innocent people dying and also the reports of increasing inflation. The basic amenities of life are now not easily available, even to those with financial resources. The people of Pakistan are in great pain at the moment and I pray that Allah saves our country and brings peace to the entire nation. I also pray that Allah gives us a true and honest leader so that prosperity and peace return to our nation.


PakPassion.net Tell us about when you were playing cricket in Pakistan. You made your first class debut in 2005 yet you featured in so few matches?

Fawad Ahmed: I've been playing cricket for quite some time now. I played Pakistan Under-19 Divisional Level cricket and was also selected for the Pakistan Under-19 team. I was playing regularly at Under 19 level cricket and at District Level and performing consistently at that level. Then in 2005, I topped the District Level bowling averages in the whole of Pakistan and as a result I was selected to play First Class cricket.

It was unfortunate that I didn't get a proper chance in First Class cricket. Out of all the matches that I played in First Class cricket I only really got a proper chance at the Pakistan Customs team where I performed well. However for Abbotabad, I played five or six matches and I didn't even bowl a total of 50 overs. If you are playing five or six first class matches and not even bowling 50-60 overs in total, then it is very unfortunate, as being a leg-spinner you need to bowl a lot more deliveries to settle yourself into the team and into a match.

I didn't get a proper chance and each time the gap between matches increased. You know what the situation is like in Pakistan and in particular the area I come from, the situation is even worse there. In terms of cricket and away from cricket those were very tough days for me and life was difficult. I guess I was destined to be here in Australia.


PakPassion.net You also played with Junaid Khan for Abbotabad didn't you?

Fawad Ahmed: Yes, I did. He's performed so well this last year and has rightly been selected for the Pakistan team. In 2009, I played a full season with him. He is a very good player and like a younger brother to me. I’m still in contact with him and we talk regularly. He still considers me his senior and looks to me as an elder brother. He always asks for my advice over the phone.

Junaid's getting better day by day and progressing well as a cricketer and I am very happy for him. The way he is going, he is certainly making a name for himself in international cricket. God willing, on Pakistan's tour of Australia next year we may be playing against one another which certainly will be surreal but a very happy moment for both of us.


PakPassion.net You have played domestic cricket in both Pakistan and Australia. How do the two compare?

Fawad Ahmed: Talent-wise, Pakistan is amazing. You will find countless players with so much talent. There are so many gifted cricketers all around the country. Unfortunately, most of them don't get a proper chance at the right time so they can't make the most of it and progress. Then through a lack of support and a loss of interest those young cricketers are lost to the system. It's really sad that so much cricketing talent in Pakistan is being wasted.

On the other hand, first class cricket in Australia is tough because it is a small country with respect to population. However, they are very professional in all sports, not just cricket. When they play, they play with a lot of heart and at the highest level which includes the best facilities, environment, competition and challenges. In addition to that, people here work very hard on improving themselves. You cannot afford to stand still here in the world of sport, as you will be passed by.

Also in Pakistan, it is unfortunate that we don't have the facilities. When I was playing cricket in my home town of Swabi, there was only one decent cricket ground yet the total population of that area was over one million. In that ground, there weren't even any wickets available for net practice. Yet the area still produced and continues to produce Test, ODI and domestic players. There are no facilities there, but a whole lot of politics. They will not let a player progress easily. Even if you play well and are demonstrating talent, they will try to bring you down. There are many issues and problems in Pakistani domestic cricket. Leadership - every institution in Pakistan lacks proper leadership and that is a huge problem.


PakPassion.net Over the years we've seen leg spinners with varying styles play international cricket. How would you describe your style of leg spin?

Fawad Ahmed: My style doesn't really resemble any other bowler. Most of the time, I tried to copy Shane Warne but my bowling action is quite different to his. I have always followed Shane Warne's career since the time I started playing cricket. However, he is difficult to copy because he had a bowling style which was unique.

At this time, I think my current style and action is fine because it is working for me. I think bowling is about what suits you and what works for you. With regards to my bowling style, I can't say that it resembles any one - I walk in slowly with a small run-up, significantly smaller run-up than Afridi, Mushtaq, Abdul Qadir, Warne, and Kumble. I don't try to be quick in my action and my action involves no jump.


PakPassion.net Speaking of Shane Warne, have you met him whilst in Australia? If so, what advice did he give you?

Fawad Ahmed: I’ve met Shane Warne a couple of times and I bowled with him in the nets at the MCG at the beginning of last years training in the BBL. He appreciated me quite a bit and he gave me plenty of advice. I was lucky that I bowled well in the nets and gave some of the international batsmen a tough time, so he helped me quite a bit and told me to keep working hard as well as giving me lots of encouragement.

I didn't think he would be so approachable and appreciative since he is a legend and such a big player – but it was not like that at all. When he saw me bowling – he was bowling in the same net as me and he gave me quite a few tips and a lot of advice which was a great gesture from him.


PakPassion: There are other high profiles spinners currently in world cricket - such as Swann, Ajmal, Harbhajan and Ashwin. Are there any other spinners who you admire?

Fawad Ahmed: If we look at records and bowling, Saeed Ajmal is by far the best. Australia’s Nathan Lyon is also quite a good spinner. He is trying and getting better day by day. Ashwin is also trying very hard. Sri Lanka’s left arm spinner – Rangana Herath – I feel is quite good for Test cricket and I really like his bowling. All of these Test-level bowlers are good spinners, but there is no stand out leg spinner at the moment. This is a real shame since leg spin bowling is a real art and one of the beauties of cricket. The way Mushtaq Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Abdul Qadir and Danish Kaneria have all ruled in their time. They were all good leg spin bowlers. We will have to see if any young leg-spinner comes through down the line but I think Ajmal is the best spin bowler in the world at the moment.


PakPassion: You were signed by Melbourne Renegades in the BBL this year having received three offers. Why did you pick the Renegades?

Fawad Ahmed: I was running out of time since there were only two weeks left until the deadline to sign the contract and I had to choose one of the teams! I received two or three offers but I was not sure if I would be able to get residency in time and if Cricket Australia would allow me to play as a local.

I have been in Melbourne for three years now and had also been practicing with Melbourne for the last two years. The coach also knows me quite well and I did quite a bit of training with Melbourne last year too.

When Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq came to play in the BBL I used to go and train with them so the coach at Melbourne knew me quite well. I had also performed quite well at grade cricket in Melbourne in the last few seasons so they knew about me. I met the Renegades coach and he offered me a place in the side and luckily for me we were winning regularly.

As you know in any format and anywhere in the world if the team is winning it is quite hard for new players to get a chance. However I enjoyed the experience and I feel that I played a good role for my side on and off the field. That is why I stayed here and this was a great learning experience for me in my first year.


PakPassion: You were selected for the Australian Prime Minister's XI team when the West Indian side toured. Your captain in that match was the legendary Ricky Ponting. What did Ponting say to you and what advice did he give?

Fawad Ahmed: I first met Ricky Ponting in Brisbane when he was training with the Australian cricket team for the first Test. He is not only a great player, but he is also a great human being. He appreciated and encouraged me a lot. He was very close to me and in that match against the West Indies and he gave me a lot of support. At one time I wasn’t bowling well so he supported me a lot and gave me a lot of advice, thanks to which I also picked up a wicket and bowled quite a few good overs. It was an absolute honour for me to be on the same field as Ponting and something that I will never forget.


PakPassion.net Your instant success in Australian domestic cricket must seem like a dream come true?

Fawad Ahmed: Yes, by Allah’s will. There was a time when I was waiting, waiting and waiting for a chance. All of the dreams that I had have come true. The way I performed in the one-day and four-day matches in Australia, God Willing I will continue to perform and my dreams will continue to come true. Any cricketer’s dream is to play international cricket and hopefully my dream will be fulfilled – I have high hopes that this will happen one day.


PakPassion.net The ICC have said that your selection for Australia can happen from 18 August 2013, or earlier if you get an Australian passport. That must be an exciting thought?

Fawad Ahmed: This is a source of great happiness for me – the way the media coverage is coming through, the way people are supporting me, the comments from major players on my performances and my future. It makes me very happy, playing for Australia is something that would be a source of pride for me, my friends and my family. I hope one day I will play for Australia but primarily I need to concentrate on consistency in domestic cricket.

Playing for Victoria is an honour and achievement – I am cap number 803 for Victoria - and there have been a lot of top quality players who have represented Victoria and even now we have quite a few Australian Test players and members of the ODI team. It’s my responsibility to try my best for them and to continue to perform. As long as I stay fit and healthy, I will keep working hard for them and giving my all for them.


PakPassion.net There are two Ashes series scheduled this year. It’s amazing to think you could be playing in both?

Fawad Ahmed: It is amazing! Back-to-back Ashes series have never happened before and if it’s my fate, it will be a source of great happiness for me. Importance is given to the Ashes throughout the world, but in particular Australia and England where it’s even bigger than the World Cup. The Ashes are a true test of a player's ability and the level of competition is very high. A lot of people get involved, the whole nation and the media focus on it a lot. If I manage to become part of the Ashes team, nothing would make me happier. Playing in the Ashes would be a dream come true for me.


PakPassion.net You have only played a little bit of cricket over the course of your career. You’re 33 years old but it seems that age doesn’t hamper leg-spinners as it may fast bowlers. You must feel you have quite a few years of cricket left?

Fawad Ahmed: I’d like to first clarify something - I had given the original documents to Cricket Australia but there were errors in the dates. They are now being changed – the original numbers were February 5 1980 but I have provided the documents to Cricket Australia via the Government to show that my correct date of birth is 5 February 1982 (note this has now been corrected).


PakPassion.net So you’re 31 years old, not 33?

Fawad Ahmed: Yes and looking ahead, as a spinner Brad Hogg played for Australia at the age of 41, making a comeback. Stuart MacGill played domestic cricket late into his career, Shane Warne is still playing. I believe I can play at least six of seven years with ease as I place a lot of importance on my fitness and hopefully I can play for many years to come.


PakPassion.net Thanks for your time today and best of luck for the future.

Fawad Ahmed: Thank you.

[RehanG]

Lol ye it was his dream ...

Anyways good Luck to him

[Safar55]

interesting q&a there. I'd like to see if he lives up to the hype.

[Kianig89]

Wait n See.....hope he is not another tahir in making

[Anfield]

Setting his dream nonsense aside.. Why he thinks he would be selected for Australia? Has he set the world on fire with his bowling? Can someone shed some light on his abilities and performance?

[Patriot]

The Aussies are desperate for a decent spinner, so he has a chance.

And I'm not surprised about people being targeted in Pakistan these days for even minor activities as supporting NGOs. If his life was in danger then why shouldn't he relocate to a country like Australia? And if he gets picked to play for them, good for him and the Aussies (hope he does really well for them).

[Kwremb]

He's not that good but hope he isn't Tahir level bad

[sports.sense]

He doesn't look to be quality like Shane Warns. We'll see

[Convict]

Originally Posted by Anfield Setting his dream nonsense aside.. Why he thinks he would be selected for Australia? Has he set the world on fire with his bowling? Can someone shed some light on his abilities and performance?

These are sheffield shield bowling stats (note 8 rounds played).
Got the top 20 wicket takers plus other players of interests.

Shield Bowling
#   Player      State Mat  Inns  Ovrs  Runs  Wkts Avg   BBi   BBm   5  10
1.  C.Sayers    SA    7    13    274.4 685   38   18.02 6/49  8/73  2  0
2.  L.B'worth   TAS   8    14    252.2 671   35   19.17 6/49  10/89 4  1
3.  J.Mennie    SA    5    10    188   601   29   20.72 6/43  9/109 1  0
4.  J.Bird      TAS   6    10    173.5 555   27   20.55 6/25  8/86  1  0
5.  D.Bollinger NSW   8    15    242.5 733   27   27.14 4/31  8/108 0  0
6.  J.Faulkner  TAS   7    12    180.2 527   26   20.26 5/23  6/70  1  0
7.  J.Pattinson VIC   5    10    147.5 458   25   18.32 6/32  8/61  1  0
8.  J.Hastings  VIC   6    12    177   493   25   19.72 5/30  7/82  2  0
9.  L.Feldman   QLD   6    12    192   609   25   24.36 4/33  7/105 0  0
10. C.Gannon    QLD   5    10    168.5 494   24   20.58 6/53  8/78  1  0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. T.Copeland  NSW   6    12    250   628   24   26.16 4/56  6/111 0  0
12. N.C'-Nile   WA    6    9     189   635   24   26.45 6/84  9/125 1  0
13. B.Cutting   QLD   5    9     142.2 414   22   18.81 4/25  6/45  0  0
14. M.Hogan     WA    7    11    230.3 594   20   29.70 4/43  5/97  0  0
15. G.Putland   SA    3    5     131.1 320   19   16.84 7/64  12/92 3  1
16. J.Hopes     QLD   5    8     176.2 360   17   21.17 5/27  6/49  1  0
17. S.O'Keefe   NSW   7    13    206.2 455   17   26.76 4/47  8/102 0  0
18. M.Johnson   WA    5    9     148.4 493   17   29.00 4/103 5/104 0  0
19. M.Henriques NSW   5    8     92    252   14   18.00 3/32  4/46  0  0
20. J.Hazlewood NSW   5    9     161   547   14   39.07 3/76  5/130 0  0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
21. B.HilfenhausTAS   3    6     111   294   13   22.61 3/37  5/89  0  0
23. N.Hauritz   QLD   5    8     154.3 443   13   34.07 5/135 5/135 1  0
24. A.Agar      WA    3    5     115.2 340   12   28.33 3/47  5/138 0  0
26. C.McKay     VIC   4    8     141.4 352   11   32.00 3/52  5/101 0  0
27. P.Siddle    VIC   4    8     104   355   11   32.27 3/36  4/57  0  0
31. A.Zampa     NSW   3    6     69.2  239   10   23.90 3/17  5/47  0  0
35. M.Beer      WA    4    7     121.1 371   8    46.37 3/88  3/88  0  0
37. M.Starc     NSW   2    3     40.3  154   7    22.00 4/72  4/72  0  0
38. F.Ahmed     VIC   1    2     58.3  162   7    23.14 5/83  7/162 1  0
39. G.Maxwell   VIC   3    5     61.2  178   7    25.42 4/42  4/42  0  0
41. N.Lyon      SA    5    8     132.1 500   7    71.42 2/42  4/173 0  0
49. M.Marsh     WA    5    5     44    171   5    34.20 2/29  3/51  0  0
50. J.Krejza    TAS   4    7     92.4  367   5    73.40 2/25  2/37  0  0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>50.X.Doherty   TAS   4    4     53    160   2    80.00 1/15  1/15  0  0
>50.S.Smith     NSW   5    4     15    71    1    71.00 1/16  1/16  0  0

Spinners are in bold.

[vandokkum]

Imagine Ashes series with the following players- Pietersen, Compton, Trott, Dernbach, Prior, Morgan, Khawaja, Fawad Ahmed etc... soon 11 out of the 22 playing the Ashes will be born outside of England/ Australia really hope Australia don't go down the England path.

[MenInG]

Hype? Its just an interview with a new spinner who is creating headlines in Australia.

We dont know what good coaching and a healthy non-nepotistic/merit based environment may do for this guy.

[Worldcuppa]

Originally Posted by Anfield Setting his dream nonsense aside.. Why he thinks he would be selected for Australia? Has he set the world on fire with his bowling? Can someone shed some light on his abilities and performance?

Reason for the Hype ?

Quite simply, Australia NEEDS a wicket-taking spin bowler. Fawad Ahmed appears to be an immediate solution to their problem.

It needs to be remembered that Australians are the best players of Leg Spin in the world. i.e. Almost all the other test playing Nations - except maybe India - are absolutely clueless against any leggie who can be even moderately accurate (ie. minimize the number of four-balls that he bowls)

So if this guy can take wickets in Australian Domestic cricket, he's almost a certainty to be successful at International level.

It is a little-mentioned fact - Shane Warne NEVER took 5 wickets for St.Kilda in Melbourne district cricket. I used to think this was due to the pitches and strategies being suited to fast bowlers but that opinion changed when Abdul Qadir played for Carlton in 1995/6, HE took 5 wickets EVERY week.

Similarly, Warne rarely took a bag of wickets for Victoria - even in Sydney which was a renowned turner, a NSW batsman would invariably score a century against him.

For Fawad Ahmed to take 5 wickets in his first 4-day game is a BIG PLUS and may be the catalyst to Australian Cricket Authorities working overtime in getting him citizenship.

[Convict]

Originally Posted by Worldcuppa Reason for the Hype ? Quite simply, Australia NEEDS a wicket-taking spin bowler. Fawad Ahmed appears to be an immediate solution to their problem. It needs to be remembered that Australians are the best players of Leg Spin in the world. i.e. Almost all the other test playing Nations - except maybe India - are absolutely clueless against any leggie who can be even moderately accurate (ie. minimize the number of four-balls that he bowls) So if this guy can take wickets in Australian Domestic cricket, he's almost a certainty to be successful at International level. It is a little-mentioned fact - Shane Warne NEVER took 5 wickets for St.Kilda in Melbourne district cricket. I used to think this was due to the pitches and strategies being suited to fast bowlers but that opinion changed when Abdul Qadir played for Carlton in 1995/6, HE took 5 wickets EVERY week. Similarly, Warne rarely took a bag of wickets for Victoria - even in Sydney which was a renowned turner, a NSW batsman would invariably score a century against him. For Fawad Ahmed to take 5 wickets in his first 4-day game is a BIG PLUS and may be the catalyst to Australian Cricket Authorities working overtime in getting him citizenship.

Nope.

We'd be the worst now of the major test nations.

[Watsupdoc]

Great interview! Throughly enjoyed reading it. All the best to him

[Shayan]

All the best to him. Good example of taking any opportunity that life presents.

[Genghis]

Great interview and thanks for answering my questions. Wish him all the best.

[James]

Hopefully he is even worse than Tahir.

[PTI tsunami]

Originally Posted by James Hopefully he is even worse than Tahir.

What I have seen of him he looks average at best

[thewrongUn]

pakistan is the largest producer of world class spinners now after being one of the fast bowlers previously...well done despite the lack of facilities..imran tahir and fawad have done really well

[Saj]

In their increasingly desperate search for a successor to Shane Warne, Australia are trying to fast-track the passport application of a former asylum-seeker from the Pakistan village where Osama Bin Laden was killed.

Fawad Ahmed has been hailed as the best leg-spinner to play first-class cricket since Warne, after impressing in his short stint in Australian domestic cricket since fleeing Abbottabad, where Bin Laden was hiding. He had suffered death threats because of his work coaching women’s cricket.

But, under residency rules, he will not qualify to play in the Ashes until the last Test of this summer, and with the Aussies still looking for the new Warne after trying no fewer than 12 spinners since his retirement, they are now lobbying their government to give the 31-year-old Fawad a passport as soon as possible to make him eligible for the Test team.

Little-known Fawad, who has played just 11 first-class games, insists playing in the Ashes would be a ‘dream come true’, even though he said his ‘heart and mind is always with Pakistan’.

‘Pakistan is my country,’ he added. ‘But it simply wasn’t safe for me there because I was accused of promoting Western values by coaching cricket. I was helping to promote the education of women and girls and coaching women’s cricket, which wasn’t a popular thing to do.

‘I would love to play for Pakistan but there is no going back. I had to leave.

‘If it’s my fate, it will be a source of great happiness for me to play in back-to-back Ashes series. The Ashes are a true test of a player’s ability and the level of competition is very high. A lot of people get involved, the whole nation and the media focus on it a lot. If I manage to become part of the Ashes team, nothing would make me happier. It would be a dream come true for me.’

Fawad, who was granted permanent residency on January 29 after arriving in Australia in 2010, took 7-162 on his Victoria Bushrangers Sheffield Shield debut last week, prompting his captain, Cameron White, to say: ‘When he’s qualified, he’ll play for Australia pretty quickly, I’d imagine. He’s one of the better leg-spinners, if not the best, I’ve seen in first-class cricket outside Stuart MacGill and Shane Warne.’

As it stands, Fawad will qualify for Australia on residency grounds on August 18 — three days before the final Ashes Test in England — but with his case now on the political radar, a passport could be granted much sooner. Federal Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor has taken up the case, with Cricket Australia lobbying on his behalf.

One stumbling block could come from his initial declaration that he was born on February 5, 1980, making him 33, before back-tracking by insisting his birthday was actually two years later.

I had given the original documents to Cricket Australia, but there were errors in the dates,’ he told PakPassion.net. ‘They are now being changed. I have provided the documents to Cricket Australia via the government to show that my correct date of birth is February 5, 1982.’

Assuming the administrative blunder does not count against him, it would complete one of the most remarkable journeys to the Test arena in history. As current Baggy Green spinners Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty continue to toil in India, along with the rest of the Australia team, who struggled to 236 for nine declared on the first day of the second Test in Hyderabad yesterday, Fawad’s emergence also highlights a startling lack of quality in Australia’s spin department.

‘I’ve met Shane Warne a couple of times and bowled with him in the nets at the MCG last year,’ said Fawad. ‘He gave me plenty of advice. Any cricketer’s dream is to play international cricket and, hopefully, my dream will be fulfilled. I have high hopes that this will happen one day.’


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cri...INTERVIEW.html

[Saj]

It will be interesting to see how Fawad's career develops. I've not seen the lad bowl, but I've heard that he has a lot of variety.

[Bullet Drive]

Would love to see him bowl. AUS need a spinner.. and a few batsmen..few bowlers too.

[Robert]

These Aussies can't win unless they import gun bowlers from overseas....

[Bullet Drive]

Originally Posted by Robert These Aussies can't win unless they import gun bowlers from overseas....

Australia still have some brilliant quick bowlers. Only problem is they get injured way too often!

[Convict]

Saw him bowl the other day in shield.

Looks nothing special tbh

[Random Aussie]

Originally Posted by Robert These Aussies can't win unless they import gun bowlers from overseas....

I see


What


You


Did there

[Random Aussie]

Any spinner in Australia has seen their stocks rise by NOT being on the current tour

[Robert]

Surely Horrors could do a better job than these blokes?

[MenInG]

He now signs a 3 year contract with Victoria

Leg-spinner Ahmed, who could be in contention to play for Australia in the Ashes series in England in July if he is granted citizenship on time, was named in Victoria's squad for the next domestic season. "Fawad Ahmed was the success story from last year and we're extremely happy to have signed him for the next three seasons,'' Victoria coach Greg Shipperd said in a statement. The 31-year-old leg-spinner was handed a permanent visa to remain in Australia in November after leaving his home in the border region near Afghanistan, where he said he was targeted by Muslim extremists. But to play for Australia in the Ashes from July he needs fast-tracked citizenship and an Australian passport. Otherwise, under International Cricket Council rules, he will not become available until August 18, before the fifth Test at the Oval. Ahmed played three Sheffield Shield games for Victoria late last season and took 16 wickets at 28.37, bringing him to the notice of Australian selectors given a dearth of spin bowlers of Test quality. "Fawad Ahmed is a mature and very good leg-spinner,'' chairman of selectors John Inverarity said last month. "I've seen quite a bit of him and all those who have played against him, and the coaching staff, rate him as a good bowler. "He would certainly come under consideration. It will all be considered on merit. He will be treated no differently from anybody else.'' Of his chances of playing for Australia, Ahmed told reporters last month: "Playing Test cricket is the dream for any single cricketer -- very, very exciting. "Like a dream, especially playing for Australia in an Ashes against England. That would be a dream for me and would be amazing. I just only can imagine.'' Cricket Victoria also announced Friday that former Australian all-rounder Dan Christian would be playing for Victoria from next season. Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...#ixzz2RYu8AIHj

[Kwremb]

Damien Martyn faced him in the nets and seems to be raving about him, no idea why though

[ahmed16]

What ever happened to Nathan 'Can't bowl off-spin' Hauritz?, I thought he was decent enough and probably the best out of the current lot of Aussie spinners

Haven't seen this Fawad Ahmed guy bowl but wish him all the best, he's taken his chance which is good to see.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by ahmed16 What ever happened to Nathan 'Can't bowl off-spin' Hauritz?, I thought he was decent enough and probably the best out of the current lot of Aussie spinners

Hauritz has a FC average of 42 and has been true to form with roughly 7/300 in his last few matches.

O'Keefe can't get near the team averaging 28 with the ball so selectors aren't ever going back to Hauritz- he's also regarded as mentally weak and unwilling to bow when pressure is on.

[Myrmidon]

P_P knows him, he is from the same village as him

say's he is a very good bowler

look forward to seeing him one day

[King Amla 311*]

Sounds like another tahir.. gosh he was horrible!

[srh]

How can a player born in Pakistan and brought up in Pakistan has a dream of playing in the Ashes? Me thinks Fawad is playing for the gallery here

[zeikz123]

Originally Posted by srh How can a player born in Pakistan and brought up in Pakistan has a dream of playing in the Ashes? Me thinks Fawad is playing for the gallery here

why do you care so much about his dreams? its his life .. if you can't be positive please refrain from being negative as well. a person can have any sort of dream its his/her life stop living in your bubble world where everyone is patriotic.

[Buffet]

Originally Posted by srh How can a player born in Pakistan and brought up in Pakistan has a dream of playing in the Ashes? Me thinks Fawad is playing for the gallery here

If I am right, he ran away form Pakistan due to threat on his life and took asylum in Aus. In changed situation , he is hardly going to dream about playing for Pakistan. He could very well be sincere about this dream of representing Aus in Ashes.

In general , I think there should be 8-10 years of waiting period before some one can play for new country after getting citizenship. That will stop players to play for different country if they happen to learn their cricket in another country. Eng has been historically doing it for long time so I felt fine till this practice was mainly done by Eng. I won't like wide spread practice of same by all countries. International games won't feel same if every country start doing it at same level as Eng.

[Mamoon_Ghaffar]

The days of Australians mocking the English for living on the talents of another country are long gone and for some reason, they have developed a certain fetish for Pakistanis.
No wonder their team is fast becoming the new Pakistan. A lot of similarities.

[Buffet]

Originally Posted by Mamoon_Ghaffar The days of Australians mocking the English for living on the talents of another country are long gone and for some reason, they have developed a certain fetish for Pakistanis. No wonder their team is fast becoming the new Pakistan. A lot of similarities.

If Fawad Ahmed end up playing for Aus then he will be the only Pakistani who learned cricket in Pakistan and ended up playing for Aus. Is there some more like Fawad who are hopeful to play for Aus? I know Usman has Pakistani connection but he learned his cricket in Aus due to leaving Pakistan at the age of 4.

[wrongun]

Originally Posted by Buffet If Fawad Ahmed end up playing for Aus then he will be the only Pakistani who learned cricket in Pakistan and ended up playing for Aus. Is there some more like Fawad who are hopeful to play for Aus? I know Usman has Pakistani connection but he learned his cricket in Aus due to leaving Pakistan at the age of 4.

I assume he is also referring to Kwahaja, who was brought to Australia also as a young boy by his family and encouraged by his father to adopt his new nation.

IMO that is a very different case to a guy who gets to age 16-20, realises he might have more opportunity or $$$ in another nation & then leaves to try qualify for them.

Neither Fawad, Ussie or Qadir fall in that category.

[PB]

Sigh.....Whats the point of International teams, if a Pakistani is playing for AUSTRALIA..