Mohammad Ali is a right-arm fast-medium bowler from Sialkot. He has taken 113 wickets in his 29 first-class matches to date, at an impressive average of 24.88. In his 14 List A matches, he has taken 29 wickets at an eye-catching average of 18.79. 

He also featured for the State Bank of Pakistan in the recently-concluded Ramadan T20 Cup in Karachi and bagged 5 wickets for just 52 runs in 3 matches. 

by Farid Khan (3rd August 2013)

Full name: Mohammad Ali

Born: August 12, 1989, Sialkot, Punjab

Current age: 23 years 356 days

Major teams: Pakistan Television, Sialkot, Sialkot Stallions, Pakistan A, State Bank of Pakistan

Batting style: Right-hand bat

Bowling style: Right-arm fast-medium


Getting into Cricket

I always wanted to become a cricketer and used to watch all the live matches in my school days. I joined a local club in Sialkot to fulfill my dreams and playing first-class cricket has been a big achievement for me. 


Tape Ball

I played a lot of tape-ball cricket during my teenage years. Playing with friends on the streets and late night cricket was my hobby. However, the day I started playing with the hard ball, I never played with the tape-ball again. 


Club Cricket

I joined a local club in Sialkot, named RP club. I impressed my coaches a lot and they were very helpful. They didn’t mind sharing their experiences with the players. It was the first step towards fulfilling my dreams.


Pakistan A

I was playing for Pakistan Television at that time and had grabbed 29 wickets in 6 matches. They called me up for the fast bowlers’ camp which was held at the National Cricket Academy. From there, I was selected for the Pakistan A team, along with Mohammad Talha. I toured Zimbabwe and Kenya with the A team and my name was also included in the list of the 30 probables for the Champions Trophy. 


SBP

My call-up for the State Bank of Pakistan was the reward of my hard work and consistent performances. I was playing first-class cricket for Sialkot and had taken 41 wickets in 9 matches for them. This performance caught the eye of their selectors who offered me a contract, which I readily accepted. 


Offers from NBP and KRL

I have received offers from the National Bank of Pakistan and the Khan Research Laboratories. I am considering them, but at the moment, I am pleased to represent the State Bank of Pakistan. 


Setbacks

I have witnessed many ups and downs in my life. I was rejected when I appeared for the U-19 trials. I was left out of the SBP squad for the President’s Cup and got injured as well, which kept me away from the game for 2 years. However, I haven’t looked back ever since. 


Cricketing Heroes

I have grown up watching Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Brett Lee bowl some lethal deliveries. I admire them a lot. Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan are the two bowlers who I am impressed with these days. Matthew Hayden was my favourite batsman and I thought the way he dominated the bowlers was remarkable. The batsman against whom I face the most difficulties while bowling is Shoaib Malik. It is not easy to get his wicket in domestic cricket. 


The Future

I am glad with my efforts and it is up to Almighty ALLAH to reward me for my hard work. I am bowling as many overs as I can these days and my aim is to bowl as many wicket-taking deliveries as possible. I am hopeful that I will be able to represent Pakistan one day.