Mohammad Talha, a tall right arm fast bowler from Faisalabad first came to the attention of Pakistani cricket fans when he impressed at the age of 16 in a National Pace Competition set up by the PCB in conjunction with Pepsi. This attention resulted in him being brought into the Pakistan U19 squad where he participated in a number of tournaments. In 2008/09, Talha excelled for National Bank of Pakistan in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy alongside young pace prospect Mohammad Amir. 

This good form resulted in him being called up to the Pakistan Test squad for the home series against Sri Lanka in Feb-March 2009. Talha was overlooked for the 1st Test but he gained his one and only cap in the 2nd Test at Lahore. Talha struggled in the 1st innings, his 17 overs going for 88 runs whilst picking up a solitary wicket. Unfortunately, the Test match was abandoned on the 3rd day after the terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan players.

Talha's next selection for the national side came in 2011/12 for the England series in the UAE, but he suffered a back injury after picking up 4 wickets for the PCB XI in a warm-up game. He has since returned to the domestic circuit and is representing Port Qasim Authority in the President's Trophy.

In an exclusive interview with Pakpassion.net, Mohammad Talha spoke about his only international appearance, his expectations from the coming domestic season and his hopes for a recall to the national side.

by Farid Khan (10th November 2013)

PakPassion.net: How tough is it being a fast bowler in Pakistan domestic cricket on wickets that are regarded as batting friendly?

Mohammad Talha: It is very tough to be a fast bowler in Pakistan's domestic cricket these days. The pitches can be batting friendly and bowlers struggle due to that. On top of that, the type of balls being used has changed in recent times. We had Grays balls that were used in the past but the current use of the Australian made Kookaburra balls have definitely helped batsmen. You can see the effect of this in the increase in the number of centuries being scored. I reckon about 40-50 centuries have been scored by the batsmen in just the past two seasons and I am convinced that this is more due to the type of ball being used rather than the quality of bowling.


PakPassion.net: Pakistan has a history of producing fast bowlers. Do you think that's not the case now?

Mohammad Talha: No, I don’t agree with that. Of course I am aware of the fact that over the years, Pakistan has produced many legendary fast bowlers in the past - people like Fazal Mahmood, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, but it would be totally unfair to say that we don't have any good bowlers today. 

Apart from the players who are part of our national team such as Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan to name a few, there are many others who have either played for Pakistan before or can easily make the grade. If I look at my own team (Port Qasim Authority), we have Sohail Khan and Mohammad Sami who are both genuinely quick and very talented. Mohammad Sami needs no introduction due to his international career but Sohail Khan has also played 2 Test matches and 5 ODIS as well. To think that none of these two bowlers cannot be regarded as good quality bowlers is not true. The fact is that we are still blessed with a promising group of pace bowlers in Pakistan.


PakPassion.net: You've only made one international appearance which was in the ill fated Test match at Lahore in 2009 against Sri Lanka. Do you think you will be given another chance soon?

Mohammad Talha: The match in 2009 brings back some painful memories for the whole nation as it was the time after which no international cricket was played in Pakistan. It still remains that case to date. However, personally speaking it was a great time for me as I finally got a chance to play cricket at the highest level. Although, I took only one wicket in the innings that was played, who knows what I could have achieved if the tour had progressed? So yes, I do hope I get another chance soon! I feel that I am in excellent form as I have taken 16 wickets so far in this season at an average of 20.18, including a performance of 4/60 against WAPDA. My aim is to take at least 50-60 wickets by the end of the season and earn a recall into the Pakistan team. I am completely focused and will try my utmost best to achieve that goal. 


PakPassion.net: You moved to PQA from National Bank, do you think the move has worked out for you?

Mohammad Talha: Yes, I reckon it was a wise and timely move for me. I like playing for Port Qasim as they have got quality bowlers to look up to and a lot of well know personalities such as coach Rashid Latif and players like Shadab Kabir, Abdur Rauf, Tanvir Ahmed and Mohammad Sami etc. I am relishing the opportunity to play and work with them and I think it's a good career move for me.


PakPassion.net: Your PQA teammate Khurram Manzoor made a successful comeback recently to Test cricket. Is that a motivating factor for you for a return to international cricket? 

Mohammad Talha: Yes, it is certainly a motivating factor not only for me, but also for the rest of the players. He scored a lot of runs in the last season and got the reward for his efforts. He grabbed the opportunity right away and scored a hundred against South Africa as well. His recall is also a positive sign for our side and we wish him well.


PakPassion.net: A lack of "A" tours must be a problem for a player such as yourself and other upcoming players in Pakistan? 

Mohammad Talha: In the absence of international cricket in Pakistan, I think the "A" tours are really important for the development of our upcoming cricketers as they give great exposure to playing in alien conditions. I feel that "A" tours are very essential and help in unearthing new talent as well. It is a fact that there are no "A" tours at the moment whatsoever and that’s a major concern for the players. The more "A" tours that are organized by the PCB the better it is for our young players. 


PakPassion.net: You are touted as the best fast bowler in Pakistan right now by Rashid Latif. What are your comments on that?

Mohammad Talha: I am honoured by his comments about me! I am glad that he has faith in my abilities as a bowler. Apart from being the team coach at PQA, he is also a mentor to me. It's obviously very important for a player that one's mentor is also your most ardent supporter and that’s what Rashid Latif is to me. I am trying my level best to repay his faith in me by performing well and putting in 100 percent effort in my bowling - the rest is up to ALLAH SWT. 


PakPassion.net: What are your expectations in this domestic season? Do you have any specific targets in mind?

Mohammad Talha: The only target I have in mind is to bowl well enough to be considered for selection in the national team! My expectations are obviously very high. As I stated above, I have taken wickets in the first few matches and my aim is to end up with at least 50-60 wickets. Just like any other bowler in my position, my aim is to be named the best bowler of the President's Trophy tournament and earn a recall to the Pakistan team.


PakPassion.net: Who do you find the most difficult batsman to bowl to in domestic cricket?

Mohammad Talha: Well, there are a lot of good batsmen in our domestic cricket and it's difficult to pick one batsman who stands out in that way. If I had to choose one player then I would say that the toughest player to bowl to is Mohammad Ayub Dogar. He is a compact player and is not at all easy to dismiss. As you know, he has played one Test match for Pakistan and I find him to be a very tough opponent to dislodge and have also enjoyed playing against him as tougher opponents do bring out the best in every sportsman!


PakPassion.net: How was your experience of playing international cricket and how was the atmosphere inside the dressing room?

Mohammad Talha: Although, I played in one Test match and that too in a match which is remembered for all the wrong reasons, it was an experience that I will always cherish. It’s a dream to play for Pakistan for any young players and my dream did come true when I was selected for the team. It was obviously an honour when this wish was fulfilled. I was playing alongside big names in cricket such as Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul so it was an exciting time for me. I am glad to say that all of the players and the team management provided me with a lot of encouragement and backed me to do well in that match. 


PakPassion.net: Port Qasim includes the likes of Abdur Rauf, Tanvir Ahmed and Mohammad Sami. Does this type of healthy competition help you become a better bowler?

Mohammad Talha: Yes, I have a lot to gain from players like them. All of them are very experienced, but the most helpful bowler is Abdur Rauf. He has a lot of experience which he loves to share. He has about 700 wickets in domestic cricket and I enjoy being in his company. 


PakPassion.net: How fast are you bowling these days and is there still any room for improvement?

Mohammad Talha: I am happy with my pace these days but as ever, there is always room for improvement. I am bowling at around 145 kph consistently which is excellent as speed is an important part of any fast bowler's arsenal. However, as I have been told by my seniors as well as by my coach, pace is not the only element in a fast bowler's success. The key thing here is to take wickets by bowling accurately and with intelligence - simply bowling fast is not enough. 


PakPassion.net: Pakistan lack a right arm pacer. Do you think you can fill that gap?

Mohammad Talha: Yes, that’s a fact. In Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan, we have a top class opening pair but it is also essential for any team to have variety as well. In my view, we are lacking a quality right-arm pacer and I am confident of filling that void. As I have suggested before, the plan is to work hard and make a comeback in the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE later this year.

  Discuss!