Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Sami's career can best be described as a roller coaster ride. High points have been few and far between and for a large part of his career Sami has flattered to deceive.

 by Saj Sadiq

25 September 2010

Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Sami's career can best be described as a roller coaster ride. High points have been few and far between and for a large part of his career Sami has flattered to deceive.

Speaking to PakPassion.net from Karachi ; 29 year old Sami stated that he was looking forward to the upcoming domestic season and has set himself the target of a return to the Test side against South Africa as well as making the cut for the World Cup due to be held in the early part of 2011.

"I've not taken much time off during the close season and have been working hard on my game at the Rashid Latif Cricket Academy, as well as training on my own. Of course it's not easy to be doing the laps on your own and bowling delivery after delivery in the nets, working on various aspects of my bowling, everybody wants to have a nice long break and rest, but I want to ensure that I am 100% ready when the new seasons starts. I am hopeful that the hard work will pay off and I can be given another chance for Pakistan."

Sami made a sensational start to his international career by taking 8 wickets on debut against New Zealand at Auckland, as Pakistan defeated the hosts by 299 runs. For many observers, this was to be the start of a promising career. However the early promise proved to be a false dawn, as Sami struggled to hold down a regular place in the test and one day sides. A bowling average of over 50 makes painful reading for Sami and Pakistani fans, however Sami feels that the bowling average of over half a century of runs per wicket does not do himself justice.

"Sometimes statistics don't always tell the full story. I don't want to offer excuses, but those that have followed my career will appreciate that I have not had the best of luck. I am a better bowler than my statistics suggest and I will prove that in the coming months and years if given the opportunity."

Sami's most recent international action was on the troubled tour of Australia where at Sydney he took 3 for 27 and 0 for 74 respectively, as Pakistan lost in a well documented and astonishing match by 36 runs. 

"I was given one opportunity in Australia and took three wickets in the first innings. I removed the Australian top three batsman and felt in good shape, but then I never played in the next match. I'm desperate to be given another chance and to show what I can do, if given a decent run in the side."

Sami has featured on 120 occasions for Pakistan, with 83 of those matches being one day internationals. An experienced campaigner at international level and now a captain for Karachi Blues, Sami feels that the opportunity to captain the Karachi Blues team has helped him develop his tactical awareness of the game.

"Captaining the Karachi Blues team was a great experience and helped appreciate the tactical side of the game a lot more and appreciate what a difficult job it is to captain a team. I think being handed the captaincy has worked out really well for me. The team did very well and I was happy with my own form too."

The 2011 World Cup in the sub continent is a target that is firmly in Sami's mind and a tournament that he feels he could play a major part in, especially given the uncertainty of bowlers that may not be available for Pakistan.

"Taking part in any World Cup is huge and something that players of all nations and abilities want to perform well in. The memory of the 2007 World Cup still haunts all of the squad. The tournament itself was a disaster for Pakistan cricket and of course Bob Woolmer's death was heartbreaking for all of us. I want to put that terrible tournament behind me and to make the 2011 World Cup a success for Pakistan."

With Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir's future availability uncertain for Pakistan, the selectors may once again have to turn to the experienced Sami to provide the new ball threat.