Waqar and Shoaib are my inspirations. Watching them tear in to bowl for Pakistan drove my ambition to emulate them and become a genuine fast bowler. Can’t really choose one of them as my idol as they are both equally illustrious for me.

PakPassion.Net: On his bowling hero
Mohammad Irshad: Waqar and Shoaib are my inspirations. Watching them tear in to bowl for Pakistan drove my ambition to emulate them and become a genuine fast bowler. Can’t really choose one of them as my idol as they are both equally illustrious for me.

PakPassion.Net: First inter-action with Shoaib
Mohammad Irshad: Shoaib Bhai saw me in the practice nets a couple of seasons back, walked up to me and was very encouraging. I told him my ambition is to open the Pak bowling attack with him. Soon after when Pakistan toured NZ, Shoaib Bhai mentioned me in his interview with the Kiwis.

PakPassion.Net: Bowling action change
Mohammad Irshad: My run-up was as long as Shoaib Bhai’s…just over 30 meters. But recently I have shortened it to around 22 yards. Aaqib Bhai has re-modeled my action and it’s more front-on now. Although at the moment I do not feel I can give as much thrust and power to my bowling but Aaqib Bhai has assured me that in a matter of some weeks, there would be a world of a difference.

PakPassion.Net: On the prospects of playing County
Mohammad Irshad: Najaf has organized a contract for me to play in English league next season. I had another contract to play there last season but did not go owing to being selected in the Pakistan A-team for the Zimbabwe tour. The agent was pretty miffed up and wanted me to honor the contract to which I replied bluntly that as a Pakistani, my priority has to be to represent my country. Also when I visited Leicestershire last year, where in the nets the players of the county seemed pretty impressed but as they pushed me for signing a contract, it fizzled out as I was quite unprepared and could not communicate well and in time with them. But my time would surely come…it’s just a matter of getting coverage on TV and playing for Pakistan and I’m certain I would have offers to play in county where I can then hone my skills.

PakPassion.Net: On MRF tours
Mohammad Irshad: It’s been quite brief but beneficial especially as Lillie has been very helpful in imparting advice. Srinath came up to me last time round. Just as we started chatting, he mentioned how much he has admired the panache and grace of Pakistan fast bowlers over the years and how much he appreciates our fast bowlers. In his words, “Pakistani fast bowlers can extract bounce from even a pitch made up of sand.”

PakPassion.Net: On his childhood days and early life
Mohammad Irshad: I’m from Khanewal, a town near Multan. Shabbir is also from the same place. I was always far more interested in sports and was my school sports captain in four different disciplines- cricket, hockey, badminton and football. Did not devote much time to my studies at all.

PakPassion.Net: On sports journalists
Mohammad Irshad: I have a few who are my ardent fans and write a lot of positive things about me in local press. But I’m wary of interviews as they can lead to misreporting and misunderstandings. For eg. A few Indian journoulists kept on asking me if I can beat Shoaib’s speed record. I told them he is my hero and I’m just trying to emulate him.

PakPassion.Net: On his bowling speed
Mohammad Irshad: I have been clocked in mid 90s, but that was with the full long run-up. With this new run-up and action, I believe I am hitting 90 mph+ consistently. Things are settling down nicely and I’m hopeful that with some time, given when I get to full rhythm, the speed would pick up further.

PakPassion.Net: On reverse swing
Mohammad Irshad: I can reverse it both ways….I’m not the only one in this bracket who is training at NCA…there are some others too who are competent in this discipline.

PakPassion.Net: On his religious inclinations
Mohammad Irshad: I try to pray five times a day. There are times when I tend to miss out on Zuhr and Asar salaats due to match timings, but the other three timings I hardly miss.

PakPassion.Net: On his diet and gym routine
Mohammad Irshad: As a fast bowler, I have to be very conscious of what I eat and my training regimen. We are thus told to have grilled food more than fried stuff. I’ve got to be extra careful as I tend to gain weight quite quickly if I slack on exercise. In the past when I have had an injury which kept me away from training routines, I found it hard to bowl fast upon return due to lack of good body shape. So I’m quite wary of this.

PakPassion.Net: On his mentor
Mohammad Irshad: It’s been five years that I have moved to Lahore. Used to live in a flat in Main Market area of Gulberg….Tahir Shah Sahab has been so much to me in that he has been my mentor and coach in this period…I can never forget his contribution.

PakPassion.Net: On his family
Mohammad Irshad: I’m very close to my mother and do make sure that I talk to her practically everyday on the phone. My whole dfamily lives in Khanewal and during days when I’m in NCA, I hardly have time to go and meet up with them, so I organize that in between breaks. It feels great to have been source of pride for your family. I’m the eldest child and have two brothers and four sisters.

PakPassion.Net: On the near future
Mohammad Irshad: I’m fully focused on doing well in the matches that I play and representing Pakistan. I pray to Almighty that the ultimate chance i.e. of playing for the Pakistan team comes soon, but one thing I’m sure about and that is with the grace of Allah (swt), I will be able to carve out a regular place in the team. I have never been unreasonable to or harmed anyone, and thus I have firm belief that I will get to my goal with divine help.