17 year old Imran Butt is a top order batsman from Lahore who made his first class debut less than three months ago. Since that debut in December he has made over 700 runs in only nine first class matches at an average of over 61 including two centuries and five half centuries.
Butt was also the third highest run scorer in this season’s Quaid E Azam Trophy and his performances in the Quaid E Azam Trophy have brought him to the attention of Pakistani cricket fans around the world.
Speaking with PakPassion.net, Imran explains how his interest in cricket developed, the challenges presented to him in his debut season in first class cricket, his plans for selection in the Pakistan Under 19s and beyond.
Shehzar Mohammad is a 21 year-old PIA wicket-keeper batsman. Hailing from an illustrious cricketing family, he is the grandson of Pakistani batting legend Hanif Mohammad and son of former Pakistan international Shoaib Mohammad.This season has been his breakthrough season for PIA
In the infancy of his first-class career, to date Mohammad has played 13 first class matches, scoring four half-centuries since signing for PIA. Has also played four List A matches. Having made his first class debut in December 2009, where he top-scored with 70, he played only two games in the 2009/10 season. The following season he played four matches and in 2012/13, to date he has played 7 matches. This season has been his breakthrough season for PIA and he spoke to PakPassion about his career to date, the influence of his family and aims for the future.
I've always enjoyed watching cricket right from an early age. In Pakistan cricket is a passion so there is no way to avoid the game. At first I was playing cricket on a casual basis with friends on the streets of my home city of Sargodha. It was my cousin who played local club cricket suggested to me that rather than just playing on the streets with friends, I should take my cricket more seriously and join a cricket club.I took on board my cousin's advice and started playing club cricket in order to organise my game a whole lot better than it was and to have some structure to my cricket.
In our latest edition of the Talent Spotter, we bring you an in depth interview with Fahad Iqbal. Fahad who recently featured in the QEA trophy final for PIA, has the unique honour of being related to the all time Pakistani great - Javed Miandad. In this interview he tells us about his initiation into the world of cricket, the role of his uncle in his development as well as his aspirations.