Peshawar Zalmi When the young cricketer Haseebullah Khan of Balochistan did not find a field to play and learn cricket in Balochistan, he made a net at his home.
Haseebullah hails from Pashin, Balochistan and is a wicket-keeper batsman for two years Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise is part of Peshawar Zalmi.
In a conversation with Independent Urdu, Haseebullah talked regarding his passion for cricket and his involvement in Zalmi. He said: ‘Balochistan does not have facilities like other areas of Pakistan. There is only one stadium where Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) matches are held. Academies are also very few.
‘So I made a net in my house. Both my father and uncle are first-class cricketers, so they both worked very hard with me. Both of them used to make me bowl. I have not joined any academy till date.’
Regarding becoming a part of Peshawar Zalmi two years ago, Haseeb said: ‘I was playing a domestic match that day. I was hoping that Lahore Qalandars would take me in the team as they did not have a wicket keeper at that time. When the drafting of Lahore Qalandar was over, I switched off the TV.’
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He continued: ‘I felt that nobody would pick me now because Harris was there as a wicket-keeper in Peshawar Zalmi. Tom Koehler was also the keeper, but following a while I got a call from my brother that I was picked by Peshawar Zalmi.
According to Haseeb: ‘Peshawar Zalmi has a big hand in my career and the journey to Pakistan team. I would give credit to Akram Bhai, Darren Sammy and especially Babar.’
“Babar saw me playing and picked me,” he explained.
According to cricket statistics website ESPNcricinfo, Haseebullah has so far played 25 T20 matches at the national level, including one T20 International and the Pakistan Super League.
His best score in T20 is 72. In total he has scored 471 runs at an average of 23.55 and his strike rate is 120.
However, Haseebullah’s strike rate in First Class and List A matches is 52.05 and 87.59 respectively.
Regarding his low strike rate, Haseebullah told Independent Urdu: ‘My strike rate was 165 at the end of the last PSL season. This season (until March 6, 2024) my strike rate is back to 165. If the strike rate of 165 in T20 is not good, it will be difficult if it is more than that.
Explaining further, he said that ‘in PSL, my number is second. I get a chance to bat. In T20s domestically or nationally, I’m number six, so I don’t get a chance to bat.
Regarding the presence of Babar Azam in Peshawar Zalmi and the experience of playing with him, Haseebullah said: ‘Babarbhai is the world’s number one player. It is true that Babar’s dismissal puts pressure on the team, but all the players who come following him are Saeem Ayub, Tom Koller, Powell, Harris, they are all T20 specialists. Failing in a match does not mean that it happened because of Babarbhai’s dismissal.
Haseeb wants to see the youth of his area playing on the cricket field. He expressed his wish as follows: ‘I want young players in my area to see me and encourage them to have more presence in cricket’.
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2024-07-20 14:25:54
