*DUBAI – Ten years ago Bilal Asif had almost quit cricket by joining hisfather in Kuwait to work as an electrician, but a change of heart broughtabout by ex-Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has paid dividends.*
On Tuesday Asif became the latest spinning bete noire for Australia,snatching 6-36 in the first Test in Dubai to trigger a spectacular collapsefor the Baggy Greens, who lost 10 wickets for 60 runs as they slumped froma soild 142-0 to 202 all out.
That gave Asif third best innings figures on Test debut for a Pakistanibowler behind Mohammad Asif (7-64) and Mohammad Nazir (7-99).
The 33-year-old made his international debut when he played threeone-dayers for Pakistan in Zimbabwe in 2015, but had to wait another threeyears for a Test role.
Asif, however, said it had been worth the wait, praising former skipperMalik for some timely advice.
*– Back from Kuwait –*
“It’s an old story that I went to Kuwait to help my father, but Malikadvised me to return and fight hard for a place in the Pakistan team,”recalled Asif. “It was a worthy return.”
The tall and energetic Asif hails from a small town of Allo Mahar Sharif,close to Sialkot in the northeast Punjab which has produced players likebatting great Zaheer Abbas, Ijaz Ahmed, Malik and Haris Sohail.
During his one-day stint in Zimbabwe his bowling action was reported asillegal, but on assessment it was cleared — another tough phase of hiscareer.
Last year he was included in Pakistan’s squad for the two-match seriesagainst Sri Lanka, but did not feature as team management thought he wasstill not ready.
Asif’s chance finally came as Pakistan deemed him useful againstAustralia’s three left-handers in the top order in the Dubai Test.
Asif said his success was a reward for hard work and patience.
“Being a professional cricketer, you have to be tough mentally. I alwayskept working hard. I didn’t think whether I would get a chance or not,”said Asif, who overshadowed his more illustrious spin partner Yasir Shah,who went wicketless in Australia’s 202 all out.
Pakistan, having gained a lead of 280 in the first innings, closed thethird day at 45-3 in their second innings, an overall lead of 325 runs.
“I was out of the team since 2015. I was at the National Cricket Academycamp where I worked with head coach Mushtaq Ahmed. I got the reward forthat hard work,” said Asif, who was dismissed for a duck after being sentin at number three to see out Tuesday’s play.