'I was clueless against Mohammad Asif', says Kevin Pietersen
What's the story
Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes Mohammad Asif is the most fearsome seamer he has faced throughout his career. In a recent post on Twitter, Pietersen reiterated that his ban would have been a blessing in disguise for a lot of batsmen. Pietersen shared a video of him getting dismissed on the very first ball off an Asif's ripper. Here is more.
Dismissal
Asif dismissed Pietersen on a golden duck
Pietersen shared a clip from Pakistan's 2006 England tour. Mohammad Asif uprooted the former on a golden duck in the final Test at the Oval. Pietersen completely misjudged the peach of a delivery. "I think there's plenty batters around the world that were happy he [Asif] got banned! He was the best I faced! I had no idea against him!" Pietersen tweeted.
Twitter Post
Here is how Asif dismissed Pietersen
Muhammad Asif magical delivery to @KP24. pic.twitter.com/hTTckOoLFg
— Saboor (@MuhammadSabboor) April 13, 2020
Ban
Asif was found guilty of spot-fixing charges
Asif was slapped with a lengthy suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his involvement in the 2010 spot-fixing scandal in England, along with Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt. The 37-year-old, who was touted as the best Pakistan seam bowler, was suspended for seven years. His compatriots Amir and Butt received suspensions for five and ten years respectively.
Career
Asif finished with 106 Test wickets
Mohammad Asif burst on to the international stage in 2005 and soon became the talk of the town. The 37-year-old finished his career with 106 wickets in 23 Tests at an average of 24.36. The prodigious tally included best bowling figures of 11/71. In ODIs, Asif scalped 46 wickets from 38 matches. He was also the highlight of the inaugural World T20 in 2007.
Views
Asif wasted his talent, feels Shoaib Akhtar
One of the most talented seamers in Pakistan, Asif now only plays club cricket. Quite a few eminent cricketers feel he would have touched the pinnacle, had he not been distracted. "When I heard about this, I was so upset that I punched the wall. Pakistan's two perfect fast bowlers were wasted. They sold themselves for money," Shoaib Akhtar stated in a recent video.