Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

redidentity · August 10, 2010, 8:41am

:hmmm:

Mohammad Irfan, the fast bowler from Pakistan, has reached an agreement with Kolkata Knight Riders to play for them in IPL 2011, though only after the BCCI approves the deal. Irfan shot to prominence after an impressive debut season in Pakistan and was nearly selected in their World Twenty20 squad in May.

Irfan, a left-arm fast bowler who is nearly seven foot tall, is among the tallest cricketers in the world and he impressed Kolkata with performances on a development tour of Sri Lanka with them. He had been recommended to the franchise by Wasim Akram, Kolkata’s bowling consultant. As Irfan is not yet a Pakistan international, he does not need to go through an auction process and can be signed directly by a franchise.

“I have signed for KKR for the fourth edition of IPL,” Irfan told The Express Tribune. “I was called by them to Sri Lanka on the recommendation of Wasim Akram and they were impressed by my performance in the three matches. I played two Twenty20s and a one-day match against a side that included a number of Sri Lankan international and A team players.”

Cricinfo understands, however, that Irfan and Kolkata have a Memorandum of Understanding, which will only become a contract once approval from the BCCI is forthcoming. This may not be as straightforward as it sounds, given the difficulties Pakistan players have had with the IPL. In the league’s first season in 2008, a number of players from Pakistan appeared in the tournament, but deteriorating political ties between the two countries in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November that year meant no Pakistani played in the last two seasons of the IPL.

The PCB decided against sending their players in 2009 but their absence from 2010 was more contentious and troubled. The Pakistan players were cleared to be part of the auction pool but none of the franchises even bid for any of them, ostensibly concerned about player availability because of strained ties between the two governments. Pakistan was upset, however, because their players had been granted the requisite visas, as well as no-objection certificates, from the PCB and cast doubts on the reasons behind the boycott.

If approved, Irfan’s contract is understood to be for one year and worth $75,000, with an additional $2000 for every game he appears in. Irfan will also have to get an NOC from the PCB as per IPL regulations and likely rom the Pakistan government as well.

Irfan’s rise is one of the more unique stories in Pakistan cricket. He is a product of rural Pakistan, from the town of Gaggu Mandi, which produced another former quick, Mohammad Zahid. He was working in a plastic pipe factory and playing club cricket when a fan-forum cricket website - which heard Irfan’s name while talking to Nadeem Iqbal, former fast bowler and now coach in Multan - pushed for his introduction to Aaqib Javed at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Aaqib was enthused by what he saw and soon after, Irfan debuted for Khan Research Laboratories. He took nine wickets in his second game and ended the season with an impressive 43 in ten games. He came close to national selection when he was named as a replacement for one of the injured seamers for the 2010 World Twenty20, but his name was withdrawn in a typically confused muddle: captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqaar Younis were keen on taking him along and announced his inclusion, before PCB chairman Ijaz Butt overrode the decision, claiming procedures had been violated in the call-up.

http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/471812.html?CMP=chrome

Sidra_1 · August 10, 2010, 10:13am

Re: Pakistan’s Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

**

http://www.paklinks.com/gs/Irfan,%20a%20left-arm%20fast%20bowler%20who%20is%20nearly%20seven%20foot%20tall,

http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/thumbnailfull/mohammad-irfan-2009-10-19-10-10-58.jpg

Had to post his pic :@:
**

redidentity · August 10, 2010, 11:26am

Re: Pakistan’s Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

fkhan2 · August 10, 2010, 1:31pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

Lanat hay Ijaz Butt par. It is higly likely that with our stupid moron PCB president, Ifran wont get any chance to play for the national team. Had he been selected for the English tour, he could have played the third test.

Good for Irfan. I hope he gets necessary approval on time to play there next year and perform well.
It is pity that often our talent has to appreciated by others just because buffoons who should be appreciating it back home don't give a crap.

ravage · August 10, 2010, 2:11pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

i think hes just 6ft'2 or something. that picture is misleading because hes standing next to tendulkar.

brahmachari99 · August 10, 2010, 3:48pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

He's definitely much much taller than 6'2".

Fayz · August 10, 2010, 4:11pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

Any recommendation from the legend Wasim Akram should be treated like gold by PCB.

Sidra_1 · August 10, 2010, 4:39pm

Re: Pakistan’s Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

**

Here we go :

http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/thumbnailfull/mohammad-irfan-2009-10-19-10-11-15.jpg

Mohammad Asif is m’A 6’4

**

ravage · August 10, 2010, 6:44pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

tough crowd

Decent_6Chora · August 10, 2010, 7:20pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

Why did I read title as "M Irfan inline for zillat?"

waleedhbk · August 10, 2010, 7:22pm

Re: Pakistan’s Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

lol of course they will go to india if u dont pick such talent …n pick crap like wahab riaz n tanvir instead

redidentity · August 11, 2010, 6:49am

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

come on, he is not inline for auction and will be signed directly :)

after all he is recommended by Wasim Akram who is bowling consultant for them.. :@:

a1kashur · August 11, 2010, 1:56pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

pending confirmation from BCCI/government. It's not that simple.

redidentity · August 11, 2010, 6:01pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

jee you are right.. magar its at least less embarrassing than sitting in a Hall for bid and not considered.. :@:

waleedhbk · August 11, 2010, 6:03pm

Re: Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan in line for IPL contract..

means one more talented guy will be going to India