Despite finishing as the joint-top wicket-taker in March’s ICC World Cup Qualifier, Safyaan Sharif will be on the outside looking in when the showpiece event gets underway next May.
Medium pacer Sharif ended the tournament with 17 scalps (including the wicket of Chris Gayle), topping the wicket tally with Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. But even that wasn’t enough to help Scotland as his team fell agonisingly short of qualifying for the World Cup for the second successive time.
In a winner-takes-all against West Indies in the final group match, they put on a spirited display but were frustrated by rain as they fell to a five-run (DL method) loss to the Test nation, who joined Afghanistan in next year’s tournament.
They subsequently finished fourth in Zimbabwe and that would have been enough to send them through had the ICC stuck to having 14 teams at a World Cup.
But their decision of reducing the tournament to 10 sides has come in for strong criticism and the performances in Zimbabwe did them no favours.
Ireland captain William Porterfield slammed the ICC for the move and Sharif shared the same view, saying it will be frustrating to watch the World Cup on TV.
“I definitely agree with that,” the 26-year-old told Sport360. “I’m not saying that just because we didn’t qualify. But that tournament proved that Associate nations are really competitive and that they are not how they were used to be.
“We have improved a lot and are ready to play against any team. I don’t understand why you would want to reduce the World Cup to 10 teams as there are so many top quality Associate sides beating Test nations.”
Universe Boss @henrygayle it was a pleasure to play against you. Thank you for the bat, much appreciated. What a LEGEND! #TheBoss #inMyPocket 😉 pic.twitter.com/YrQtj0aBOg
— Safyaan Sharif (@Safyaan50) March 23, 2018
He added: “I will have flashbacks to the World Cup Qualifier, how we played and still couldn’t cross the line to get into the World Cup. I will have that disappointment (of not being there) and there’s not much we can do about it.
“We have proved to the world of what we are capable of doing. If there was anything to be done, the ICC should at least change it to a 12 or 14 team tournament.
“But we have to move on and look at the opportunities that are coming up.”
Scotland have another two months before they play their next game – an ODI against England in June before back-to-back T20I matches against Scotland two days later.
They will also play Ireland and Netherlands in a tri-series later that month but after that their fixture list is empty.
Sharif feels the ICC need to do more to help Associate nations develop and the only way they can do that is by playing international matches regularly over the course of the year.
“Looking forward we only have games coming up against Pakistan and England, as well as the tri-series so that’s the only opportunities we have,” he added. “If we qualified for the World Cup, we would have had far more fixtures and chances to play.
“Because we had the experience of playing in the 2015 World Cup, we have improved a lot and managed to compete against these teams. The more games we play, the better Associate sides can be. It’s not just for us but for everyone. Cricket won’t be an issue but it’s about game time and that is something that you really want.
“We just need to make a statement in every game that we play and try our best and hopefully make a change. Play as well as we can and make a big statement and show ICC that we deserve more. This England game is another opportunity to make a big statement of how good Scotland are.”
Since making his international debut in 2011, Sharif has become a key player for his country with more than 90 wickets to his name.
He hopes that one day he could be rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s elite players in a global T20 competition and follow in the footsteps of Rashid.
“Yes definitely,” he said. “I’ll be trying my hardest to get into one of these T20 leagues so I’m working hard and pushing myself to get noticed. Obviously, you need a little bit of exposure but with the way I performed in Zimbabwe was a good way to get noticed.
“I’m trying to keep my performances consistent as possible and make sure I’m making a contribution for the team. If I can get a T20 deal, I’ll be very delighted.”
He added: “I also really want to be playing cricket for a county so I’ll be pushing myself every single day to try and get a contract and the only way I can do that is by performing to my potential every week.”
