It was a Test debut to savour for Bilal Asif, with the Pakistan spinner wrecking Australia’s batting order thanks to a six-wicket haul in the opening Test between the two sides at Dubai.
Asif’s 6-36 saw Australia collapse from 142-0 to 202 all out in their first innings as Pakistan took a substantial 280-run lead into their second dig.
The 33-year-old off-spinner was all smiles following his debut show as he made his return to international cricket after a period of nearly three years.
“First of all, thanks to God that everything went well. I am feeling very good. I was just trying to do well and stay with my basics,” Asif stated following the end of the day’s play.
“It has been a very good debut and I will try my best to build on this and keep performing for Pakistan.”
The Sialkot-born man became only the third spinner in Pakistan history after Mohammad Nazir and Shahid Afridi to complete a five-wicket haul on debut.
It was not always rosy for the Pakistan spinner on Tuesday and he had to endure a wicketless morning session before bursting into life.
“Being a debutant, of course there is pressure. In the first session, I wasn’t feeling well because I did not bowl as well. However, my team-mateswere very supporting and encouraging and gave me the confidence to perform,” Asif explained.
Asif burst into life in the second session of the day’s play.
The off-spinner made his Pakistan debut in October, 2015 in an ODI against Zimbabwe before being dropped from the squad from the squad just one month later. Asif has credited Pakistan great and current spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed for helping him fight his way back into the national team.
“I have been struggling for the last few years. I made my debut against Zimbabwe in 2015 and it has taken three years for me to come back. It has been a long time. I was working very hard in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the guys there really helped me. Now I am here, I am very happy,” Asif stated.
“See, being a professional cricketer, you have to be strong mentally. I never doubted myself. I just wanted to keep up my hard work. Whether I got a chance or not is not something I can control. Performance and getting a chance is all down to God. My only job is only working hard. I made a lot of efforts in the two-three years after I was out of the team.
Asif has credited Mushtaq Ahmed for his resurgence.
“I attended many camps in the NCA and I would like to thank Mushy bhai (Mushtaq Ahmed) for my performance since he has been working hard with me for the last three years. Now that I have got the reward, all the credit goes to Mushy bhai.”
While Asif shone with a six-wicket haul, leg-spinner Yasir Shah went wicketless despite bowling the most number of overs (28).
Defending Yasir’s performance, Asif said: “This is a team game. He might not have picked a wicket but he is a world-class bowler. It was my luck that I got so many wickets.
“Yes, there was pressure after not picking a wicket in the first session as a debutant. However, I kept all these things on the side and focused on my bowling and in the end God helped me.”
