Mohammad Asif

Mohammad Asif (born 20 December 1982 in Sheikhupura) is a Pakistani cricketer. He is primarily a right-arm fast-medium bowler. Early in his career he was compared to the Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, known for extreme accuracy. After impressing in domestic Pakistani cricket, Mohammad Asif was fast tracked into the Pakistan test squad and made his first appearance against Australia in January 2005. He bowled 18 overs without taking a wicket and Australia won by 9 wickets. Asif was subsequently dropped from the side but returned a year later in January 2006 for the home tour against India. In the second Test, Asif bowled 34 overs and took the wicket of Yuvraj Singh. It was the third Test in Karachi, however, where Asif would make headlines. After a poor batting display by Pakistan, Asif took 4 for 78 in the first innings, including the wickets of V. V. S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and, once again, Yuvraj Singh, to help Pakistan take a six-run lead. Asif returned in the second innings with three clean bowled wickets of Virender Sehwag, Laxman, and Sachin Tendulkar to lead Pakistan to victory. His series against the Indians was blighted by a fine imposed by match referee Chris Broad for overappealing and premature celebration of a wicket Pakistan Friday recalled dope-tainted fast bowler Mohammad Asif for the Champions Trophy in South Africa, bringing him in place of under-performing all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. Chief selector Iqbal Qasim announced the 15-man squad for the elite eight-nation tournament for which seasoned all-rounder Shahid Afridi has been promoted as vice-captain in place of misfiring middle-order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq. The wickets are usually bouncy in South Africa and the conditions offer both swing and seam movement for fast bowlers, which is why we have selected five pacers for the 15-man squad,” he said. Asif, who last played for Pakistan in April last year, is back to spearhead the pace battery that includes Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and youngster Mohammad Aamer. The team includes only one specialist spinner – Saeed Ajmal. Asif, who tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) last summer, is currently serving a one-year ban for doping that ends Sept 22.