Worked as a welder and then an office boy: Meet Mohammad Abbas, Pakistan’s latest pace sensation who rattled Australia

“I wanted to be the quickest fast bowler [from Pakistan] to fifty Test wickets,” Mohammad Abbas, Pakistan’s latest sensation with the ball said after day 4 of the ongoing Test between Pakistan and Australia.

He has his ambitions in place and he has the skill and ability to breach the mark, but life was not always this lucrative for Abbas.

He took up the game rather late, he was a worker in a welding factory and then moved across to a leather factory. He then worked as a office boy in a court, registering documents for cases related to property. And then cricket happened, he picked up the ball and has not looked back ever since.

“When I was working at the court I got selected for district under-19 cricket. They asked me to choose between job or cricket. I cannot forget that night. But a friend, who was a lawyer too, made a case of doing both things together,” Abbas told the Telegraph back in May this year.

There was always potential and when he did turn his attention to the game, he outgrew everyone around. He even shared a dressing room with Mohammed Asif and believes that the inputs he received from the former Pakistan quick moulded his career.

It has been an onward journey ever since for Abbas. He was the main reason why Pakistan shunted away England at Lord’s and is the main reason why Pakistan are on the verge of clinching the first Test against Australia.

He has a rather simple action, a rhythmical approach to the crease and a robotic action which can be repeated. He pitches the ball on a good length and gets it to move either way just enough, which is more than enough to induce outside edges and trap batsmen in front of the stumps.

Late on Day 4, Australia were humming along in their chase. They were 87 for no loss when Abbas trundled up, got the ball to swirl back in, trapped Finch, got Shaun Marsh nicking behind and then took out Mitchell Marsh for the second time in the match.

87 for 0 became 87 for 3, Abbas can certainly hope to become the fastest bowler to pick 50 wickets for Pakistan!

First Published: Oct 11, 2018 12:41 IST