It’s becoming a normal situation in recent years that whenever selection committee in Pakistan announced squad for any upcoming series one name popped out and remains in discussion for few days and then fades away till next meeting of selection committee, yes you guessed it right I am talking about the most unlucky guy in Pakistan cricket Fawad Alam. A man whose bat has made the most talking during past decade in Pakistan’s domestic circuit. Strangely the sound of his bat audible to all the fans and cricket followers but not to the selection committee.
So many selectors who have taken this role have had highlighted Fawad Alam’s performance, hailed his record and recognize his abilities but somehow failed to accommodate this talent in Pakistan team.
In past he got dropped as there was no opening in Pakistan’s middle order; likes of Misbah ul Haq, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali & Asad Shafiq had held their places strongly; and it was foreseen that Fawad Alam would be an automatic choice after retirements of Misabh & Younis in middle order but recently announced list of centrally contracted players by PCB has crashed all hopes of Fawad Alam making comeback in international cricket as selection committee didn’t find him good enough to even get drafted in category D of central contracts.
Fawad Alam who has so far amassed 10,172 first class runs in 135 first class games with 25 centuries; but he only managed to represent Pakistan in 3 test matches. Being the only Pakistani to have scored century on debut outside Pakistan so far. His 168 runs against Sri Lanka in tough situation in his debut match is still the second highest score by a Pakistani debutant in test matches. Fawad Alam who has been discarded in longer format of the game just after three matches prompted me to check if the performance of three matches can decide the fate of someone’s career; I compiled performances of some Pakistani batsman to judge where Fawad Alam stands if this the criteria for further selection in Pakistan cricket.
Although it is not the criteria to judge one’s ability but if it is so than Fawad Alam is the highest runs scorer after 3 test matches for Pakistan. List below showing some modern batting greats not the best of starters but went onto pile up mountains of runs in international cricket for Pakistan.
While searching out for Fawad Alam’s statistics I came across one astonishing fact which many cricketing fan wouldn’t be aware of. Fawad Alam is number 22nd in the list of all time highest averages in first class cricket. In company with likes of Sir Don Bradman, Vijay Merchant, George Headly, Sachin Tendulkar and Sir Geoffrey Boycott. Another overwhelming fact for Fawad’s fan and selection committee of PCB is that in current lot of players playing the game Fawad Alam has the third highest average in first class cricket with only India’s Chateshwar Pujara & Australia’s Steven Smith are ahead of him.
Fawad Alam is also having the highest first class average in Pakistan domestic circuit currently which is making it understandable for all that he is been putting up consistent performances. His current standing in all time first class highest averages making his level of hard work evident & certainly it is not the case that he has been provided with number of opportunities in past. Fawad Alam played his last test in 2009 so it’s been 8 years in wilderness for him.
With closing in on his 32nd birthday, we have wasted a talent which could have served the country for long time.
