"I wish I had performed better in Test cricket" : Umar Gul

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Regarded as one of the finest bowlers ever in Limited-overs cricket, Umar Gul recently called time on his career which began in 2001 and along the way, brought many memorable victories for Pakistan. One of the finest proponents of the Yorker, Gul took 427 international wickets and played a pivotal role in Pakistan's T20 World Cup triumph in 2009.

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, Gul reminisced about the highs and lows of his career, why he considered Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as his role models, his regret of not performing as well in Tests as he did in the white-ball format, taking the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Brian Lara, and how he wishes to serve Pakistan after his retirement.



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PakPassion.net: What would you regard as the best moments of your career?

Umar Gul:
The most important event in my cricket career and one which to this day stands out as the most memorable one was the first time that I represented my country, Pakistan. The feeling of wearing the Pakistan star on my playing jersey was incomparable to anything else I had done in my career and it was a proud moment for me. The other memory that stands out for me was the victory in the 2009 T20 World Cup in England which after the 1992 World Cup win was a huge achievement for Pakistan. There are always milestones and achievements that one remembers for a long time during their career but some memories stay in your mind for a long time and debuting for Pakistan and lifting the 2009 T20 World Cup are career-highs that I will remember forever.


PakPassion.net: Which match was the most memorable one that you participated in?

Umar Gul:
Playing my first Test against India in 2004 where I was named Man of the Match is easily the most memorable match for me. This is simply because whenever a youngster performs well in a game against our arch-rivals, his name is mentioned forever in history and also makes one a superstar and in a sense, I was able to achieve that. This series was one to remember for many reasons and I was able to perform in front of a packed Gaddafi Stadium to pick up wickets of some of the top Indian players like Virendar Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman which was and still remains a huge personal achievement for me.


PakPassion.net: Who was the toughest batsman you bowled to during your international career?

Umar Gul:
Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting have always been my all-time favourite batsmen and it had always been my dream to bowl to these greats and if possible, take their wickets as well. They were tough competitors and very difficult to remove but thanks to the Almighty, I was able to get Brian Lara out three times and claimed Ponting’s wicket on one occasion during my international career. I especially enjoyed taking the wicket of Brian Lara in the first Test in Lahore during the 2006 tour of Pakistan by the West Indies. Lara was no ordinary batsman and taking the wicket of this great batsman at home is something I will remember for a long time.


PakPassion.net: Which cricketer(s) inspired you the most?

Umar Gul:
Like many youngsters at the time I started showing interest in cricket, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were my role models and people who inspired me to take up the game. Later, these great cricketers were also my inspiration for performing well for Pakistan. Of course, the victory in the 1992 World Cup increased my interest in cricket even further and all I wanted from then on was to play for Pakistan and become a household name just like Imran, Wasim and Waqar had become.


PakPassion.net: What was the best piece of advice you ever received as a cricketer?

Umar Gul:
During the course of my career, I have received a lot of good advice from some great people but there is one piece of advice that I will never forget. When I was first selected for a domestic Under-19 side a close acquaintance and mentor of mine, Bakhtiar Mohammad, told me never to lust after money and fame but to focus on cricket and give it first priority. He told me that if I got my priorities right and performed well on the field, then money and fame would come to me by themselves. I remembered this advice throughout my career and kept my focus on cricket alone, without being distracted. As a result, the Almighty rewarded me with a great career and the respect of my countrymen.


PakPassion.net: What do you consider as the low points of your career?

Umar Gul:
There are highs and lows in all aspects of life and cricket is no different. If I look back at the period when I was out of cricket due to a back injury in 2004/5, I realized that all those people who claimed to be my friends when I was part of the Pakistan side deserted me when I needed their support which was quite a depressing situation. A lot of experts at that time were saying that my career was effectively over, and I noticed that a few fair-weather friends immediately walked away from me. That was a hard pill to swallow but then on the positive side, this time also showed me who my real friends were.

To this day, I am thankful to those friends who stuck by me at that low point of my career and of course, I am indebted to my family who kept on encouraging me during that time. When we speak of a low point in cricketing terms, then the semi-final loss to India in 2011 at Mohali was heart-breaking for all of us and one of the darkest moments for us as a team and a nation.


PakPassion.net: Do you have any regrets regarding your career?

Umar Gul:
If we talk about my cricket career then the only and biggest regret is that we failed to win the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup in Mohali. We had done so well in that tournament until that match but could not complete the job and that will remain as a huge regret. We had been performing really well as a team and even at an individual level, but we just could not translate that into a win at the semi-final stage. In fact, I feel that had we not lost the semi-final, we were quite capable of going all the way to win the 2011 World Cup. Of course, one can say that this is all part of the game, but I will always regret the fact that we missed a golden opportunity to win another World Cup for Pakistan.


PakPassion.net: Is there anything you feel you could have done differently during your time as a cricketer?

Umar Gul:
To be honest I have nothing to complain about when I look at my performances in white-ball cricket. I ended my career with reasonable averages for T20Is and ODIs but where I should have paid more attention and improved was in the Test format. I do wish, I had performed better and taken more Test wickets, so instead of ending up with 163 wickets in 47 matches, I would have liked to have taken close to 200 wickets by the time I played my last Test.


PakPassion.net: How do you want to be remembered as a cricketer?

Umar Gul:
I have been blessed by the Almighty with a career that lasted almost 20 years but I am glad to say that during that time, apart from doing my best to become a world class cricketer, I always tried to become a good human being. I believe that this is how I wish to be remembered when people speak about my career in the future. To be a well-known international cricketer is an achievement in itself but what holds bigger importance for me is to be always remembered as a good human being and I hope that will be the case now that I have left the game for good. For those who think that holding higher ideals whilst concentrating on your career is a tough ask, let me say that it’s easier than it seems. As Muslims, we are always told to be disciplined in the way we go about our lives and along the way, to treat others with respect, whether they are younger, older or senior to us. All these are essential parts of being a good human and hopefully, I have managed to do that during my career and will hopefully be talked about in that way for many years to come.


PakPassion.net: What advice would you give to youngsters coming into the game today?

Umar Gul:
My advice to all youngsters will be the same as the advice that my mentor Bakhtiar Mohammad gave to me which was to not fall into the trap of worrying about making more money or becoming famous, but to simply work hard and concentrate on doing your best in cricket. Everything else will fall into place when you become a good cricketer. You get fame, friends and of course money as well. There is no shortcut to this and those who have tried that in the past have been found out and suffered shame as a consequence.


PakPassion.net: Who do you credit the most for success in your career?

Umar Gul:
There is no doubt in my mind that you cannot achieve anything in life unless there is support from your family and I was blessed with love and encouragement from my parents and the rest of my family. Initially there was some pressure from the family for me to pursue studies instead of playing cricket at a professional level. However, once it became clear that I had passion for the game and was talented enough to achieve my goals of becoming a top-class cricketer then the support I got from my family was absolutely incredible. Of course, hard work is important to reach one’s goals but I was also fortunate enough to have come through the system and my basic grounding in cricket was very good and this probably helped me a lot to grow as a cricketer and to eventually serve my country.


PakPassion.net: What are your future plans?

Umar Gul:
Pakistan and its people have given me their love and affection during my career and I would be more than happy to return the favour after my retirement. Cricket has been an important part of my life and I am very keen to be involved in the game whether it’s as a mentor, a bowling consultant, coach or any other role that the PCB needs me to perform. My services will always be available for my country and it would indeed be an honour to continue to serve Pakistan in any capacity.
 
This interview was about his career and legacy and meant to allow him to express the important points of his career
 
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Respectable name of our cricket. What amazes me about Gul is that how he remained controversy free during his career. Tells you a lot about his character. Need to utilise him in the cricket set up.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Umar Gul "Playing my first Test against India in 2004 where I was named Man of the Match is easily the most memorable match for me. I was able to perform in front of a packed Gaddafi Stadium & pick up the wickets of Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar & Laxman" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/R2YfIstsHZ">pic.twitter.com/R2YfIstsHZ</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1321498090201878533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Top bloke. Very humble and has a passion and love for the game. Should definitely be accommodated in a mentoring/coaching role. We could do a lot worse than him as a role model and mentor for our young talent.
 
I was a bit unfortunate to see him get mauled by Sehwag in the 2011 WC when I first started watching cricket and from then on Gul started to go downhill fast in ODI's, he would get hit for 4's on a regular basis. His wicket tally was so barren in some Test matches I was even wondering why he was in the Test squad. He did have some good matches such as the ODI series against India in 2012-2013 and was quite amazing in some T20's but it's safe to say that T20 is his best format. Checking his history before 2011 he was a pretty good ODI bowler with some pinpoint yorkers, probably one of the best first change bowlers to come out of Asia post 2000.
 
LAHORE: Defeat against India in the 2011 World Cup semi-final was the biggest regret of my career, former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul has admitted.

Pakistan have never defeated India in a World Cup match and had a chance to break their winless streak nine years ago in Mohali. However, the Shahid Afridi-led side failed to chase down a target of 261 and lost the match by 29 runs at the IS Bindra Stadium on March 30, 2011. The MS Dhoni-led side went on to be crowned champions as they defeat Sri Lanka in the summit clash in Mumbai.

"If we talk about my cricket career then the only and biggest regret is that we failed to win the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup in Mohali," Gul told PakPassion.

"We had done so well in that tournament until that match but could not complete the job and that will remain as a huge regret. We had been performing really well as a team and even at an individual level, but we just could not translate that into a win at the semi-final stage," he added.

The 36-year-old, who recently called time on his career after picking 427 international wickets, further said Pakistan could have gone to lift the trophy if they had not lost in the semi-finals against the arch-rivals.

"...I feel that had we not lost the semi-final, we were quite capable of going all the way to win the 2011 World Cup. Of course, one can say that this is all part of the game, but I will always regret the fact that we missed a golden opportunity to win another World Cup for Pakistan," Gul said.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/sp...er-pakistan-fast-bowler-umar-gul-2216529.html
 
An honest trier who always gave 100% and nothing less.

He may not have had the natural ability of some others, but he achieved a lot in his career and should be very proud of what he has done over the years.

Take a bow Guldozer.
 
Guldozer was a true patriot who played not for himself but for his country Pakistan with pride and gave it his all while doing so.

A controversy free career for a Pakistani player in the last few decades is not a very common thing at all and he was never a part of anything bad in Pakistan's cricket.

An honest trier and always ready to do what he can for the team, his peak was the period of 2009-2011 and I was glad to be present in some of those career and game changing performances of his to witness it live in the best seat in the ground while Guldozer ran through the lineups be that NZ in the 2009 T20 WC with his 5/6 and then against England where he changed the course of the game with his 6/42.

He should definitely be in the plans of the PCB to have him work with young pacers especially at the NCA or get him to do a scouting role for them and he might just be able to tap in the KPK and all those areas as there are some pretty tough ones there who can bowl quick too.
 
Gul's 20+ runs over to Sehwag meant that India scored more than 8% of their runs in just 1 over, which i think won the match for India. Gul had bowled exceptionally well in that world cup, just like he did in 2007 T20 WC. If you take semi final out then Gul had an average of 14 in the world cup at an economy of less than 4 per over. The guy has lot to be proud of, a great career with some great accomplishments.
 
A handy seamer. I remember some interesting spells in a tour in 2009 (or was it 2010?) where he troubled our top order across the series.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2010. Umar Gul's brilliant figures of 6-42 helped Pakstan to a 23-run victory in a ODI versus England at The Oval <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/xwCLDNNSw1">pic.twitter.com/xwCLDNNSw1</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1438756383722196995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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An honest trier who always gave 100% and nothing less.

He may not have had the natural ability of some others, but he achieved a lot in his career and should be very proud of what he has done over the years.

Take a bow Guldozer.

That’s a fair assessment and agree with it [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] , he did give his best - and indeed he was limited in his natural abilities .. for me Umar Gul becoming an automatic choice in the playing XI was a bit of a ‘culture’ shock back in the day , as foolishly some like me had thought after Imran/Wasim/Waqar/Shoaib the match winning and destructive fast bowler trend would continue for many decades to come and there were other more talented prospects who Gul was taking the place of in the team , but clearly we were horribly wrong.

If anyone remembers from the old PP many years ago when Gul first came on the scene , I fondly nicknamed him ‘The Peshawar Rickshaw’ in contrast to the Pindi Express. This nickname was even quoted in Wisden and Daily Telegraph I seem to remember , funnily enough.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1/2 Im disheartened to see professionalism is often missing at the PCB. Having gone through the process & assured by Grant Bradburn that I have been recommended for Assistant Coach of Baluchistan. And without any information I get to know Raj Hans has been preferred? <a href="https://twitter.com/iramizraja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iramizraja</a></p>— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) <a href="https://twitter.com/mdk_gul/status/1439833785797853188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I waited for a week n cancelled my other commitments so I could get with the Balochistan team, got no response from the PCB! Totally unethical by an organisation! I don’t know if things will ever change <a href="https://twitter.com/iramizraja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iramizraja</a></p>— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) <a href="https://twitter.com/mdk_gul/status/1439834714739728385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I will never want to be a part of anything without going through the right process. I have played for Pakistan with pride and will coach with pride. I dint need the job but I wanted to help the system and the players with even the slightest cricketing knowledge that I have!</p>— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) <a href="https://twitter.com/mdk_gul/status/1439855829432287238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 2020. The end of an era - as Umar Gul retired from cricket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/ojIRCkIT78">pic.twitter.com/ojIRCkIT78</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1449377150008692742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A hero for Pakistan Cricket. Helped the team a lot in limited overs cricket and carried the team when Asif and Amir got banned.

Underrated T20 bowler.
 
I respect him more for this interview.

Usually our cricketers never accept they were bad they justify their bad performance and give the dumbest explanations and theories.

But gul here admits and accepts that he wasnt good enough which is true. Back in 2010, during the england series everyone was crying that while asif and amir took wickets gul didnt bowl well and we wanted wahab ro replace him.

He lacked abit in skill in test but i still respect gul for being an honest cricketer.

I would take an umar gul over waseem akram, asif amd amir any day. Because when we saw gul play we knew he was honest and our time nevrr got wasted.
 
One of the most likable guys to play for Pakistan cricket.

Honest, hard-working, and not desperate for the limelight. Every other Pakistani cricketer has one good T20I game and starts behaving like they're an ATG.
 
Unusually honest and humble former Pakistani cricketer, and one of our best white-ball bowlers.
 
Guldozer needs to look hard if we hes looking for any faults in his playing career. What a top lad, hardworking player and served his country really well. An ATG bowler in T20Is as well.
 
I respect him more for this interview.

Usually our cricketers never accept they were bad they justify their bad performance and give the dumbest explanations and theories.

But gul here admits and accepts that he wasnt good enough which is true. Back in 2010, during the england series everyone was crying that while asif and amir took wickets gul didnt bowl well and we wanted wahab ro replace him.

He lacked abit in skill in test but i still respect gul for being an honest cricketer.

I would take an umar gul over waseem akram, asif amd amir any day. Because when we saw gul play we knew he was honest and our time nevrr got wasted.

Refreshing to hear his frank admission. Right or wrong, at least he behaves better and is honest in his assessment.
 
At his peak Umar Gul was the best T20I bowler in the world.

He is still the no.1 T20I bowler in ICC all time bowling ranking.
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He is not the top level bowler . He could easily have been an effective lower order hitter but never worked in his batting.
 
Former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul has been named the new bowling coach and consultant of the Afghanistan men's team.

The 37-year-old has stated in an interview that he will join the Afghanistan cricket team's camp in Abu Dhabi on April 4.

The right-handed pacer, who has taken 400 wickets from Pakistan, said that an agreement was initially reached with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for three weeks.

The extension in his tenure is possible after the camp.

"After coaching at PSL, KPL, LPL and domestic level, it is a pleasure to be associated with an international team. I will try my best to help the Afghan bowlers with my experience," Umar Gul said.

https://cricketpakistan.com.pk/en/news/detail/umar-gul-appointed-afghanistan-bowling-coach
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1984. One of the greatest bowlers of the Yorker, Umar Gul was born in Peshawar <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/0EKwDyAfGp">pic.twitter.com/0EKwDyAfGp</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1581192670059196417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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20 20 is not the criteria to judge players.

The format has its own specialist, not every Test great was able to do well in T20’s, Umar Gul is arguably the greatest of all time in T20’s and a Pak great in LOI’s
 
Gul's 20+ runs over to Sehwag meant that India scored more than 8% of their runs in just 1 over, which i think won the match for India. Gul had bowled exceptionally well in that world cup, just like he did in 2007 T20 WC. If you take semi final out then Gul had an average of 14 in the world cup at an economy of less than 4 per over. The guy has lot to be proud of, a great career with some great accomplishments.

Well , as a player you are tested when the ocassion is big , under mpre pressure. That is why people who perform in knockout games are cut above the rest.
 
The format has its own specialist, not every Test great was able to do well in T20’s, Umar Gul is arguably the greatest of all time in T20’s and a Pak great in LOI’s

As I said 20 20 is not the format for greatness , Bevan has exceptional record in white ball , no one compares him with Lara , Pointing or Tendulkar
 
As I said 20 20 is not the format for greatness , Bevan has exceptional record in white ball , no one compares him with Lara , Pointing or Tendulkar

T20 is a format which exists and defines its own greatness, like I said some of the best ever in other forms have struggled in it, doesn’t make them any less inferior.
 
If Amir and Asif would have partnered him for a longer time period then his Test stats might be better, Gul carried the load of pace attack alone or with fake pacers like Tanvir Ahmed or glass pacers like Talha or 2nd giggers like Cheema or one trick bowlers like Junaid
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As my coaching stint with the Afghanistan Cricket Team comes to an end, im grateful to them for putting their trust in me. I had a wonderful time working with the team and coaching the boys with the best of my abilities. I wish them the very best in the future! <a href="https://twitter.com/ACBofficials?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACBofficials</a></p>— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) <a href="https://twitter.com/mdk_gul/status/1609099137567395841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Umar Gul "I have always wanted to serve my country and would be interested in the role of Bowling Coach if the Pakistan Cricket Board needed my services" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1612490286243975171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Umar Gul seems to be happy in his new role

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On this day in 2006, during the 3rd test match of the series, Umar Gul made Brian Lara look like an ordinary batter. I really think that Umar Gul could have played more test cricket as he has some superb bowling attributes to succeed in the red ball format.

 
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