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The mysterious case of Sadaf Hussain!

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Seriously what is the deal with him?

He has been taking bucketloads of wickets season after season to the point that its not a coincidence now. But majority of these wickets have been in the Silver League with Rawalpindi's regional team and now KRL department. All this time why hasnt a Gold League team deemed it worthy to pursue him. Especially when he was part of regional cricket and hadnt been picked up.

What I find even more surprising is that not once has he played in a T20 match. He takes wickets after wickets but the Rawalpindi Rams or some other regional association has not thought of picking him up and actually making him play. What makes it worse is that our T20 tournament is the one avenue where all cricket fans can actually watch him and follow him live as every game is televised!

My question is. Why is he shrouded in such mystery?

Apparently he was called up to the Pakistan squad for the West Indies tour in 2011 as a 21 yr old when Aizaz Cheema got injured in the last minute. He was there for the duration of the tour and our coach then was non other than Waqar Younis. And he was never called up again. He must have really made a bad impression or sth.

Some folks might know that I always keep my expectations low (for him and most others). One reason is that he is not playing at the top level of our domestic structure and the green mambas he has mostly bowled on. Another is that I saw the guy playing in a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match 4 years ago now. I watched only a few overs and then switched the channel (cuz well it is our FC cricket) and dont even remember the specifics of the match but do remember some things and him bowling esp because he was being hyped then too. Anyways I wasnt that impressed with him cuz he looked like a 130k bowler and got some seam movement but nothing to write home about.

But maybe he has improved leaps and bounds from then who knows? We certainly have had no opportunity to judge him. But as we found out he is killing it with an average of 6 in some English league. Again thats not a highest quality of competition but I guess an avg of 6 at any level is pretty crazy.

So the question is. Why is there so much mystery with him? Forget about not getting a chance in international cricket why has not even a domestic T20 team signed him up to play for them?
 
Stats wise, he's an absolute monster.

But from what I've read, he can't swing the Kookabura bowl to save his life and bowls no quicker than the 130's. If that is true, then he won't have any significance, BUT he should get an international call-up based on his performances. We'll find out on whether or not he can actually be useful in the international scene, but atm, doesn't seem like he'll get a chance.

He either has beef with selectors or the selectors in general are stupid not to give him a chance, like they usually are. No other explanation really, because he has far superior stats to even some of the current Pakistani fast bowler lot.
 
He indeed is an enigma.

He out-bowled Rahat while playing for KRL.

I remember there was a training camp for fast bowlers in 2012, and he cleared the fitness test for that camp.
Has recently bowled 20+ overs in a day in that English Club League. Don't know what happened to him the recent fitness test.

Whatever I have seen him, he is not lesser than Mir Hamza or Zia ul Haq.

But surprisingly, he is not even in the reckoning.

Yes, he need to improve his pace, but when we can afford to play Anwar Ali as a bowler, why not try him. Still would be a better option than turning back to Samis and Guls.

Why not PP arrange an interview with him??
 
Stats wise, he's an absolute monster.

But from what I've read, he can't swing the Kookabura bowl to save his life and bowls no quicker than the 130's. If that is true, then he won't have any significance, BUT he should get an international call-up based on his performances. We'll find out on whether or not he can actually be useful in the international scene, but atm, doesn't seem like he'll get a chance.

He either has beef with selectors or the selectors in general are stupid not to give him a chance, like they usually are. No other explanation really, because he has far superior stats to even some of the current Pakistani fast bowler lot.

you know when i saw him my reaction was that he seems too one dimensional and bowls at 130-135k. but its been 4 yrs so he might have changed

but the thing is he was called and no less ana authority than Waqar Younis had him on tour to WI but he didnt deem Sadaf good enough apparently. but he went back and still took loads of wickets. Also the Rawalpindi region does deem him good enough to play for their side and nor does any other cuz he not not played a SINGLE domestic T20!!

What makes it worse is that we have had absolutely mediocre to rubbish (to use civilized words) bowlers like Bhatti and Anwar Ali leading our attack in this period. id understood if sth like this happened in the 90s or early 2000s but now??
 
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Who needs him when we have talents like Mohammad Sami and Anwar Ali.

He has been successful at every level he has played so far ,I don't think he can do anything more to get himself selected. He has sustained his wicket taking ability for some seasons now , we are probably doing to him what we did to zulfikar babar. PCB might call him in the team after 6 7 years when he will be finishing.
 
Who needs him when we have talents like Mohammad Sami and Anwar Ali.

He has been successful at every level he has played so far ,I don't think he can do anything more to get himself selected. He has sustained his wicket taking ability for some seasons now , we are probably doing to him what we did to zulfikar babar. PCB might call him in the team after 6 7 years when he will be finishing.

I agree. He will most likely not set the world alight but might aswell try him. We dont have Wasim or Waqars bowling for us do we? :))

I mean he is already 25. Lets try him now. Its now or never!
 
I agree. He will most likely not set the world alight but might aswell try him. We dont have Wasim or Waqars bowling for us do we? :))

I mean he is already 25. Lets try him now. Its now or never!

Yah , I don't really get PCB at all. They call back the dead from the graves but are unwilling to reward the good performances. He doesn't even get selected for the A tours. Within the system he has done everything possible to get selected. I hope (if he is really bowling well) that someone in english cricket sees him bowl and offers a county contract next season.
 
How was someone like Asif, also with little pace given a chance? And no, I'm not comparing the two, I've never seen Sadaf bowl, only see stats.
 
It doesnt matter whether he uuld swing or seam the ball or not, what matter is that, on MERIT, he deserves to play for Pakistan
 
Selection is not only based on stats and figures....

I'm talking about Merit... If having an avg of below 20 doesnt allow you to play for Pakistan then what will? On what basiss were Anwar Ali and Sami selected?

Bowlers like Aizaz Cheema, Najaf Shah bowled for 10 years and dint get selected, or dint get a regular chance, and at the end when they did, they were past there prime.....

Those guys also hold Sadaf like stats, but were not selected on merit.
 
I'm talking about Merit... If having an avg of below 20 doesnt allow you to play for Pakistan then what will? On what basiss were Anwar Ali and Sami selected?

Bowlers like Aizaz Cheema, Najaf Shah bowled for 10 years and dint get selected, or dint get a regular chance, and at the end when they did, they were past there prime.....

Those guys also hold Sadaf like stats, but were not selected on merit.

Stats don't mean everything. Selectors/Coach observe players before selection. Selectors must be well aware that Sadaf is an unfit trundler who can't swing the Kookaburra to save his life, and can't bat or field either. There's a reason Waqar wasn't impressed when Sadaf got called up against the West Indies.
 
sadaf swings kookabura more than anyone , people here talk non sense without watching him, he has everything , come on talk to me guys i will tell you
 
Stats don't mean everything. Selectors/Coach observe players before selection. Selectors must be well aware that Sadaf is an unfit trundler who can't swing the Kookaburra to save his life, and can't bat or field either. There's a reason Waqar wasn't impressed when Sadaf got called up against the West Indies.

Let me repeat myself, the guy deserved selection on merit. He should had been given a debut for his performance .. I dont see Junaid Khan or Wahab Riaz having stats like Sadaf in the Pakistani Domestic torny, why does Sadaf have such stats?

Trudler? what kind of ridiculous is that? Philander says hello.............
 
sadaf swings kookabura more than anyone , people here talk non sense without watching him, he has everything , come on talk to me guys i will tell you
Exactly, my mates at my cub told me how Sadaf swings the grace ball by 6 stumps.... Thats the amount of swing this guy develops.
 
Exactly, my mates at my cub told me how Sadaf swings the grace ball by 6 stumps.... Thats the amount of swing this guy develops.

With the Grays ball. Not the Kookaburra. Heck, even Junaid swings the Grays ball.
 
All those saying "He can't swing Kookabura to save his life." Haier's President Gold One Day Cup WAS played with Kookabura and he took 21 wickets in 6 matches in that at an average of 13. Just shows how these people blindly follow whatever they read without knowing the facts. Trundler or not, he has been taking wickets. He deserves a selection. For all those blaming his fitness, go check out the number of overs he regularly bowls per day. For all those blaming his batting, please enlighten us how much Irfan, Rahat, Junaid or Talha have contributed with the bat.
 
And he is contracted to KRL. KRL are a good departmental team. In List A especially, they are among top 2,3 teams. In first class, they are not minnow level but rather mid table standard. Only reason they were playing Silver League because PCB had to accommodate 6 regional teams in Gold League who were easily worse than the departmental teams of Silver League.
 
We have trundlers like Asif, Pollock, Philander and even McGrath (according to some posters), having success at international level so why not try Sadaf (6 feet 3 inches height).

Its due to our obsession with pace that bowlers like Sami and Bhatti keep dishing out rubbish and still managed to keep their place in the team.

I don't know whether he really failed the fitness test or not, but I do remember him passing fitness test in 2012. And he did bowl 50+ overs in domestic matches without breaking down.

Players like Anwar, Tanvir and Bhatti playing above is a joke. If selectors even have a little respect for the domestic structure, this guys should be given opportunity.
 
Looks like selectors will never select Sadaf!!! He should shift to some overseas teams
 
Looks like selectors will never select Sadaf!!! He should shift to some overseas teams
more curious is why has no T20 domestic team ever picked him??

surely he is good enough to play a few games!!

thats why i call it such a mystery, we cant even see him on tv and judge for ourselves
 
more curious is why has no T20 domestic team ever picked him??

surely he is good enough to play a few games!!

thats why i call it such a mystery, we cant even see him on tv and judge for ourselves
Because they know his worth. A trundling domestic bully, the bowling version of Fawad.
 
He indeed is an enigma.

He out-bowled Rahat while playing for KRL.

I remember there was a training camp for fast bowlers in 2012, and he cleared the fitness test for that camp.
Has recently bowled 20+ overs in a day in that English Club League. Don't know what happened to him the recent fitness test.

Whatever I have seen him, he is not lesser than Mir Hamza or Zia ul Haq.

But surprisingly, he is not even in the reckoning.

Yes, he need to improve his pace, but when we can afford to play Anwar Ali as a bowler, why not try him. Still would be a better option than turning back to Samis and Guls.

Why not PP arrange an interview with him??




Yes please. That would be a great idea! :)
 
With the recent interview this thread has again come up and the following question is valid again:

Why is there so much mystery with him? Forget about not getting a chance in international cricket why has not even a domestic T20 team signed him up to play for them?
 
He indeed is an enigma.

He out-bowled Rahat while playing for KRL.

I remember there was a training camp for fast bowlers in 2012, and he cleared the fitness test for that camp.
Has recently bowled 20+ overs in a day in that English Club League. Don't know what happened to him the recent fitness test.

Whatever I have seen him, he is not lesser than Mir Hamza or Zia ul Haq.

But surprisingly, he is not even in the reckoning.

Yes, he need to improve his pace, but when we can afford to play Anwar Ali as a bowler, why not try him. Still would be a better option than turning back to Samis and Guls.

Why not PP arrange an interview with him??

PP did :D

Well, [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] and [MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] deserve all the credit! Pakistani cricket fans are lucky to have these two #respect
 
I hope he doesnt end up becoming another Aizaz Cheema.

By not giving him his chance when he was in his mid 20s and taking bucketload of wickets in domestic even back then we missed out on a definite sub 28 average bowler
 
PP did :D

Well, [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] and [MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] deserve all the credit! Pakistani cricket fans are lucky to have these two #respect

Yup, great work from both. That interview actually solved some puzzles.

I even forgot this post of mine :inti
 
The numbers say he should get a chance, or that the selectors should expect to be asked tough questions about why he is not being selected.
My personal opinion is that if every regional, national, departmental selector is ignoring you, then its not as clear a case the numbers suggest.
 
The numbers say he should get a chance, or that the selectors should expect to be asked tough questions about why he is not being selected.
My personal opinion is that if every regional, national, departmental selector is ignoring you, then its not as clear a case the numbers suggest.
there really is some mystery to it

honestly in the domestic t20 tournament (the full one not the super 8), some of the bowlers there are barely club level and i can honestly say some people i know who played school cricket are better than them

so it really is mind boggling how no regional t20 team has bothered to sign him up either. And neither was he selected for the Pentangular before the World Cup despite absolutely killing it in regular season
 
I don't understand why the poor guy isn't given a chance. One of the most consistent performers in first class cricket in Pakistan. He has been doing well the past few years.

What I fail to understand is on what basis would you select Rahat or Anwar Ali over Sadaf?

rahatanwarsadaf.JPG
 
I don't understand why the poor guy isn't given a chance. One of the most consistent performers in first class cricket in Pakistan. He has been doing well the past few years.

What I fail to understand is on what basis would you select Rahat or Anwar Ali over Sadaf?

View attachment 58293

Rahat is pacier. Waqar would prefer that.
 
I don't understand why the poor guy isn't given a chance. One of the most consistent performers in first class cricket in Pakistan. He has been doing well the past few years.

What I fail to understand is on what basis would you select Rahat or Anwar Ali over Sadaf?

View attachment 58293

How does Anwar Ali have 4 10fers in FC? :)))
But yeah, ridiculous that he hasn't gotten a chance yet.
 
It's really all so strange, to the point that there has to be more that people don't know about. Every argument that people are making against him doesn't make sense:

1) Can't play with the Kookaburra - false
2) Fainted in the fitness test - he outright said that was wrong, would he lie so publicly AND ask for it to be sent to Haroon Rashid?
3) Not fit enough in general - hello Rahat and Irfan
4) Trundler - Anwar Ali has lost all swing and doesn't bowl fast either

The curious thing is that if they really thought in some way he wasn't good enough, why not say it? Haroon Rashid singled out the areas where Hammad Azam needs to improve to justify dropping him. Fine, tell us where Sadaf has to improve in his bowling.

But they never give any reason other than fitness, and when you have our current bowling options how can you claim that fitness is the ONLY disqualifying option?

It honestly doesn't make sense, and I can't quite understand it.

Not sure anyone is saying he's the second coming of Wasim. But what point is domestics if the most deserving people in domestics don't even get Pak A selection?

Haroon Rashid himself said that domestics aren't good enough to assess players, so you can only tell how they'd do on the international level. So fine, test Sadaf on the international level?

There literally seems to be a different standard for him than any other player. And as a person, he doesn't seem like someone who people don't like? It's just so strange.
 
I am sure that many will disagree with me here but is it that he is a shia. Surely it can't be some other reason.
 
I am sure that many will disagree with me here but is it that he is a shia. Surely it can't be some other reason.

Hasan Raza he got his opportunity as early as age of 14 (only official age though).

Ali Naqvi made his debut at an age of 20.

Both were Shia.
 
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Times have changed now, and looking into this matter, there just isn't another reason.

That's just silly. What does him being Shia have to do with anything? I highly doubt it.

He has been on the fringes of the ODI squad but just hasn't been able to make that final cut.
 
Sadaf Hussain is currently playing in the North Staffs and South Cheshire League Division 1 2015 for Burslem. His stats in the tournament so far are as follows

sadafengland.JPG
 
Fails to find himself even in the list of names for the PSL Draft :yk
 
Fails to find himself even in the list of names for the PSL Draft :yk

Things are going to be further tough for him as he has to compete with Shehzad Azam Rana , Mohammad Abbass , Mir Hamza and Zia ul Haq for Pakistan A four day squad. For that he has got potentially 3 games super 8, semifinal and final if KRL qualify for final. So in televised games he has to take fivefers. Otherwise next season will be too late because of emergence of Hassan Ali , Amad Butt and 20 years old Mohammad Irfan.

I have only seen him bowl on live matches when he was playing a rampant T20 tournament for SSGC team this year or last year.

So this if Krl win the super 8 game than it will be first time we will see him bowl in a live quaid e azam trophy match. An exposure he never got earlier.

His pace is between 125 to 135 kph only.
 
Things are going to be further tough for him as he has to compete with Shehzad Azam Rana , Mohammad Abbass , Mir Hamza and Zia ul Haq for Pakistan A four day squad. For that he has got potentially 3 games super 8, semifinal and final if KRL qualify for final. So in televised games he has to take fivefers. Otherwise next season will be too late because of emergence of Hassan Ali , Amad Butt and 20 years old Mohammad Irfan.

I have only seen him bowl on live matches when he was playing a rampant T20 tournament for SSGC team this year or last year.

So this if Krl win the super 8 game than it will be first time we will see him bowl in a live quaid e azam trophy match. An exposure he never got earlier.

His pace is between 125 to 135 kph only.
He has never played an official t20 ever so not sure whether he was in this team you are talking g about
 
we were calling for Rafattullah to be next big thing and why he isnt getting selected then we saw the result
i think their surely is some issue with Sadaf otherwise why would they not select him
 
we were calling for Rafattullah to be next big thing and why he isnt getting selected then we saw the result
i think their surely is some issue with Sadaf otherwise why would they not select him

The issue is that selectors are dumb-headed. The previous one -MK- did not even know who Sadaf was, and gave a generic response to a question on Sadaf in a PP interview
 
It's quite sorrowful to be honest how he gets overlooked every single time - must be despairing for him.
 
Maybe Sir [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] can explain the reason behind this occlusion from the PSL draft. It goes beyond most of my logic as to why he is excluded. I mean one thing is fine but to just be excluded completely without any justification still baffles.

Also [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] is the only one who has experience at the domestic level and has been a talent scout in the past.
 
Highly unfair to the chap. He should've been selected 5 years ago when Amir and Asif were banned. His numbers indicate that he's super consistent and is head and shoulders above his peers. Really can't understand the logic (or lack of) of not trying him. Maybe he's never sucked up to senior players and no one backs him. Whatever the case may be, it is a slap to all our hard working domestic players.
What I'm concerned with though is if he is given a chance than it should be a proper run and not just a game or two.
 
I hear his name a lot but I have never seen his bowling.

If anyone has a clear video of it please post it.
 
Nobody at PP ha seen him bowl live or on tv except me.

I have seen bowl on tv against Afghanistan when he was playing for Pak A. He was very ordinary to be honest.

Can only be successful on green tops in my opinion but with his stats he deserves to be selected. Take him to NZ or England.
 
Having seen only few YouTube clips, it's difficult to judge a player, particularly bowler. For batsmen, from the batting style, one can judge something about the technique, style, footwork, back-lift even from club game, but bowling is less methodical, it's more instinct, personal & diverse. A picture perfect action can end-up like Avishkar Salvi & opposite is probably Lasith Malinga.

I think, I can explain why Sadaf hardly has played/picked in T20 (wonder if any at highest level). With all speculations honored, I don't think he ever reached 135KM & after 1st spell, his peak is probably around 125KM - why he is getting Syd Barnes like stats in PAK domestics, I have detailed answers for that, but not in the scope of this post. These type of bowlers are a bit risky in T20s, mostly played on absolute belters, often on smaller playing areas. Unless it's a gloomy day, or green-top, batsmen can play Sadaf like Jadeja or Sakib without the spin. On dead slow & low garbage wickets of UAE, bowlers of Sadaf type is probably the worst to give the new ball, unless he gets prodigious swing.

Besides, I think Sadaf'll make Tanvir, Irfan or Ajmal like Mark Waugh in fielding & he is the Chandashekhar of modern days with bat (Chandra had 170 Test runs, against 260+ wickets) - hardly a lucrative proposition for T20. Having said that, not listing in draft is uncalled for - they could have listed him & then it's up to the Franchises to buy him or not. However, PSL is with just 5 teams - that's about 80-100 players max, of which about 30-35 foreigners. I think, it could be that PCB is trying to rationalize their cost - if the draft is in UAE, there is no point calling more than 75-80 PAK players at PCB's expenses in UAE. Ideally, PSL should have 8 teams - 6 from Pakistan & 2 from UAE - things are a bit extreme with PCB always - 50 FC teams & 5 T20 Franchise, whereas ideal probably was 16 & 8.
 
Seriously what is the deal with him?

He has been taking bucketloads of wickets season after season to the point that its not a coincidence now. But majority of these wickets have been in the Silver League with Rawalpindi's regional team and now KRL department. All this time why hasnt a Gold League team deemed it worthy to pursue him. Especially when he was part of regional cricket and hadnt been picked up.

What I find even more surprising is that not once has he played in a T20 match. He takes wickets after wickets but the Rawalpindi Rams or some other regional association has not thought of picking him up and actually making him play. What makes it worse is that our T20 tournament is the one avenue where all cricket fans can actually watch him and follow him live as every game is televised!

My question is. Why is he shrouded in such mystery?

Apparently he was called up to the Pakistan squad for the West Indies tour in 2011 as a 21 yr old when Aizaz Cheema got injured in the last minute. He was there for the duration of the tour and our coach then was non other than Waqar Younis. And he was never called up again. He must have really made a bad impression or sth.

Some folks might know that I always keep my expectations low (for him and most others). One reason is that he is not playing at the top level of our domestic structure and the green mambas he has mostly bowled on. Another is that I saw the guy playing in a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match 4 years ago now. I watched only a few overs and then switched the channel (cuz well it is our FC cricket) and dont even remember the specifics of the match but do remember some things and him bowling esp because he was being hyped then too. Anyways I wasnt that impressed with him cuz he looked like a 130k bowler and got some seam movement but nothing to write home about.

But maybe he has improved leaps and bounds from then who knows? We certainly have had no opportunity to judge him. But as we found out he is killing it with an average of 6 in some English league. Again thats not a highest quality of competition but I guess an avg of 6 at any level is pretty crazy.

So the question is. Why is there so much mystery with him? Forget about not getting a chance in international cricket why has not even a domestic T20 team signed him up to play for them?

Both Sadaf & Fawad Alam are strange cases, for some reason they always get omitted. Fawad Alam was selected for the test squad and he should have played but a Sudden induction of Shoaib Malik in the squad denied him that opportunity and then Malik simply resigned. What were the Selectors thinking?? Dont they know who is a future prospect (Fawad) and who is not(Malik)
 
we were calling for Rafattullah to be next big thing and why he isnt getting selected then we saw the result
i think their surely is some issue with Sadaf otherwise why would they not select him

Fail analogy. Rafat was 39 and had average first class figures. Sadaf is 26 and has exceptional figures.
 
His continous exclusion is just a classic example of the level of corruption which exists in the Pakistani Cricket system.
 
he should have been in the draft, but no team would have picked him and he would get murdered in the UAE by our hacks let alone the likes of Watson, Gayle and KP
 
he should have been in the draft, but no team would have picked him and he would get murdered in the UAE by our hacks let alone the likes of Watson, Gayle and KP

A lot of mediocre bowlers will be playing,, there is no reason whatsoever to ignore one of your best performing bowler for every event which can be televised or bring him into limelight..
 
He does not have to be an amir or wasim or imran khan to get a chance even in an A team or a psl where 60 players will be selected from domestic. After performing so well in domestic he doesnt even deserve his name in the draft. Its not his fault that domestic pitches favor his kind of bowling.. Awful stuff from pcb.
 
A lot of mediocre bowlers will be playing,, there is no reason whatsoever to ignore one of your best performing bowler for every event which can be televised or bring him into limelight..

a lot of mediocre bowlers will be in the draft, there are only 5 teams, im pretty confident that all the pacers picked will be better then sadaf taking format and conditions into consideration. The guy has never played a t20 game in his life
 
a lot of mediocre bowlers will be in the draft, there are only 5 teams, im pretty confident that all the pacers picked will be better then sadaf taking format and conditions into consideration. The guy has never played a t20 game in his life

The guy still averages 18 in listA and i am not sure why he hasnt played a single t20.

The question remains why isnt he deemed good enough to be even in the draft. He has done well at every level he has played at so far, he can only prove himself on a better stage if given opportunity.. Santokie bowls in t20s and isnt all that quick but has some variations. A lot of us are going by his videos 4 years ago and just dismiss him but at the end of the day he is a performer and you have got to give hims chance somewhwre.
 
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