I have never blamed anyone for not selecting me in the past, says Fawad Alam

The 35-year-old batsman added that he is "thankful for whatever he has achieved in his career"

Faizan Lakhani

January 27, 2021

Pakistani middle-order batsman Fawad Alam says he has "never blamed anyone for not being selected in past"
Says he does not blame anyone for "losing 10 precious years of his career" either
Says he knew there was "light at the end of the tunnel"

KARACHI: Pakistan’s middle-order batsman Fawad Alam has said that he doesn’t blame anyone for “losing 10 precious years” of his career due to being "constantly ignored."

Talking to media after his third Test hundred in Karachi, the middle-order batsman said that whatever he went through was "just his fate and nothing else."

“I have never blamed anyone for not being selected in the past. I have always believed in whatever fate had in store for me. I never lost hope because I knew that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“I don’t know what would’ve happened if I was playing for Pakistan in all those years. Maybe, I wouldn’t have gotten this respect that I have earned from everyone today,” the middle-order batsman said.

The 35-year-old batsman added that he is "thankful for whatever he has achieved in his career."

Replying to a question, he said that the team management has given him the confidence to go in the middle and "express himself with full freedom."

“Misbah bhai, our head coach, has given me the confidence and when the team management is empowering you and giving you the confidence you need, then it surely helps you to do well for the team,” Fawad said.

“Younis Khan is also helping us fine-tune our game. The best thing about Younis Khan being a batting coach is that he would guide us according to our level, he won’t be Younis Khan and instead, he’ll try to be at our level,” Fawad said.

Talking about his innings in Karachi, Fawad said that it is "always good to score a century for your country," adding that he is "satisfied that his scores came at a time when his team needed them the most."

He said that the target, when he walked to the middle on the second day’s morning of Karachi Test, was to stay as long [as possible] and bring score close to South Africa’s total.

“It was a difficult situation for us after the end of day one and in the morning we had the target that we must take our score close to South Africa’s total. We were trying to spend time on the wicket and fortunately, we got success in getting the lead against South Africa,” he said.

“I am happy that I was able to contribute to my team’s cause,” he concluded.

Fawad scored 109 runs off 245 balls against South Africa at Karachi’s National Stadium — his home venue — while playing his first-ever Test match on home soil.

Alam brought up his century by smashing a six at mid-on off Keshav Maharaj in the 90th over of the innings.

This was Alam's third century in his 14th inning — the only Pakistani player to score his third Test century in fewer innings than Alam was Azhar Mahmood, who scored his third in the 10th inning.