Fahim Ashraf's match-winning knock earns him worldwide appreciation

Chasing a mammoth total set by Bangladesh, Pakistan were in no position to win the match when the allrounder walked in to bat at number 9. Pakistan required as many as 100 runs in the last eight and a half overs. Together with Hasan Ali, he added 93 off just 41 balls to seal an improbable victory for the team.

Ashraf took Mehedi Hasan to the cleaners by scoring 19 off his over. Later, he hit Mortaza for 16 runs and eventually scored 13 off the last to pull off a magical victory and shock the Bangladeshis. Fahim Ashraf, with this match-defining inning of his, has given a desirable headache to the selectors ahead of their encounter against arch-rivals, India.

Unfortunately, his innings will not be registered within the record books as the warm-up matches are considered unofficial. But he has gained a lot of praise with the performance of his and many claim him to be the next Abdul Razzak of Pakistan, due to his all-around abilities.

Ashraf- Pakistan’s answer to Razzaq

“Ashraf has always been an outstanding player. He is the quickest to adapt to the coach’s plans. He was never much of a talker, rather focusing on his game and listening to whatever the coach told him to do. He has the ability to adopt whatever he is taught and just does what he is told.” said Ashraf’s Faisalabad coach, Tanveer Shaukat according to tribune.com.pk

“He could always bat. In that tournament, he was batting at number five. It may come as a surprise for some to see his big hitting but we have been seeing it for a few years now.He doesn’t get much chance now to bat since he comes in at number eight in domestic cricket.” added Shaukat.

Ashraf’s coach further vouched for the fact that he would do well in the years to come and is the answer to Pakistan’s long search for an allrounder as a replacement for Abdul Razzaq.

“But I can guarantee you that if he is sent in earlier, he will be able to do well too, He can be the next seam-bowling all-rounder that the team needs.He has the ability to fill the place of the fast-bowling all-rounder that Pakistan is in search of. He can bowl well and showed his batting skills too.” concluded the coach based in Faisalabad.

It would be interesting see whether Ashraf gets a spot in the playing XI after this knock against Bangladesh against Indians at Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 4.