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A land of cricket crazy nation, Pakistan has been
blessed with immense athletic talent that has, time and again, risen
from streets to claim international fame. Most often than not, these
stars have faced their fair share of hardships before they could think
of achieving their dream career paths. Here we list top Pakistani
cricketers who had no idea they would ride high on success and become
one of the most recognized sports celebrities around the world:
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Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf, formerly known as Yousuf Youhana before converting to
Islam, hails from a railway worker’s family. He belonged to a poor
family and lived in Railway colony, Lahore. He used to work in a
tailor’s shop in Lahore when he was first selected for a local match in
1990. He scored a century for a local club in his first match. Later he
made strides to emerge into one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever
seen. |
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Sarfaraz Ahmed
The current vice-captain for Pakistan international team in ODI and T20
format and once short-listed for the captaincy, Sarfaraz Ahmed was all
set to become an engineer by profession. He graduated from Dawood
University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi with major in
Electronics. He first caught the attention of cricket fans when he
headed Pakistan team in conquering ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in
2006 as a captain. Later in 2007 he made his debut in International ODI
as a wicket-keeper in Pakistan National team. |
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Muhammad Irfan
The tallest person to make his way into international cricket did not
have a very affluent past. The 7’1” fast bowler used to work in a PVC
factory before joining Pakistani cricket team. He was born into a poor
family and comes from a small town in Gaggu Mandi. He had quite a
journey from labour-class family to world class cricket.
While giving an interview, he said:
“I had started enjoying my routine at the PVC factory. I had been
promoted to the role of a foreman. I had accepted the fact that I had
cricket in my life, but only for entertainment. I was earning enough
money for myself and my family. I wanted to earn a respectable
livelihood. I dreamt of playing at the national level, but that’s a
dream every amateur cricketer has.” |
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Anwar Ali
Pakistani all-rounder Anwar Ali, who recently gained acclamation after
displaying remarkable cricket against Srilankan team in his first away
tour, was not so fortunate before. At a very early age, he along with
his family, migrated to Karachi from the terror-struck village of Zaka
Khel, Swat. He also lost his father when he was still young and was left
to do child labour to support his family. He worked in a sock
manufacturing company and earned a scant amount of 150 rupees per day.
“Those were very tough days, we came to Karachi in search of peace and
safety and as one of the boys of the family, I was required to earn and
not play,” Anwar told in an interview.
Anwar struck his luck when local coach Azam Khan spotted him and brought
him for his first trials. After a span of inconsistent bowling, he was
finally able to make his place in the team in Srilanka’s tour. |
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Junaid Khan
Left-arm fast bowler and Pakistan cricket superstar, Junaid Khan has
been seen selling rugs in a picture that circulated the social media a
while back. Reports emerged claiming Junaid was a carpet-seller before
entering the world of cricket. However, no validations of the rumours
have been made by the cricketer. His family is known to be in Tobacco
business and he has done F.Sc. from Swabi. The young fast bowler has
also received offers from foreign clubs and according to recent reports,
he has been signed by Middlesex for the 2015 Royal London One-Day Cup.
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Imran Khan
The man to win 1992 World Cup for Pakistan was once enrolled in Keble
College, Oxford, from where he completed his graduation in Philosophy,
Politics and Economics. He is considered as the most successful cricket
captain in Pakistan. He is also among the greatest all-rounders in
cricket history. In 2010, Imran was included in ICC Cricket Hall of
Fame. After retiring from cricket, he joined politics and is currently a
member of Pakistan National Assembly.
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Rameez Raja
From banking to batting to commenting, cricket was not the only choice
for Rameez Raja. He once worked for American Express as a professional
banker. While talking to PakPassion.Net, he told:
“My first job was with American Express after finishing my MBA, so I
would have tried to be a banker.”
After graduating from Atchison College, Lahore Rameez enrolled in MBA in
Punjab University and eventually joined banking. However, fate had
chosen cricket for him; his degree and experience in cricket came in
handy when he joined PCB.
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Wasim Raja
Wasim Raja is another Pakistani cricketer who obtained a degree in
political science. Wasim completed his masters in political science from
Government College, Lahore. He was the son of a high-ranking civil
servant and elder brother to former cricketer and commentator, Rameez
Raja. Wasim represented Pakistan National team in 57 tests and 54 ODIs.
He also received a certification from Durham University and physical
education from Caterham School in Surrey. |
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