In this exclusive interview, Jamshed Ahmed, a member of Pakistan's 2006 U19 World Cup-winning team, speaks candidly about his premature retirement from domestic cricket at just 25.
By Saj Sadiq (January 17, 2026)
The former fast bowler reflects on the politics that cut short a promising career, relives the unforgettable triumph against India in the U19 final, and shares his concerns about the modern pathway for young cricketers in Pakistan — and much more.
Key revelations include:
• Career cut short by politics: "My cricket was influenced by politics." – Jamshed mentions that despite his performance, he lacked the necessary "recommendations" (sifarish) to compete with other prominent left-armers like Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Khalil at the time.
• Premature retirement: "I said goodbye to cricket at such an early age." – He describes his decision to leave domestic cricket at age 25 as a result of rampant favoritism and "politics" within the system.
• U19 World Cup glory: "We bowled India out for only 71 runs." – Jamshed recalls the 2006 final where Pakistan successfully defended a small total against a star-studded Indian team. He credits coach Mansoor Rana for motivating the team by identifying that only India's top four batsmen were in form.
• Systemic issue in Pakistan: "Pakistan has lost a lot of good players because of politics." – He questions why many players from that winning squad did not have long international careers. He criticizes the management for not "polishing" talents like Anwar Ali or the high-pace bowler Akhtar Ayub, while others were given more extended opportunities.
• No injury excuse: "I didn't quit because of an injury." – He shares a specific instance where he took 8 wickets in a match for PIA against KRL but was dropped for the next game without any explanation.
• Future bowling concerns: "There is no one who is beating Muhammad Asif or Muhammad Amir." – For the upcoming U19 players, Jamshed advises playing "positive and aggressive" cricket. He emphasizes that the modern game has evolved, and teams must be prepared to score high and put early pressure on opponents, especially against India.
Watch full interview with Saj here:
