It?s very rare to find a humble and hard working cricketer in this era of glamour and media that has engulfed cricket at all levels. Fortunately, we were able to catch up with one of these guys. PakPassion.net proudly presents an exclusive interview with Pakistani all-rounder Yasir Arafat. Yasir, an outstanding fast bowler, hails from the talent-rich area of Rawalpindi.

by Suliman Baig (17 March 2011)

Yasir Arafat made his debut for Pakistan in 2000 and over the past decade has represented Pakistan 21 times in various formats.  Consistent performances at the domestic level have earned him county contracts in England and T20 contracts in New Zealand and South Africa.

PakPassion.Net: How did the 2010-2011 domestic season go for you in Pakistan?

Yasir Arafat: The domestic season went very well for me this year. This year was even more special because I picked up my 700th domestic wicket this year. As a team, we also had a good season. We made it to the finals of the One Day and the Quaid-e-Azam trophy tournaments. I had a very good final match and even picked up 9 wickets in the first innings of the match.


PakPassion.Net: You also played some T20 cricket in South Africa this year. How did that experience go for you?

Yasir Arafat: Playing in South Africa was a wonderful experience. It was the first time I had the opportunity to play in South Africa and it was very enjoyable. I took 6 wickets in 6 matches for the Dolphins. We lost in the semi final to a very powerful Cape Cobras side that included the likes of Boucher, Ntini and Boje. Last year I was given the chance to play in New Zealand, which was also a good experience. We had a good run in the tournament this year, but unfortunately we fell short and lost in the semifinal.


PakPassion.Net: You've become somewhat of a T20 expert now and are renowned around the world for your prowess in this format of the game.

Yasir Arafat: Yes. You can say that. I've had a lot of experience around the world in Twenty20 cricket now.


PakPassion.Net: You'll be playing county cricket for Surrey this year and have played in England for many years. What's the benefit of playing county cricket in England?

Yasir Arafat: You learn a lot by playing count cricket. It's very well organized and all the aspects of county cricket are very professional. A lot of our former stars have played in England and it has proven to be very beneficial for the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and many others. The great thing about county cricket is that it includes all formats of the game. This truly tests your ability. Also, you play a lot of cricket in a very short time and this helps with your fitness. This has helped in improve my game and is one of the reasons I have been so successful in the T20 format. I'm the second highest wicket taker in the format and even made it to the Guinness Book of World records for my performance. I've been playing county cricket in England for six years and I hope this season will also be a successful one.


PakPassion.Net: Surrey used to be one of the top teams in county cricket when they had the likes of Waqar and Ramprakash playing for them. Lately though they haven't done that well. Do you think you'll be able to pick up the team's performance this year?

Yasir Arafat: I think Surrey has always been a very strong team. A lot of Pakistani players -including Waqar Younis, Azhar Mahmood, and Saqlain Mushtaq- have played there and improved the team's performance. Inshallah I'll be able help the win like I did with Sussex.


PakPassion.Net: Do you consider yourself to be one of the unluckiest cricketers in the world? You missed the T20 World Cups in England and West Indies due to injury. How disappointing was it to miss those tournaments?

Yasir Arafat: There's nothing one can do about injuries. Injuries can happen at any time and unfortunately I got injured during two very important tournaments. But since then I haven't had any issues with my fitness. I've been playing domestic cricket since then and have been injury free and performing very well.


PakPassion.Net: You are now 29 years old. Some say that the physical skills of a fast bowler begin to deteriorate at this age and the performance becomes very inconsistent. Do you think you're still good enough to play international cricket?


Yasir Arafat: Absolutely. I think this is the age at which you fully mature at a cricketer. I'm still hitting the high 80s on the speed gun so the pace hasn't deteriorated yet. At this age you are a better player because you have learned so much from experience. Age at this time is not really a concern for me.


PakPassion.Net: Being older can also be viewed as a positive. At 29, you have been playing cricket for a long time and have played in different conditions around the world.

Yasir Arafat: Absolutely. The experience of having played in various conditions with different players can be very beneficial for a cricketer. I think that being 29 is more of a benefit then it is an obstacle.


PakPassion.Net: You have always had a very positive take on everything that has happened and your attitude has been very refreshing. But how do you feel about having played for Pakistan in only a handful of matches despite being a consistent performer every year at the domestic level?

Yasir Arafat: I'm a cricketer and I just want to play cricket. It's not very disappointing because I've been playing domestic cricket in Pakistan and have also had the opportunity to play county cricket in England. I just want to make the most out of the opportunities that I have been given, be it in Pakistan, England, New Zealand, or South Africa. I have had great success in domestic cricket and my 700 first class wickets are a proof of my success. My batting has also improved and I have about 7000 runs in domestic cricket now. The opportunities in Test cricket have been limited but I have had some success in the matches I've played. Taking 9 wickets in 3 matches is pretty good.


PakPassion.Net: I?ve been following Pakistani cricket for a long time and have noticed that the only thing consistent about Pakistan cricket is the inconsistency. The selectors, captains, and players can change at any given time. You?ve been out of the team for a while. Do you think you can still make it back to the international level?

Yasir Arafat: That has always been my hope. I?m not giving up on playing international cricket and am waiting for my opportunity. Whenever that opportunity comes I want to be ready and make the most of it. Changes are a part of Pakistan cricket but you have to be ready for anything.


PakPassion.Net: What do you think of Pakistan?s performance in the World Cup up until this point? They have been very inconsistent.

Yasir Arafat: They?ve only lost one match and have done well in others. All the teams have been somewhat inconsistent in this World Cup so Pakistan?s performance hasn?t really been that bad. Having said that, you need to play better cricket against the likes of Australia in crucial matches.


PakPassion.Net: Which team has impressed you the most so far?

Yasir Arafat: I think all the teams have been pretty much the same. Any team can win the World Cup.


PakPassion.Net: We thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck for the future.

Yasir Arafat: Thank you.