Test opener Sami Aslam quits Pakistan cricket
Left-handed batsman confirms reaching US to take career forward
Photo: AFP
Young opening batsman Sami Aslam has confirmed that he has quit Pakistan cricket over grievances.
The 24-year-old, on his social media account, announced that he has reached United States to take his professional career forward.
The Lahore-born cricketer was disgruntled after not being selected in the 35-member squad for the New Zealand tour despite his string of solid domestic performances in the previous campaigns.
Disappointed that I didn't get any chance to be in 35players for NZ tour and last UK tour,even after good last QeD 2019-20trophy, I was one of the most run makers, scored 864 runs(4 100's) average of 78,
— Sami Aslam (@Samiaslam999) November 11, 2020
dropped from the Test squad after not getting a game in my last UK tour 2018
The left-hander’s last appearance for Pakistan came in a Test match against Sri Lanka back in 2017.
He played 13 Tests and scored 758 runs at an average of 31.58 with seven half-centuries to his name.
He scored 167 runs which included two half-centuries in the two-match series against England back in 2016.
Aslam made an impressive 91 against New Zealand in the second Test at Hamilton. He came under criticism for not being able to convert the half-centuries into a bigger score.
He was soon dropped from the side due to fitness issues.
The Lahore-born batsman went on to play for Southern Punjab in the 2019-20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy campaign where he became the fourth-highest scorer with 864 runs after 10 games at an average of 78.55, which included four centuries and a half-century to his name.
During the season, he reportedly did not see eye to eye with head coach Abdul Rehman after deciding to settle for a draw against Northern instead of completing the run chase in the dying moments of the game.
Aslam was then drafted to the Balochistan side for the ongoing season where his form took a dip. He managed just one fifty from three matches.He was also demoted to the Balochistan second XI side for the National T20 Cup where he did not participate.
