Irfan`s height more hindrance than help

Karachi: Towering Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Irfan may reportedly be hindered by his height in his cause for selection in the Pakistan Test squad to play South Africa in the United Arab Emirates next month.

The left-arm Irfan, who is the tallest player in world cricket at 2.16 metres (7 ft 1 in), spent some time with fast bowling legend Wasim Akram to learn to move the ball both ways off the seam, and the report suggested that unleashing him on South Africa would be a `no-brainer`. According to The Dawn, even South African player Dean Elgar admitted that Irfan is intimidating at first look, adding that it is difficult to prepare in training to face him as he hits the deck hard and the ball reacts differently off the pitch compared to shorter bowlers. However, Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul Haq questioned Irfan`s chances of playing in a Test as due to his physique, they have to be careful with him in the longer format, although he added that Irfan he is okay for ODIs and Twenty20s. Agreeing with Misbah, Pakistan bowling coach Mohammad Akram said that although Irfan is a completely different kind of bowler compared to other bowlers, but he has had a few issues and needs to fully fit before he comes back to Test cricket. Irfan made his Test debut in South Africa last season, and took all three of his wickets - those of AB de Villiers, Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn - in the first innings of the second Test at Newlands, the report added. ANI