HYDERABAD: Pakistan’s lanky pace spearhead Mohammad Irfan insists he is working intensively on his physical fitness and will soon return to international cricket.

According to the left-armer, he has identified so many things relating to his recurring fitness problems, adding he would focus on them further.

“I will soon make a comeback before the next series, be it against Sri Lanka or any other country,” said Irfan, who was the chief guest at an athletics event here at Isra University on Wednesday.

The pacer regretted missing the ongoing series in Bangladesh.

“Obviously a player feels sad when he misses a contest but it was due to my fitness issue that I could not become part of it [Bangladesh-bound squad],” he said. “Now I am feeling much better, and am still working to further improve fitness.”

Irfan Haroon, the media spokesman of the university, said the university management through a social welfare society platform encouraged underprivileged children who were staying in different shelter homes by providing them with different opportunities for fun and recreation.

“We invite celebrities [like Irfan] so that these children can spend some quality time with these famous individuals,” he said.

Pro-vice Chancellor of Isra University, Prof Hameedullah was also present on the occasion.

Irfan, 32, recalled that it was good to be part of the World Cup squad but regretted he could not play in the all-important quarter-final against Australia in Adelaide.

“When the team needed my services most [in the quarter-final] I wasn’t there. I had been waiting for this moment,” he lamented.

Responding to a question, the player said he was not the only pacer who faced fitness issues.

“All other fast bowlers be it of Asian or European origin face fitness problems because a pacer has to work harder more than anyone else on his form,” he said.

Commenting on his extraordinary height, Irfan said the unusual physical condition had advantages as well as disadvantages.

“I often need more time to recover in case of an injury because I have unusual muscles that are longer than a bowler of average height. But now I have identified many things and I will work on them,” he said.

Giving his word on a view that several West Indian bowlers had more or less the same height but they didn’t suffer fitness problems that frequently, he disagreed saying they did face identical issues.

Praising new ODI skipper Azhar Ali, Irfan said he had had a good experience of playing under him for Balochistan in the recently held Pentangular Cup.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play