Pakistan batsman Haider Ali: “At the start of my career, I didn’t use to sleep when I was not able to perform”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Haider Ali has opened up about the stress he faced when failing to perform, saying he “didn’t use to sleep.”
Haider acknowledged that not being able to score runs early in his career caused him to worry and took a toll on his body and mind.
The 23-year-old was once considered to be the next big thing in Pakistan cricket after starting his international career with a bang, but he wasn’t able to maintain any sort of consistency, which ultimately led to him falling out of favour with the national selectors.
“At the start of my career, I didn’t use to sleep when I was not able to perform,” he told Islamabad United’s podcast as quoted by Geo Super.
Haider played for Islamabad in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) after being picked by them in the replacement draft. He initially went unsold in the player draft that was held.
In the seven matches he featured in, the Attock-born batsman scored 103 runs, which included a top score of 52 not out, at an average of 25.75 and a strike-rate of 163.49.
Islamabad ended up winning PSL 9 after beating the Multan Sultans by two wickets in the final.
Islamabad United Squad for PSL 9: Shadab Khan (captain), Naseem Shah, Jordan Cox, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan, Tymal Mills, Faheem Ashraf, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Rumman Raees, Matthew Forde, Salman Ali Agha, Qasim Akram, Shahab Khan, Hunain Shah, Ubaid Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Obed McCoy, Haider Ali, Muhammad Waseem
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