AB de Villiers: “To face him at that time was just… it was almost unfair. He just had too much skill, he was playing with me, it felt like. Really, really good bowler”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has admitted that “it was almost unfair” to face Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif as “he just had too much skill”.
De Villiers added that it felt like Asif was “playing with me” before going on to call him a “really, really good bowler”.
This is not the first time the 41-year-old from Pretoria has lavished praise on Asif as he previously said he would pick the Sheikhupura native to bowl for his life since he was “unplayable” with the new ball.
Asif represented Pakistan in 23 Tests and took 106 wickets at an average of 24.36.
He was also involved in 38 ODIs and claimed 46 wickets at an average of 33.13.
As for his T20I career, the 42-year-old finished with 13 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 26.38.
While De Villiers was full of praise for Asif, he did say he would have loved to go up against him when he older and “very sound technically”.
“I think Mohammad Asif when I was younger, the Pakistani great. To be fair to myself, I wasn’t really comfortable with my own technique at that time. I had some flaws, I was taking the bat behind my back, so… I would have loved to face him now or when I was a bit older, very sound technically, knowing what I’m doing out there. But to face him at that time was just… it was almost unfair. He just had too much skill, he was playing with me, it felt like. Really, really good bowler,” he said during an interview.
The Pakistan team recently faced Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in Lahore and triumphed 3-0.
They then toured Bangladesh for another three-match T20I series and ended up losing 2-1.
Pakistan are now touring the West Indies and began their campaign on a high as they secured a 2-1 victory in the T20I series.
The two teams are now playing three ODIs, with the series tied at 1-1 going into the 3rd ODI on August 12 in Trinidad.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan Squad for West Indies ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem
[TS_Poll id=”54″]