Jason Gillespie: “[He] will be a long-term player for Pakistan. A very good player. The T20 leagues will come calling. Quality player and outstanding person. Would recommend him to any franchise [or] team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has thrown his support behind batting all-rounder Irfan Khan, backing him to be “a long-term player for Pakistan”.
Irfan has featured in nine ODIs to date and scored 48 runs at an average of eight.
He has also taken three wickets at an average of 17.
As for his T20I career, the 22-year-old has taken part in 14 games and amassed 189 runs at an average of 27 and a strike-rate of 135.
Irfan recently represented the Pakistan Shaheens in the Top End T20 Series, which also included the Adelaide Strikers Academy, Australian Capital Territory, Bangladesh A, Chicago Kingsmen, Hobart Hurricanes Academy, Melbourne Renegades Academy, Melbourne Stars Academy, Nepal, Northern Territory Strike, and Perth Scorchers Academy.
In the seven matches he played, the Mianwali native accumulated 144 runs at an average of 24 and a strike-rate of 130.90.
“[He] will be a long-term player for Pakistan. A very good player. The T20 leagues will come calling. Quality player and outstanding person. Would recommend him to any franchise [or] team,” Gillespie was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Irfan hasn’t played international cricket since March 2025, meaning he wasn’t involved in Pakistan’s T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore, the T20I tour of Bangladesh, the limited overs tour of the West Indies, and the T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan.
He also didn’t make the cut for the ongoing 2025 Asia Cup, which is being held in the UAE.
Pakistan beat Oman and the UAE in the group stage, but lost to India as well.
Despite that defeat, they progressed to the Super Four and began by losing to India once again.
The men in green will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they go up against Sri Lanka on September 23 in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: 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, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem
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