MELBOURNE: Middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan, who is set to make his ODI debut for Pakistan in the series opener against Australia on November 4, shared that he aims to make his maiden appearance a 'memorable one'.
In a video statement, released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday, Irfan expressed his excitement on making his ODI debut against a strong opponent.
"Every player dreams of representing their country," said Irfan. "Making your debut against a big team gives you confidence; it shows the team trusts you."
On his plans for the debut, Irfan revealed that he aims to deliver a match-winning knock in his first match.
"Performing against big teams is what makes you a big player," he said.
"My aim is to play a match-winning innings against Australia," he added.
The middle-order batter also paid tribute to his Under-19 coach, Tanveer Shaukat, sharing how the latter encouraged him to chase his dreams.
“The coach encouraged us to write down our dreams on a piece of paper. I wrote that I wanted to play regional Under-19 cricket, then the Under-19 World Cup, PSL, and finally make it to the national team. So far, everything has gone just as I had dreamed," he shared.
Irfan also recalled the heart-wrenching sacrifices he made during his cricketing journey, which included being away from his family for a long period of time.
"My family always supported me in my cricketing journey," said Irfan.
Earlier today, Pakistan men’s national selection committee announced their playing XI for the ODI series opener, featuring uncapped Saim Ayub and Irfan, while Mohammad Hasnain and Kamran Ghulam returned to the side after almost two years.
Pakistan’s Playing XI for first ODI against Australia:
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain.
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
