Missing World Cup quarterfinal my biggest regret: Irfan

 

Pakistan’s seven-foot-tall ace fast bowler Mohammad Irfan termed the 2015 World Cup a great learning curve and said missing the all-important quarterfinal against Australia was the biggest ‘regret’ of his relatively new international career.

“I am fine now and completely fit as the rehabilitation process has been very good, but the regret is still there,” Irfan, who took eight wickets from five matches during the World Cup, told speaking to media.

“I couldn’t play in the World Cup quarter-final against Australia and that was such a big match. I was so pumped up in that tournament and was bowling with fire but I guess one can’t fight such things.”

Irfan suffered a stress fracture of the pelvis days before Pakistan was scheduled to play Australia in the World Cup’s knockout stage. Since then, the 33-year-old fast bowler has been working to regain fitness to stage an international return.

Irfan has been hopeful of making a comeback in Pakistan’s limited overs series against Sri Lanka in July.

“I am playing here [in Faisalabad] with the permission of the cricket board and selectors,” Irfan said.

“They wanted to see how I respond after recovering from the injury and I am hopeful I would be considered for the one-dayers and T20 game in Sri Lanka next month.”

Pakistan and Sri Lanka, currently battling it out in a three-match Test series, will play five ODIs and two T20s starting July 11.