Mohammad Asif reveals how 'nepotism' & 'favoritism' have damaged Pak domestic cricket

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has come forward and made a huge statement on the functioning of the domestic cricketing structure in his country especially during his playing days by saying that there used to be a lot of 'nepotism' and favoritism' at the grassroots level that molds the budding cricketers into finished products.

'There was a lot of favoritism and nepotism at play': Mohammad Asif

“After participating in domestic cricket after my return I realised that there was a lot of favoritism and nepotism at play. Players were being picked based on who they knew rather than how good they were", said Asif while speaking to  PakPassion.net

"Guys who were scoring 25 runs per innings were being labeled as great hopes and heroes. Bowlers with no performances were being given chance after chance, it was depressing and I knew people were trying to drop a hint to me to give up playing,” the ex-medium-pacer added.

Mohammad Asif's cricketing career

In a promising cricketing career that could only manage to last for half-a-decade, the Sheikhupura cricketer represented Pakistan in 23 Tests, 38 One Day Internationals, and, 11 T20Is where he managed to register 106, 46, and, 13 scalps respectively.
However, his career at the highest level came to an abrupt end when he was found guilty for his involvement in the infamous spot-fixing scandal during a Test match in England.

Mohammad Asif was one of the players who was punished for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal in the 2010 Test match against England at the 'Mecca of Cricket' Lord's. Apart from Asif,  premier pacer Mohammad Amir and ex-opener Salman Butt were also punished for their involvement in the scandal. 

During the fourth and final Test match that was played in August 2010, all the accused players were convicted of taking bribes from a bookmaker, Mazhar Majeed, to deliberately bowl no-balls at certain pre-arranged moments during the Test match.

While Amir successfully made his way back into the Pakistan team in February 2016, the former opener and Asif have never played for the national team thereafter.