Qalandars’ spin duo bowls to Sri Lankan team in nets

KARACHI: The players spotted from Lahore Qalandars’ fabulous player development program continue to impress the cricket world with their extra-ordinary talent.

After Qalandars’ fast bowling duo of Salman Irshad and Haris Rauf bowling to Indian Cricketers at net, the spin duo of Qalandars, Ahsan Mirza and Farzan Raja, bowled to Sri Lankan Cricketers at nets as they arrive in Australia for two Test Warne-Muralitharan series.

Raja and Mirza are currently in Hobart and playing Cricket Tasmania league as part of Qalandars’ agreement in Australia for players’ development.

On Tuesday, the duo was called to nets with Sri Lankan Cricketers in Hobart. Sri Lanka will take on Cricket Australia XI at the venue from 17th January.

The spin duo of Raja and Mirza bowled against likes of Dinesh Chandimal and Karunaratne.

Raja said that Chandimal was very impressed with his bowling and bowling against and international team was a very good learning experience.

“It was totally a different experience, and a very learning one,” Raja told geo.tv from Hobart.

“Bowling against some of the best international players gave me confidence of doing good, overall it made me realize how to bowl against top batsmen,” he added.

He also credited Lahore Qalandars for this opportunity.

“I was just playing local cricket before Qalandars picked from the player development program, I had never thought of playing cricket outside Pakistan but they took me to UAE and Australia, then arranged this contract with Cricket Tasmania which gave me opportunity to bowl against Chandimal and co today,” he Raja said.

Ahsan Mirza shared the same emotions as he spoke about how he was earlier neglected but Lahore Qalandars brought him back to limelight and has given him a new hope.

The Lahore Qalandars management was also excited to see players picked by the franchise from grass root are now going places.

“Fruits of our player development program are finally here,” said Atif Rana, the CEO of Lahore Qalandars.

“This is a proud moment for us as the player development program is helping Pakistan’s cricket which will, ultimately, help our cricket. Working on nets with Sri Lankan players will provide these two players very invaluable experience,” Rana added.