A towering man of seven feet
one inch, fast-rising Pakistan paceman Mohammad Irfan often struggles
to find bowling shoes that fit and a comfortable bed. But on the cricket
pitch, the 30-year-old former factory worker is more than comfortable
with a new ball in his hands, cleverly exploiting his height to unsettle
some of the best batsmen in the world with bounce, pace and variation.
Pakistan tagged Irfan a "surprise package" on their December-January
tour of India and despite taking just three wickets, he plagued the
opposition's much-vaunted batting. "We jokingly call him the short man,"
Pakistan Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez said. "We knew he would be a
surprise package and with his determination and hard work I hope that he
can go a long way in international cricket."
It is only now that officials accept him to be 7'1''. In the past, his height has been purportedly measured at 6'8" and 6'10".