Sami Aslam has signed up for USA's Major League Cricket T20 and effectively ended his stop-start career playing for Pakistan at the highest level, reported Cricbuzz. The 24-year-old left-hand batsman, who represented his nation in 13 Tests and 4 ODIs, will be shifting base to America by the end of this year and won't be taking any further part in the ongoing domestic first-class season.
Aslam was hailed as this next big thing in Pakistan cricket at the point of his selection back in 2015, which came after centuries versus England and India U-19 sides. He made his national debut in both Test and ODI formats on the tour of Bangladesh.
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He seemed to have settled himself down in the side with a string of fifties in England and New Zealand, as well as West Indies in UAE. However, a poor tour down under where Pakistan faced another whitewash against Australia and an average series versus Sri Lanka saw Aslam fall out of favour. He was redrafted for the 2018 tour of England but didn't get a game and was dropped thereafter.
Disappointments on the field have coincided with controversies off it for Aslam, who had been made captain of the Southern Punjab team in Pakistan's first-class circuit in 2019. Only to be removed from the helm after a reported fall out with the coach over his unwillingness to keep the team on the park chasing 89 runs in 4th innings of a match with about 5 overs remaining.
Adding to the misery for Aslam, who was subjected to switch sides and move to Balochistan this season, was the fact that he hadn't been named in the Pakistan 'A' team despite amassing over 800 first-class runs the previous winter.
Selectors even looked past him for the domestic T20 tournament while naming the team for Balochistan, considered one of the weakest of the six regionally formed teams in the refurbished set-up.
Aslam had recently also expressed his displeasure at not finding a spot for himself in the extended, 35-man touring contingent announced for the New Zealand tour.
"Disappointed that I didn't get any chance to be in 35 players for NZ tour and last UK tour,even after good last QeD 2019-20 trophy, I was one of the most run makers, scored 864 runs(4 100's) average of 78, dropped from the Test squad after not getting a game in my last UK tour 2018," he had tweeted.
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
