Meet the man ahead of Kohli, Rohit and Rizwan in T20I batting averages
courtesy:-theflyslip.online
The batsman with the highest batting average in T20 Internationals is not from a Test nation but from Malawi, a small country lying in south-east Africa and bordering Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania.
Yes, it is true, and we aren’t talking of any video game.
Sami Sohail, a right-handed opening batsman, has put Malawi on the global cricketing map by pipping the likes of Virat Kohli, the batsman he admires, and Muhammad Rizwan.
His average of 63.35 is much superior to Rizwan’s 48.72, Kohli’s 48.69 and Suryakumar Yadav’s 43.33.
“There is no comparison [with Kohli and others] but just seeing the name above the legends is a privilege for me. They are playing at the highest level, you know. But I hope, we as a country reach that level and you know I can still perform the way I have been performing,” Sohail tells www.theflyslip.online, putting his record into perspective.
But the 22-year-old, who has played only 36 T20 Internationals, has age on his side and his talent received great recognition from Kenya, where he was signed by Nairobi Gymkhana in a strong domestic league where each team gets to sign three overseas players, most of who are either from India or Pakistan.
Sohail had impressed in the Kenya Quadrangular recently, notching 377 runs in eight matches at an average of 75.4 and a strike rate of over 168, hitting four fifties. He finished second in the run-getters’ list behind Oscar Manishimwe of Rwanda.
Sohail was born in Karachi, but moved to Malawi at the age of two after his father Sohail Sattar decided to shift base, and begin work at a grocery store with his brother.
“I was brought up in Malawi. Typical Asian boy, playing cricket wherever you find a little space. It all started with that. Slowly, slowly, I got into club cricket during schooldays. Started playing with senior cricketers in club cricket at the age of 14,” says Sohail, whose father and two elder brothers have shifted to USA now. Only his sister and uncle remain in Malawi, where he also stays as a citizen of the country.
“I wasn’t getting enough starts to showcase what I had. Gradually, I got the opportunity to bat at the top of the order after performing at No. 6 and 7, scoring 20s and 30s. I was 15 when I started batting up. When that happened, I began getting 50s and 60s against senior cricketers.”
The following year, trials were held for the national team. He participated and got selected to the Malawi team at the age of 16 on the tour to Botswana.
“This was the World Cup Qualifiers Division 2 in Botswana, in 2018. I didn’t get the opportunity. I was batting down the order, at No. 5 and No. 6. Scored a fifty in one of the games against Botswana, got Player of the Match Award,” he recalls.
The following year, Malawi played an Under-19 series against Zambia.
“I got appointed as the captain of the Under-19 team against Zambia, which went really well. I got the Player of the Series award in that. Best batsman award also. We won that series too.”
But playing cricket in Malawi, threw up its own share of struggles. Football is the most popular sport among men, netball among women. Athletics, basketball and volleyball too have following.
Cricket is minuscule in presence and the ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC) between 2010 and 2013 did not help the cause.
“That was one of the things we struggled with – facilities. Cricket is not really a national sport in Malawi. We did not have much facilities. It was just like, wherever you get space you start rolling your arm, batting and all.”
Having made his international debut at the age of 16, Sohail carved for himself a way to practice daily.
At the age of 18, he set up his own academy.
“I decided to have my small academy where I could train kids and practice myself. I set up two nets, side by side, where I practiced myself.
“It was very difficult to play cricket in Malawi. We used to play club cricket. There were some sort of facilities. Just come in the evening, do whatever you want. We didn’t have many coaches. So to learn, it was about using your acumen, seeing some Youtube videos. Learning from there, that’s how it was back in the day.
Sohail’s role model is Virat Kohli, the India batsman who holds the record for most centuries in ODIs.
“Virat Kohli is my role model. I just think it is his worth ethic. How hard-working he is, and the amount of comebacks he has made. Whenever he falls down the way, he comes back. That just inspires me. Everyone is hard-working but with Kohli, his comebacks and the way he comes back. How he plays under pressure. That just inspires me a lot. He is the best. He works hard to be the best,” admires Sohail, who got a professional contract in the United Kingdom to play for a club in Derbyshire league for six months last year.
“That was a professional contract. I was getting paid every week. It was premier league in England. So, a good option.”
courtesy:-theflyslip.online
Being an all-rounder, he also bowls.
“I idolised Dale Steyn. I loved his action, the aggression for a fast bowler. My idea of growing up,” adds the pace bowler, who also uses slower ball to deceive batsmen.
Sohail also represented Chicago Tigers in the Minor League Cricket in USA for two months.
“I was among the top 10 wicket-takers in the league. I was the highest wicket-taker for Chicago Tigers, and among top 10 in batting for them. I was batting down the order, so I couldn’t get as much opportunity as I’d like.”
Sohail knows that coming from a country which is an Associate and that too not among the top ones, he’ll have to continuously punch above his weight to get noticed. And also improve his strike rate, which stands at 125.81.
“For me, it is about taking the innings deep. It is about playing with a positive intent and bat long, of course,” added Sohail.
“The way franchise cricket is going, they are looking more at the strike rate. That is one area I am going to improve. At the same time, I will try and play sensibly. Working on that, and getting into franchise cricket. However, I am not really that worried about average or strike rate as long as I help the team to win,” signs off Sohail.