Cricketer Irfan Pathan has been blessed with a baby boy. The 32-year-old couldn’t control his excitement and took to Twitter and Instagram to share his joy. Earlier this year, Pathan had tied the knot with Jeddah-based model Safa Baig in the holy city of Mecca. Pathan expressed, “Is ehsas ko Bayaan karna Mushkil hai…is me Ek behtareen si Kashish hay, blessed with a baby boy.” (It is difficult to share what I am feeling at the moment… It has a certain kind of attraction to it)
Irfan Pathan’s post with his new born baby
(Courtesy: Instagram/irfanpathan_official)
The left-arm seamer has not been a part of the Indian national team for a few years now. He last represented India in white clothing in 2008. Pathan played his last ODI and T20I in 2012 and has been out of the team since then due to injuries and loss of form. In the current domestic season, he has picked only 9 wickets in 6 matches and made just one half-century. In the recent transfer window, Rising Pune Supergiants have released Pathan from their squad for IPL 10.
Pathan would be hoping a change of fortunes after being blessed with the baby boy. Touted as one of the finest all-rounders of India, the left-arm seamer made his presence felt in the international circuit at an age of 19. Owing to his pace and the ability to swing the ball both ways, he was compared to Pakistan’s living legend Wasim Akram. Many thought that Pathan was the answer to India’s long hunt for a fast bowling all-rounder after Kapil Dev. While Pathan showed glimpses of being the best, his career was hampered by injuries.
In 29 Tests, Pathan has taken 100 wickets at an average of 32.26. He has 7 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls to his credit. A genuine all-rounder, Pathan has scored 1105 runs in 40 innings at a decent average of 31.57. He has 6 half-centuries and a ton against Pakistan. He has taken 173 wickets and scored 1544 runs in 120 ODIs for India. In 24 T20Is, he has 28 wickets and 172 runs to his credit.
Pathan became the second Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Test matches after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh achieved the feat against Australia in 2001 at Eden Gardens. He dismissed Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf with unplayable swinging deliveries. Salman Butt edged an away swinger and Dravid completed the formalities by taking a regulation catch at slips. Younis Khan was trapped leg before wicket with a late in-swinging delivery from the Baroda lad. Mohammad Yousuf was clean bowled by a similar delivery that got Khan.
WATCH: Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick against Pakistan
(Video Courtesy: YouTube.com/CrazZyArena)
