50 wickets, 500 runs ignored, picked for one Test, then dropped: Pakistan star heads to England
In a story that raises serious questions about talent management in Pakistan cricket, left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has effectively turned his back on the country he once represented, and is now eyeing a future with England.
At just 19, Gohar seemed destined for greatness. Making his ODI debut for the Pakistan national cricket team in 2015 against the England cricket team, he dismissed top names like Alex Hales and Joe Root.
For most young cricketers, that would be the start of a long international journey. For Gohar, it was the beginning of silence. He never played another ODI.
Six years later, in 2021, he was handed a lone Test appearance against the New Zealand national cricket team in Christchurch.
The outing was far from ideal with the ball, conceding over 150 runs without a wicket. But with the bat, he showed grit, scoring 34 and 37 in a losing cause. Yet again, there was no follow-up.
No backing. No clarity. No communication. Recalling that moment, Gohar revealed how the then-head coach Misbah-ul-Haq had informed him he would barely be used as a bowler in that Test, instead being pushed into a makeshift batting role.
“We don't have enough seam all-rounders, so you're going to bat at No. 8… and maybe bowl a couple of overs.” That “maybe” seems to have defined his international career.
Now 31, Gohar has rebuilt his career in England’s domestic circuit, representing Middlesex and securing British citizenship.
With England’s preference for versatile bowling all-rounders, the door that once slammed shut in Pakistan may finally open elsewhere. And he’s ready. “If the chance comes anytime, I’ll be ready.”
What makes this story sting is not just the missed opportunities, but the pattern, a promising talent given glimpses, then forgotten without explanation.
For Pakistan cricket, it raises an uncomfortable question: how many more careers have slipped away like this? For England, it could be a second chance waiting to happen.