da esport bet： A skills-and-control bowler, Abbas has used his intelligence, patience and endless stamina to get to 800 first-class wickets
da leao： Osman Samiuddin07-Sep-2025Mohammad Abbas should come in black and white. It isn’t only the immaculate but old-fashioned hair, it’s the entire package; the forever tucked-in shirt, the punctuality, the unfailing politeness and the measure of his words (much like the measure of his bowling). It’s a surprise to learn he has a social media presence at all, let alone an Insta account with nearly 100k followers. Even the pace of his bowling – medium-fast rather than fast-medium, as it used to be described before speed guns – feels a little anachronistic these days.Above all, he’s carved out a cricket career that feels very old-world. He’s a Test-only specialist, now in his seventh season of county cricket, an English summer veteran, and a throwback to when the County Championship was the place elite cricketers went to become better cricketers and better-paid professionals.Towards the end of July, at his current home of Trent Bridge, he picked up his 800th first-class wicket. Only five other active first-class bowlers have as many. It was a very Abbas wicket too: fourth-stump line, good length, an almost imperceptible straightening, a thin edge and a straightforward pouch for the keeper.He remembers a few of them. The first-ever, against Abbottabad in Sheikhupura over 16 years ago (same as above, except it nipped in and trapped the batter Fawad Khan leg before). The first Test wicket, Kraigg Brathwaite, from only the second ball Abbas bowled in Tests (ditto above, this time nipping away). And, of course, [not like the difference between the ground and the sky]. If you’ve played four-day cricket and then you play T20, it’s like having a little dessert after a meal.”But yeah, a little regret. I look at my stats and those of others playing the PSL and it’s not that different. If you can play red ball, how can you not play T20s? If I work four days and earn more by working three hours, why not do that? I have played T20, I have experience, but as you do one kind of work more, you’ll get better at that, whether that is cricket, or business, or media.”There is a season to finish with Notts and then the contemplation of what comes next in county cricket (his deal with Notts is only for this season) and with Pakistan. He will, as ever, turn up on the domestic circuit in Pakistan, and possibly be in the squads to play South Africa at home. Whether he actually plays those depends on how hard Pakistan go with spin, to replicate their strategy from their last home season. Next summer, a three-Test series in England is looming as a big away tour, a homecoming of sorts given his county exploits, and – as he’ll be 36 – who knows, a fitting farewell?Not that he is thinking about an end at all. He’s just grateful to be where he is at this moment.”I’m happy with what I’ve been given in life. Not every person gets everything in life. What I have, others don’t. What they have, I don’t. I’m just grateful that Allah has given me respect in a difficult format. When I was dropped from the [Pakistan] team, I was down. But I saw my stats and checked them against the top bowlers in the world, and I was very thankful. I would’ve gotten depressed but that actually turned it for me.”