New Delhi: From running away from his home at the age of 18 to working as an electrician to survive, Oman pacer Muhammad Imran’s story is nothing short of extraordinary. Imran hails from a village in Dera Ismail Khan district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but he represents Oman in international cricket now and has become the country’s very own ‘Shoaib Akhtar’.
Thanks to his unique bowling action, which is strikingly similar to that of Pakistan great Shoaib Akhtar, Imran has often earned comparisons with the Rawalpindi Express. Imran left his home at the age of 18 in 2012 to travel to Karachi for a cricket trial. However, despite impressing with his pace at a young age, he never got a chance to pursue his cricketing journey in Pakistan.
It was only after a friend uploaded his videos on social media that a T20 franchise in Oman noticed his skills and called him for a trial. He was selected for the team and started playing cricket professionally in Oman. Imran also worked as an electrician part-time to support his family, while dedicating the rest of his time to training.
Last year, a clip of Imran went viral on social media, where his Akhtar-esque action caught the eyes of many. From the iconic run-up to the similar hair flow and action resembling that of Akhtar, Imran’s video reminded fans of Akhtar. He quickly earned the tag of Oman’s Shoaib Akhtar and is now set to display his skills in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
Imran’s clip that went viral on social media was from the Oman D10 League 2024, where he was playing for the IAS Invincibles. He picked up 21 wickets in 14 matches in the tournament at an economy of 8.65.
He’s more Shoaib Akhtar than Shoaib Akhtar himself… pic.twitter.com/cXKQGgNgbn
— Prashanth (@ps_it_is) September 19, 2024
Muhammad Imran selected in Oman’s squad for Asia Cup 2025
35-year-old Imran has been selected in Oman’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 and will be making his debut in the tournament. The tournament, which will be played in T20 format this year, is set to get underway in the UAE on September 09. Oman is in Group A alongside India, Pakistan and hosts the UAE. They will open their campaign against Pakistan on September 12.
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Imran will have a chance to display his skills against some of the best in the business when he plays against his home country in his first-ever Asia Cup match. The fast bowler, who has good pace and a unique action, will be hoping to leave a mark in the tournament with the ball.
Imran, who made his international debut against USA earlier this year, has played only two T20Is in his career so far. He has 4 wickets in two T20Is and went wicketless in the only ODI he played for Oman. However, Imran has plenty of experience, having played a lot of cricket for T10 and T20 franchises.