Irfan claims he ended Gambhir’s white-ball career

Pakistan’s fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan, in an interview with Samaa TV, claimed to have ended the career of India’s opening batsman Gautam Gambhir.

The 37-year-old stated that he got the better of the batsman on multiple occasions in the Indo-Pak series in 2012, which led to the latter’s eventual departure from the Indian team.

"I think his career ended because of me. After that series [in 2012] he never returned to the team," Irfan said. "He was getting bowled off full-length deliveries and his pull shots against my shorter balls also didn't work."

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Irfan believed that Gambhir was afraid of the tall pacer and revealed the openers body language on the field when he came in close proximity.

"He got out thrice to me on that tour," he said. "He was scared of me clearly. He wouldn't look me in the eye even in the nets. There are people who when scared avoid you, don't make eye contact and walk the other way."

The left-arm fast-bowler, due to his towering frame, created various problems for India during the Pakistan’s tour in 2012.

"When we played the first match, no one could sight my balls properly, they told me this themselves. Virat Kohli said to me that he thought I would bowl at slow 130-135 kmph," he concluded.

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Irfan last played an international match for Pakistan in September, 2016, against England in Leeds. He has represented Pakistan in four Tests, 60 One-day Internationals (ODIs) and 20 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) over the course of his career.