But few know that Farhan’s journey to the crease was anything but straightforward. He began his cricketing career as a fast bowler, only to switch to batting after a challenging start, following his coach’s advice. Today, that decision has turned him into one of Pakistan’s most exciting opener now.
After a tough match where he lost control, bowling 19 deliveries in a single over and drawing the coach’s sharp criticism, Farhan decided to change course. Following his coach’s guidance, he turned his focus to batting, a move that would define his cricketing career.
Asked about his switch from pacer to batter, Farhan shared his journey exclusively with Cricfrenzy.
“I haven’t told anyone… even many media outlets in Pakistan don’t know about this. Yes, I started as a fast bowler. I played tape tennis back then. But in my second match, I struggled badly, three no-balls, five wides if I remember correctly, and some even counted as four. I ended up bowling 17 or 19 deliveries in a single over. My coach criticized me a lot and advised me to focus on batting. That’s how my journey began… this was back in 2010," Farhan said.
The decision to become a batter, influenced by his coach, came without any thought of representing Pakistan at the international level. Farhan never imagined playing for the national team when he made the switch.
"I never thought I would play for the national team or represent my country. I feel very fortunate that I started professional cricket in 2012, played in the PSL by 2018, and then made it to the national side," he added.
Even when he hit two sixes off Bumrah, Farhan was unaware he had set a record. He only learned about it later through social media.
"To me, all bowlers are the same. I don’t focus on their names while batting. I hit two more sixes that day, three in total, but I didn’t even know it was a record until I saw it on social media. It felt amazing," he said.
