Mohammad Asif feels his inclusion in a preliminary Pakistan squad represents the rebirth of his career.
Disgraced Pakistan paceman looking for fresh start
Mohammad Asif feels his inclusion in a preliminary 30-man Pakistan squad represents the rebirth of his career after his problems with drugs.
The 26-year-old paceman has become involved in a number of incidents in recent years, starting in late 2006 when he was suspended after failing a drugs test for the performance-enhancing steroid Nandrolone.
The suspension was subsequently overturned on appeal as it was believed that Asif was unaware that he was taking a banned substance, but there was further controversy in 2007 when he became involved in a scuffle with team-mate Shoaib Akhtar, leading to Akhtar's expulsion from the team.
In 2008, the Pakistan Cricket Board fined Asif one million rupees when he was detained at Dubai International Airport for 19 days after being found in possession of opium.
The charges were subsequently dropped because the quantities were deemed insufficient to make a case, but Asif's problems continued when he picked up a one-year ban after failing a drugs test in the inaugural Indian Premier League season.
However, that ban expires the day before Pakistan's opening Champions Trophy match against the West Indies in South Africa on September 23 and, after finding himself back in contention, Asif is confident about the future.
"You can say that it's a sort of rebirth for me," he told
AFP.
"I was performing well but then suddenly my career derailed and it was tough to get over those difficult days."
Lesson
He added: "Maybe these events happened so that I could learn my lesson.
"I would like to forget what happened to me over the last two years. I have learnt my lessons and will definitely do my best to avoid anything like this in the future.
"(The incidents) may have happened to teach me a lesson or to give me a chance to fully recover from an elbow injury, which was hampering in bowling."
Asif has taken 51 wickets in 11 Tests and 36 in 31 one-day internationals, and he feels he can replicate his best form in the Champions Trophy.
"I am fit and have been bowling in the best of rhythms," he said.
"South Africa is my favourite place and I did well when we went there to play a Test series in 2007 so, this time around, again I want to help my team win the trophy."
