England an Option – Saqlain

“It’s an exciting prospect to know I might also get a chance to play for England. But it is an option I will think about only after a successful comeback this season,” Saqlain told Reuters in an interview from England.

Saqlain, who has taken 208 wickets in 49 tests for Pakistan, played for Sussex against the touring India side this week and said he would qualify to play for England from September this year after he married a British citizen of Pakistani origin.

“There are many people who feel I should try to play for England and are pushing me to go for it,” he said. “I am only 30.

“But I am first concentrating on completing a good season without any more fitness problems,” he said.

“Let me first complete the season properly. Then see who is keener to play me and consider the best option. But playing for Pakistan has always been a honour for me.”

Saqlain last played Test cricket for Pakistan in 2004 against India. Since then he has succumbed to a serious knee injury but is on the come back trail.

Saqlain made no secret of his attitude to his treatment by Pakistan’s cricketing authorities.

“It hurts that no one bothered to just call me or ask me how I was doing. It was as if I didn’t exist. I didn’t care about them footing my medical bills but the moral support was never there,” said Saqlain, who took 288 wickets in 169 one-day internationals for Pakistan.

“I played my first proper match in two years time against India and it went smoothly. It made me realise I am not finished as an international player yet. It now depends how desperate I am for the big comeback.”