What are the career options for an international cricketer after he quits the sport? Coaching, a foray into cricket administration, running a business venture, acting in films, trying out luck as a politician or living a life of a retired pro in a beautiful island... the options are many. However, for a certain Arshad Khan, life after cricket has been far from cosy.
On Monday, a Facebook post claimed that the former Pakistan off-spinner is driving Uber Cab in Sydney.
"He was the driver of our cab and we started chatting. He told me that he is from Pakistan and lives in Sydney. He also said that he has been to Hyderabad (in India) many times when he was playing for Lahore Badshahs in the (now-defunct) ICL. I asked him his full name and then I was shocked to see his face which I could partially recognise. I shook his hand and left," an Indian, Ganesh Birle, wrote in his Facebook post.
"He was avoiding the conversation all the time, but at the same time he couldn't help but talk about his India connection. He introduced himself as 'I from Pakistan, but I have been here in Sydney for long time now'. Also, like a good Uber driver, he offered us water and stuff when we sat in the car."
Arshad made his debut for Pakistan in 1997-98 against West Indies and just in his third Test, took his only five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the Asian Test Championship final at Dhaka in 1999. With Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed and a rising talent in Danish Kaneria the more preferred spinners in a fast-bowler dominated team, Arshad couldn't cement his place in the side. Nevertheless, he went on to play nine Tests taking 32 wickets, and had a tally of 56 wickets from 58 ODIs. He signed up for the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007, effectively ending his international career.
Arshad's last ODI wicket was none other than Sachin Tendulkar, when he got him out LBW after the Master Blaster had completed a century in Peshawar. Pakistan won the match.