I am a big SRK fan, would love to play for KKR in IPL: Sufyan Mehmood [Exclusive Interview]

CricTracker recently caught up with Oman cricketer Sufyan Mehmood over an exclusive interview. Born in Muscat, the 33-year-old has desires to beat Pakistan at the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which is quite bold of a statement coming from an associate nation’s player, but Mehmood is confident that Pakistan are no tough team to be defeated.

The competitive athlete, who bowls quick with his right-arm pace and bats left-handed, also expressed his willingness to play in the Indian Premier League and represent his favourite franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, further adding that he is a massive fan of Shah Rukh Khan, the team’s co-owner who also recently bagged his maiden national award for his lead role in ‘Jawan’. He also picked his choices between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, and batted for the inclusion of veteran India batter Rohit Sharma in the Fab Four list.

Excerpts

Question: Sufyan, you recently said that next time you face Pakistan, Oman will beat Pakistan – what sparked that bold statement?

Yes, to be very honest, I did not give this statement specifically against Pakistan. This was actually said for any team playing against us. If we play good cricket, we can beat any side, which can include India or Pakistan, or anyone who is in our group. That was actually asked on behalf of Pakistani media, so they put it up like that, but nothing against Pakistan. We can beat any team on the day if we play good cricket. So that’s what I meant.

Whose wickets are you eyeing the most in the Asia Cup 2025 and why?

It would be my dream to get top-order wickets against India and Pakistan. It’s an opportunity to show our talent, and we’re preparing hard for it. I would like to take the wicket of Fakhar Zaman from Pakistan. I am not sure if Babar Azam plays, but if he plays, it’s Babar. But, from India, it would be Suryakumar Yadav.

What’s one match or moment you’ll never forget in your international career so far?

Recently, we played India A and Pakistan A in the Emerging Asia Cup. In the match against Pakistan A, I got Omair Yousuf’s wicket. In the India A match, I got Nehal Wadhera’s wicket. Though these were A-sides, they had players from the national team like Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and Mohammad Haris. These two matches were highlights of my career. I got to bat against Pakistan A and hit a six against Imran Khan Jr. I’ve been playing cricket for a long time, and these small moments against India A and Pakistan A are very big for me.

Which IPL team would you like to represent in the future, and why?

If I get a chance to play in the IPL, I would love to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as I am a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan.

Have you ever faced a moment where you thought of quitting cricket? How did you overcome it?

There have been a lot of moments. Not on the field, but from off the field, as we come from a country where cricket is not that famous. I thought of changing my profession, as we’re from Oman and we don’t have sponsors, and we don’t have enough facilities like Test-playing nations India or Pakistan. With limited resources, we’ve managed everything. However, now we’ve got enough facilities, thanks to Oman Cricket. But initially, we faced a lot of challenges. But, on the field, there were no such instances. We’ve to survive in an atmosphere where cricket is not that famous. Now, thanks to Oman cricket, we have played the World Cup and we’ve good enough facilities, now things are a bit easier.

Do you think Rohit Sharma or Babar Azam can be included in the Fab Four?

I think Rohit Sharma should be a part of the list as he has scored a lot of runs, and he has inspired us with his performances. But Babar Azam couldn’t continue the way he started. Obviously, he has a long career ahead. Hopefully, he could get into the list in the future. I would like to remove Joe Root and bring in Rohit to the Fab Four list.

Anything you would like to add?

I wanted to say that I’ve been receiving a lot of comments and messages on my controversial statement on Pakistan. I’ve nothing against Pakistan. If it’s our day, we can defeat any team. The USA defeated Pakistan last year. We’re also an associate nation, and we even wanted to win against Test-playing nations. I am looking forward to our matches against India and Pakistan. We would love to defeat both countries, as it’s an opportunity to showcase our talent.

This or That? — Rapid fire Round

Babar Azam or Virat Kohli – Which do you think will be tougher to bowl to?

Virat Kohli

Win against Pakistan or India – which would mean more?

Pakistan

ODI World Cup or T20 World Cup – Which suits Oman better?

We would love to play the 50-over WC, but T20 is a format where we can create upsets.

Bouncer or Yorker – your go-to delivery under pressure?

Yorker

Which team do you secretly enjoy beating the most?

Pakistan

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