Sep 20th, 2016

Sep 20th, 2016

A remarkable ambidextrous fast bowling talent capable of delivering 145km/h thunderbolts with either hand has been unearthed at trials for a Super League team in Pakistan.

Yasir Jan, a vegetable trader who lives in Islamabad, astounded officials from the Lahore Qalandars when he maintained a blistering pace despite swapping hands.

The teenager, who is reportedly marginally faster with his right-arm, told Geo News he had been practising with both hands since childhood.

"I have practised bowling with both left and right arm all my life, I try to imitate every bowler I see," Yasir said.

Former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed was one of the scouts at the ‘Jazz Rising Stars’ trial and said it was the first time he had seen a bowler capable of generating such pace with either arm.

Yasir could be headed to Australia too with all the unearthed players who are not selected to play for Lahore to train with BBL champions, the Sydney Thunder.

While its sporting cousin baseball has had several ‘switch pitchers’ over the years, cricket has never had a bowler switch hands consistently at the highest level.

Sri Lankan spinner Kamindi Mendis achieved remarkable success mixing at the u-19 World Cup earlier this year changing between right and left-arm finger spin.

His countryman, right-arm off-spinner Hashan Tillekeratne landed a left-arm orthodox delivery in the last over of a World Cup match against Kenya in 1996 with the result already beyond doubt, but never tried it again.

While he would have to notify the umpire which hand he was delivering the ball with prior to each delivery, Yasir would remain a nightmare to face for most batsman.