Player-of-the-tournament Irfan Ahmed - and Hong Kong - were the talk of the town yesterday with the former Australia batsman Dean Jones suggesting that Indian Premier League franchises should take a serious look at the Hong Kong star.
Jones, who played 52 tests for Australia, was one of many people taken with the skills of the 19-year-old Irfan, who starred with both bat and ball as Hong Kong booked their first-ever appearance in the final of the Karp Group and Unirich Jewellery Hong Kong Sixes.
'I'm very impressed with Irfan,' said Jones, who was in Hong Kong last weekend as part of the Ten Sports commentary team. 'I have no doubt that some of the IPL franchises should take a look at him.'
Jones is not the first former illustrious cricketer to say that Irfan - a Hong Kong international - should consider moving overseas so that he could improve his game and fortunes. Last year, the Pakistan test veteran Ramiz Raja suggested the same thing after Irfan excelled at the Sixes.
'Irfan has good hands and a great eye and he bowls really well, too,' Jones said. 'Of course he has got to go out and learn to bat on turf wickets, but from what I have seen of him, I have been very impressed. He has the signs of being a dangerous player.'
In Hong Kong's unbeaten run to the final, Irfan aggregated 156 runs from six outings - being dismissed only twice - and also bowled superbly, conceding only 76 runs from six overs while taking four wickets. He also had a run-out.
'I would love to get into the IPL and this was a good stage to show what I can do. It has been good for me and for Hong Kong, too,' Irfan said.
