Asia Cup 2025: Kaleem’s Remarkable Journey from Karachi to Muscat

Aamir Kaleem of Oman is often likened to the Associate world’s version of Mr. Cricket. At the age of 43, Kaleem left Pakistan in his teens, subsequently playing in domestic and corporate cricket in Oman. Now, he balances coaching and playing to keep his connection with the sport alive.

Kaleem recently made headlines during Oman’s debut Asia Cup match in Dubai when he claimed three wickets against Pakistan, his birthplace, and hit consecutive six and four against the renowned Shaheen Afridi. Initially, Kaleem was daunted by Afridi’s formidable presence.

“Typically, when batting, you focus on the bowler’s hand. But I found myself looking at Shaheen’s face, which was distracting. It dawned on me that I was facing the renowned Shaheen Shah Afridi. Thankfully, I hit him for a six and then a boundary,” Kaleem shared with Sportstar.

Kaleem’s journey hasn’t always been smooth. Despite excelling at various age-group levels in Karachi, he wasn’t selected for Pakistan’s national Under-19 team. In 2004, an opportunity arose with a team in Oman. Although initially not the first choice, Kaleem eventually moved to Oman after persuading his family, who were solely supported by his sister, to allow him to pursue cricket.

Kaleem started working in the delivery department of a company specializing in spring mattresses in Muscat, enduring harsh temperatures. Despite the challenges, he knew Oman presented new opportunities that Pakistan no longer did.

Kaleem’s immense cricketing talent shone at the domestic level, leading to his debut for Oman in 2012. Initially, a residency rule kept him out of the team, but changes by the International Cricket Council in 2018 allowed his return. He regularly played for Oman until 2019 and participated in the 2016 T20 World Cup. His connection with a local Indian restaurant, Passage to India, and its domestic team significantly boosted his cricketing career.

Unfortunately, in 2019, Kaleem faced a setback with a knee injury, forcing him out for months. But he made a resilient comeback later that year, reinventing himself as an opening batsman at age 40 in the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

Kaleem is also an ICC Level 2 coach. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he joined Oman Cricket as a coach, successfully leading the national Under-19 team to victory in the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier. The current Oman team includes Aryan Bisht, one of Kaleem’s protégés, who debuted at the ongoing Asia Cup.

“Working alongside a former coach and current teammate like Aamir has been inspiring,” Bisht, who is pursuing a BBA in International Business in Muscat, expressed.

Kaleem proudly regards Bisht as a homegrown talent and plays alongside him in domestic cricket. Despite the demanding schedule of coaching and playing, Kaleem remains dedicated. “Coaching is my job, and cricket is my passion,” he says, acknowledging the support of his head coach, Duleep Mendis, in pushing him to excel in both roles.