‘Batsmen with sound technique needed for US matches’

LAHORE: US-based former Pakistan first-class cricketer Jannisar Khan, who has also represented US in international cricket, has revealed that in the US technically sound batsmen would be more effective keeping in view the behaviour of the tracks, especially at Dallas.

“In Dallas I have the experience of playing, there are drop-in like pitches where long sixes can be hit but it is not easy to bat on new ball here,” Jannisar told The News from US. “Seam is seen mostly here. I have also bowled here and even medium-pacers’ ball was carrying well. Pakistan will need to go with three pacers and one all-rounder in the World Cup,” he said.

“Those batsmen who have strong techniques will be more effective in the US, especially in Dallas,” said Jannisar, a former Pakistan Under-19 team all-rounder.

“As far as the wickets in the West Indies are concerned so mostly they are uneven. In islands like the West Indies when there is sunshine wicket plays well but when cloud comes it turns bowing friendly,” Jannisar said. Meanwhile, Lahore’s shrewd young cricket fans have advised the Pakistan’s cricket think tanks to finalise such a squad for the ICC T20 World Cup which could cope with what is expected to be tricky tracks in both the US and the West Indies.

“There are talks about strike rate and scoring quick runs but I don’t think in the World Cup batting would be too easy as tracks in both US and the West Indies might be tricky,” Imad, a student of Government College Lahore, told ‘The News’ here while entering the Gaddafi Stadium for witnessing the show between Pakistan and New Zealand on Thursday night.

“We should pick true batsmen who could stretch the innings and play sensibly with a few sloggers which I think would be a big plus. Babar and Rizwan would be the key in the World Cup,” Imad said.

Hammad, a law student, said that technically sound batsmen who can also hit sixes when needed should be inserted in the side. “The news have emerged that World Cup wickets would be slow and the ball could also be kept a bit low and it would not be easy to score so fluently the way we see these days in what we say modern cricket,” Hammad said.

Most of the fans wanted to avoid unnecessary experiments and stressed that Pakistan would need to constitute an experienced side which could handle the pressure well. “We should not go with more youthful cricketers. Yes, one or two may become part of the side but I think World Cup is a big event and there experience will be mattered a lot. Some of our seniors have the experience of playing mostly league in the West Indies and know how wickets behave there but in the US things would be a bit different and there too the matches would not be that high scoring,” Imran Ahmed, a club cricketer said.