Youngsters need to be given time: Haris

ISLAMABAD: Once the powerhouse of T20 cricket, Pakistan are now struggling to keep up the pace with other outfits, a reality which was accepted by Haris Rauf during a media talk following yet another defeat in the shortest version of international cricket Tuesday.

“Off late we are not getting results in T20 cricket. We are trying to keep up the tempo with the best teams around the world. With the new-look team, we need some time to raise our standards.” Following the second T20 loss against New Zealand at Dunedin, Haris said: “It is never easy to cope up with the best teams with a new-look outfit.

But we hope that the best days are not far away. We have ruled T20 cricket in the past and will do so again in the coming days. You will see a much-improved performance during coming matches.”

He defended Pakistan’s bowling saying that Kiwis were lucky to survive earlier in the innings. “Had luck gone our way, we would have been in a better position to turn the tables on the host team. Bowlers bowled well but were unable to take early wickets.”

He also praised New Zealand’s top players for producing some quality shots. “They are good when it comes to shot-making. We must also praise their ability to clear the short boundary.”

On the introduction of new batsmen and their inability to give Pakistan a solid start, Haris said that criticism has become a habit in Pakistan society. “Everyone starts criticising even young players. But this young stuff requires at least 12 to 15 matches to show their true worth. So I don’t think that such a criticism holds any value. If you have selected a top player, the requirement is to keep faith in him.”

He also called on youngsters to grab the opportunity at the earliest. “These youngsters must start learning the art of surviving in international cricket. Here the requirements are different. The sooner they start realising the difference, the better it will be for them.”