Shadab vows to perform well against Sri Lanka

KARACHI: Pakistan's young leggie Shadab Khan has been the most effective bowler in limited overs cricket. However his performance during the last few one-dayers has not been impressive. The 20-year old feels this and wants to perform against Sri Lanka in the remaining two one-day international here at the National Stadium.

“Individually during the last few one-dayers my performance was not that good and will try to once again perform better for the team,” Shadab told a news conference here at the National Stadium just ahead of Pakistan's team practice session ahead of the second one-day against Sri Lanka to be held on Monday (today).

He said that it was a great opportunity for him to play in front of his home crowd. “Every player wants to play before his home crowd. I am feeling very well that it would be a debut one-day for me on my own soil. I hope to perform well tomorrow,” Shadab said. Responding to a question Mianwali-born spinner said that definitely conditions in Karachi suit spinners. “Yes conditions here are helpful for spinners. Because of rains we did not see pitches but during one day net the pitch was helping the spinners. If such pitches are there then definitely I will try my level best to exploit it,” Shadab said. Shadab also desires to live up to the expectations if he gets a chance.

“Yes I play as an allrounder and when the team needs me in batting then I try to perform in batting also. And this is my desire if I get a batting chance then I wil try to live up to the billing,” Shadab said.

When asked where he finds himself as a Test leggie and a back-up for Yasir Shah Shadab said that he had been trying to improve himself in long format.

Shadab said that as a team Pakistan would try to win both the matches against Sri Lanka. “As an allrounder I don't follow any one but I follow Stev Smith. I am working hard on my batting and when I will get batting chance I will try to show to the world that I can play as an allrounder,” Shadab said. Responding to a question Shadab said:”Yes Sri Lankan players mostly are new but I have played Under-19 cricket with most of these boys. I have also played against them while being part of Pakistan A side. I think in bowling they are missing only Lakmal but in batting those batsmen are there who were the second choice. The youngsters will definitely try to perform better because they would like to cement their places in the team. Individually I know all these guys,” Shadab said.

Shadab informed that he had worked really hard on his leg spin. To a query Shadab said that although he could not fill the vacuum left by Saqlain Mushtaq and Saeed Ajmal in spin bowling but he was always trying to fill that.

“I am always trying to fill that vacuum. Cricket has changed drastically these days. If you are able to take three wickets for 50 runs I think it will be helpful for the team. I am an attacking option in one-day cricket. I always try to take wickets and my economy in one-dayers is four and a half which is not bad,” Shadab said.

After the first ODI of the three-match series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was washed out the other day the two nations will meet in the second day-nighter here at the National Stadium on Monday (today), followed by the third and last game on Wednesday.