Abbas focused on taking wickets, not speed

LAHORE: Test fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has made it clear that his focus is on taking wickets and keeping himself fit.

Talking to media here at the National High Performance Centre, Abbas said that he is developing himself to be a batter bowler to get more and more wickets. In response to critics, he said taking wickets is important than increasing the bowling speed. “My aim is to get wickets rather than just bowling fast. I never used to bowl at a speed of 150 kmph which is now said to have slowed down. I always bowled around 130,” he added.

“When you are getting wickets, you get energised and charged up and the speed increases by five or six kilometers. If the wickets are not found even after ten overs, then the body starts getting tired,” he said.

Abbas said that he would try his best to perform for Pakistan whenever the opportunity arose.

Abbas, who hails from Sialkot, described playing county cricket as a wonderful experience. He said that in order to get wickets, he should try to improve his skills as well as improve his fitness. “I didn’t rest after coming back from the county. I joined the camp. Lectures are important along with training in moving forward,” he added.

On the training camp, he said that it was going well. He further said that it was useful to hold such camps before every series. “In such camps players get an opportunity to overcome their mistakes. I always talk to senior players and coaches to get knowledge and I also like to guide juniors,” he added.