Zulqarnain hopes to emulate Edgbaston feat

Following a debut with mixed fortunes, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper Zulqarnain Haider remains determined to keep his place in the side for a long period.

Haider, who was picked in place of the under-performing Kamran Akmal scored a face-saving 88 in the second innings at Edgbaston that allowed Pakistan to avoid an innings defeat. However, his golden duck in the first innings as well as dropped catches – the reason why Akmal lost his place in the side – remained a worry for the team as they battle hard to build back from crushing back-to-back defeats.

“It was a do-or-die situation for me, going into the second innings,” Haider told The Express Tribune. “But my promise to myself and my faith in God helped me build my confidence and allowed me to score that half-century. There was a lot of pressure, considering the situation that we were in but I was used to the English conditions and that helped me a lot.

“I didn’t think of this as my first and last chance and that, too, helped with my confidence.”

While none of the Pakistani batsmen showed ability to stay in the middle for long, Haider faced 200 deliveries in his patient knock that will give the Pakistan management a lot of hope given the long tail that the playing eleven has. Haider not only faced aggression with the type of deliveries he had to face but also bowlers’ frustration when Stuart Broad threw a ball straight at him after his follow-through.

No need for seniors on the England tour: Afridi

KARACHI: Pakistan One Day International and Twenty20 captain, Shahid Afridi has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to continue to rely on the current team’s youngsters for the remaining England tour saying that they have shown satisfactory performance on the sojourn so far.

The former Test captain, who retired after Pakistan lost the first Test against Australia, feels that the inclusion of the senior players would not do any wonders but instead disturb the winning combination.

“Youngsters should be given preference as they have managed to impress us all with their performance. There is no need for the seniors in the remaining England tour,” said Afridi after his return to Karachi on Tuesday night.

He believed the youngsters, especially Azhar Ali have proved that they have a bright future and that dropping them will dismantle their confidence.

Retirement decision taken  for the team