Pakistan hurt by lack of international cricket, says Mohammad Hafeez – Cricket News Update
Newly appointed T20 skipper of Pakistan, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 in June later this year.
The last international series that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bengal-c771 Tigers were supposed to tour Pakistan in April, for a series comprising of one ODI and a solitary T20,
however, they postponed the tour owing to security concerns.
Hafeez, while talking to reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, hoped that the team's preparatory camp will help players get in shape before the series.
“For about two months we have not been playing international matches, not even Twenty20. We set up this training [camp] to give the boys a chance to quickly get themselves in shape,” said the 31-year-old all-rounder from Sargodha.
Hafeez further said that Pakistani players are missing out on a great opportunity to enhance their skills, as they are the only ones, representing a major Test playing nation, who are not participating in the cash rich Indian Premier
League (IPL).
Maintaining that Pakistani players would have benefited a lot from playing in tense scenarios with world class players, Hafeez said, “If you compare the whole world with us, everyone is there [at the IPL] getting practice in intense
scenarios and enhancing their skills, but our players are missing out on that opportunity.”
Hafeez, who has replaced Misbah-ul-Haq as the T20 skipper, has been given the responsibility of leading a young side. The 31-year-old will not have the luxury of depending on experienced campaigners like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 and Younis
Khan to stabilise the innings if anything goes wrong, as the two batters are no longer part of the T20 setup.
However, Hafeez was confident that Pakistan will eventually pull through even without Misbah and Younis.
He said, “Younis and Misbah are great players, but ultimately we have to move forward. It's not about individuals, we all trust each other. You will see that on this tour we will be very positive.”
Tags: