Mohammad Amir throws his weight behind T10 Cricket League

Pacer believes new format can help develop skills for more famous T20 format

Pakistan left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir believes that the new transition in the cricket format — the T10 league — will improve his bowling skills.

The T10 format, scrapping half of the time required for T20s, has added new value to the game of cricket. Amir was the first candidate among many to be cherry picked by Maratha Arabians for the recently concluded league and the pacer believes that bowling 12 balls in a game leads to positive performances in other formats.

“Definitely it will, it’s all about the dot balls in this format,” said Amir as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “The more dot balls you bowl, the better your confidence gets. If you are not leaking runs in T10 cricket, then T20 cricket will seem like a very long format.”

Amir added: “This is a high-pressure format, and if you do well here, you will feel less pressure in T20 cricket. In one way, it is a very testing format for the bowlers.”

25-year-old believes variety plays an important role in the shorter formats.

"It is very important to test your skills, because you have to think of every ball,” he said. “So it is very important to bowl your yorkers and slower balls very well, because the batsmen are hitting the length balls very well. A fast bowler has to use his pace very well and I am doing just that. I am also trying to bring in every possible variation in my bowling."

Amir’s selection for Arabians was largely masterminded by Pakistan pace legend Wasim Akram, who holds a coaching role in the team. Wasim’s decision to stick with Amir does shed light on the brimming potential the Pakistani legend sees in the pacer.

Commenting on Amir’s lack of Test form, Wasim dismissed any concerns saying that T10 can be a launching stage for the youngster. "As long as he has got the pace, and he is still only 25, I reckon he can click into gear with one spell. [All it takes is] a couple of quick wickets, I am not worried about him at all."

Amir, who naturally admires the Sultan of Swing, has expressed his joy to work under Wasim’s wing and on the outcome of coming out as an evolved player.

“Test cricket is a totally different format,” said Amir. “You have to bowl longer spells. Then you have the red ball to consider. Swinging conditions have to be considered. You cannot compare T20 cricket and Test cricket.”

Though Amir has earned some admirers in his 12 ball stints, he believes that the sport requires flexibility in all formats.

“As a professional you have to adapt to every possible condition,” Amir believes. “For Test cricket you have to have a different frame of mind, and you have to think differently in T20 cricket. Right now I am doing well thanks to Almighty Allah. My performance is getting better day by day. In cricket you have both good and bad days, but you have to keep the learning process going."