Amin regrets missed chances

Discarded Pakistan batsman has ‘learnt his lesson’.

LAHORE:

Pakistan’s discarded middle-order batsman Umar Amin regrets not utilising the chances given to him last year which resulted in unimpressive returns in the four Tests that he played on the England tour.

Amin, who played for Pakistan ‘A’ in their 3-0 triumph against Afghanistan last month, has been out of favour after managing just 99 runs in eight innings.

“I was extremely lucky to be handed such a big opportunity,” Amin told The Express Tribune. “Honestly, it was a fair chance as I had been given the appropriate amount of confidence before the series but I was unable to fully utilise my talent.”

Amin made his One-Day International debut against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup where he played three matches and managed 34 runs. He was then chosen for the England tour where he made his Test debut against Australia.

Dismissed for just one in his first innings, Amin scored 33 in the second in a match that Pakistan lost by 150 runs. A total of 25 runs in the second Test against Australia did not help Amin’s cause either but the middle-order batsman was picked for the four-Test series against England that followed. However, 40 runs in four innings did not sit down well with the national selectors and the 21-year-old now watches from the sidelines.

“Those four Test matches gave me a good lesson at the end,” said Amin. “I have tasted international cricket and have realised that it’s all about mental toughness, temperament and fitness.”

Meanwhile, Amin also shared differences between the international stage and the Pakistan domestic cricket arena and said that performance in local tournaments counts for little.

“Situations on the international level are tougher and we’ve never experienced such conditions in the domestic matches here. But once you’ve learnt the art of handling pressure situations, everything becomes easier.





Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2011.