Taufeeq predicts runs at the top

Openers’ woes a thing of the past, says left-hander.

LAHORE: The presence of three openers in Pakistan’s squad will increase competition and force the players to put on their best, according to Taufeeq Umar.

Speaking at the training camp for Pakistan’s Zimbabwe-bound squad, Taufeeq praised the presence of coaches at the camp.

“We are trying to develop the skill of spending time in the middle and staying at the crease for a long period,” he said. “We’re practicing hard to come up to expectations.”

Taufeeq and Imran Farhat have been Pakistan’s performing openers in the Test series against South Africa. However, the partnership was broken by the board before Taufeeq earned a recall for the tour of Zimbabwe.

“We’ve improved during the last few months and the debate over our faltering openers is fading out.”

Taufeeq was a regular member of the side in the early part of the last decade but spent fours years being sidelined. “I would overcome the gap with hard work.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2011.