Abbas ready to serve Pakistan

The pacer says he does not see age as an obstacle to his performance

KARACHI:

Pakistan's experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has expressed his unwavering commitment to the national team, asserting that he is always ready to represent Pakistan whenever called upon by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Abbas emphasized that he would be on the first available flight back to Pakistan if the opportunity arises.

"I am always available for the national team. Whenever the Pakistan Cricket Board calls, I will be on the first available flight back to Pakistan," Abbas said.

The 34-year-old, who has been busy playing county cricket in England, revealed that despite his ongoing performance in both domestic and county cricket, he has not received any communication from the national selectors or management regarding his inclusion in the Champions One-Day Cup.

"No one from the coaching staff, management, or selection committee has contacted me regarding the Champions One-Day Cup, although I did receive a call from the Sialkot region's trainer asking me to take a fitness test by September 3. If I pass, I'll be included among the 150 players," he further added. Abbas, known for his consistent performances with the ball, has been plying his trade in county cricket, where he has maintained his fitness and form by regularly bowling long spells. Despite his impressive performances, Abbas admitted that the decision regarding his selection lies solely with the PCB's selection committee.

"I am currently busy playing county cricket, which allows me to bowl a lot and work on my fitness. Despite my consistent performance in domestic and county cricket, the selection matters are beyond my control, and only the PCB's selection committee can answer why I am not part of the national squad again. I continue to play domestic cricket in Pakistan regularly and have performed exceptionally well everywhere," he noted.

Addressing concerns about his age, Abbas made it clear that he does not see it as an obstacle to his performance. Comparing himself to England's veteran pacer James Anderson, Abbas emphasized that fitness, not age, should be the criterion for selection.

"Age is not a hindrance to my performance. I am 34 years old, but James Anderson is still playing at 42. As long as you are fit, you should continue playing cricket. If you can bowl 20 overs a day, it means you are fit to play. No one from the PCB or the selection committee has ever told me that I am not playing because of my age," he added.

Abbas took the opportunity to clarify misconceptions about his bowling speed. He pointed out that despite his success, his pace has never been exceptionally high.

"Look, in my opinion, if you check my best performances in Test cricket, the highlights are available on YouTube, and you can see that I never bowled at 145, 150, or 140 km/h. I usually bowled around 130 km/h. And most of my wickets, whether in Dubai, the West Indies, or England, were taken at a pace of around 125 to 130 km/h. Every bowler is different - some deliver the ball at the same pace as it leaves their hand, while for others, the ball slows down a bit after pitching. Some bowlers are faster off the seam, so even if they release the ball at 125 km/h, it skids off the pitch, making it feel like 140 km/h to the batsman. Different bowlers have their own techniques and skills," Abbas said.

The right-arm pacer also gave valuable advice to the younger generation of fast bowlers, including Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Khurram Shahzad.

"As for the other bowlers, Naseem has gotten injured, Khurram has also gotten injured, and Shaheen is dealing with some issues as well. They need to work a bit on their fitness, and I'm doing the same.