Iqbal upbeat about his cricketing career

LAHORE: Discarded Pakistan batsman Faisal Iqbal has expressed his desire to play for the national team again after the right-hander said that his skills have improved. After last featuring in the second Test against Australia in Januray, Iqbal, who is also former captain Javed Miandad’s nephew, found himself out of favour for the national team. And now he is urging to be viewed as a cricketer who can play any form of cricket.

“I think I am a cricketer who can adjust in every form but what irks me is the perception that I am only a Test cricketer,” Iqbal told The Express Tribune. “Once I have a proper vision about my cricket career, I will play every form of cricket: Tests, One-Day Internationals or Twenty20.”

“I’m physically fit and my batting skills have matured,” added Iqbal ,who had a 24.25 batting average in the first two Tests against hosts Australia early this year before being replaced for the third Test. Iqbal said that he has played as a backup player for nine years and was disheartened when he was dropped from the ongoing England tour.

He had accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for unfairly targeting him and leaving him out of the tour, after which the PCB handed a showcause notice for his remarks against their selection policy. But the board pardoned the centrally-contracted player with a warning after reviewing his past record.

Iqbal is currently playing league cricket for Devon in Somerset county.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2010.