Two leg-spinners can come up with the goods: Mushtaq
Pakistan spin coach believes Afridi, Yasir will be effective in Australia
Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir made their name in Test cricket and the selectors decided to take a gamble on Yasir. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Bowling suspensions of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez hit the plans of Pakistan for the 2015 World Cup but spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed believes that the idea of carrying two leg-spinners Shahid Afridi and Yasir Shah can come up with the goods.
Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir made their name in Test cricket and the selectors decided to take a gamble on Yasir.
Mushtaq said that the team could not have relied on any younger off-spinner to come in and play in a mega event like the World Cup.
“Our plans have also been stuck because of what happened to Ajmal and Hafeez but when you don’t have a specific variety, you have to counter it with a different option,” said Mushtaq, while speaking to media in Lahore.
“Two leg-spinners have been selected keeping in mind that they can be successful in Australia because of the bounce they can extract there. In 1992, me and Iqbal Sikander were in the same world cup team. I’ve had five-six successful tours of Australia so I’m optimistic that Afridi and Yasir will make a difference for Pakistan.”
However, he was quick to add that the team management would decide whether to field both leg-spinners in the same team or not as much would depend on the conditions and opponents on a match-day.
When asked how he sees Hafeez’s chances of return with the ball in time and whether Haris Sohail could be relied on, he replied: “We’re working really hard on Hafeez’s action and he is really keen as well to make a comeback so there is a hope that he would get cleared before premier event. As far as Haris is concerned, we can’t rely on him but he has shown good temperament against New Zealand, conceding less runs as compared to regular bowlers.”
Bowling suspensions of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez hit the plans of Pakistan for the 2015 World Cup but spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed believes that the idea of carrying two leg-spinners Shahid Afridi and Yasir Shah can come up with the goods.
Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir made their name in Test cricket and the selectors decided to take a gamble on Yasir.
Mushtaq said that the team could not have relied on any younger off-spinner to come in and play in a mega event like the World Cup.
“Our plans have also been stuck because of what happened to Ajmal and Hafeez but when you don’t have a specific variety, you have to counter it with a different option,” said Mushtaq, while speaking to media in Lahore.
“Two leg-spinners have been selected keeping in mind that they can be successful in Australia because of the bounce they can extract there. In 1992, me and Iqbal Sikander were in the same world cup team. I’ve had five-six successful tours of Australia so I’m optimistic that Afridi and Yasir will make a difference for Pakistan.”
However, he was quick to add that the team management would decide whether to field both leg-spinners in the same team or not as much would depend on the conditions and opponents on a match-day.
When asked how he sees Hafeez’s chances of return with the ball in time and whether Haris Sohail could be relied on, he replied: “We’re working really hard on Hafeez’s action and he is really keen as well to make a comeback so there is a hope that he would get cleared before premier event. As far as Haris is concerned, we can’t rely on him but he has shown good temperament against New Zealand, conceding less runs as compared to regular bowlers.”