LAST OUTING: Fawad last played an ODI series last year in the UAE against Australia, scoring a total of 27 runs in three matches. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: Overlooked for the World Cup despite consistent performances, Fawad Alam admits that pressure to perform against Bangladesh is high but he is confident of doing justice to his potential.
The 29-year-old enjoys a decent record in ODIs with 948 runs from 35 matches at an average of 45.14, having scored a century and six fifties.
However, he was not considered good enough by the team management and they urged the then selectors to look for different options that would be more suitable in conditions of Australia and New Zealand.
“There is pressure on me to perform after a five-month hiatus, but I’ll try to counter it by doing my best,” said Fawad while speaking to reporters in Lahore during the team’s training camp ahead of Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh.
“A lot of players are making comebacks like me such as captain Azhar Ali and [off-spinner] Saeed Ajmal, so it’s a chance for us to perform and cement our places in the national side by doing well for our team.
“Having said that, it will not be easy to play against Bangladesh on their soil.”
Post World Cup, the team is undergoing a revamp of sorts with Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Nasir Jamshed, Younus Khan, Sohaib Maqsood and Muhammad Irfan not part of the ODI squad for different reasons, while Shahid Afridi and Misbahul Haq have retired from the 50-over format.
The new selection committee, headed by Haroon Rasheed, has included Sami Aslam and Muhammad Rizwan in the squad, who are yet to make their international debut despite being called up earlier in their careers, while Saad Nasim has been brought in for injured Sohaib.
Fawad, Ajmal, Azhar, Asad Shafiq and Muhammad Hafeez are the players making a comeback to the national team.
“It’s a new step after the World Cup and a new team is forming, so it will take time as there are new players and a new captain,” added Fawad. “We all should look towards Pakistan first and support the skipper.”
Fawad’s past record in Bangladesh
The middle-order batsman enjoys a good record on Bangladesh soil as he has scored 190 runs in four matches at an impressive average of 95.00, which included an unbeaten 114 against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final last year, that Pakistan lost by five wickets.
Fawad has played four one-dayers against Bangladesh, scoring 83 runs against them at an average of 41.50.
He is now being brought in to fill the void left by Misbah and Younus in the batting ranks, with Fawad lauding the senior players for their contribution to Pakistan cricket. “Both Younus and Misbah were like a wall for the team as they provided stability in batting and we knew that we would not have any problem playing 50 overs,” he said.
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