Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has said that the team is eager to put up a good show in the upcoming tour of South Africa.
Pakistan lost the recently concluded three-match Test series against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but while talking in an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Sarfraz shown optimism about the team’s chances in South Africa.
“We tend to perform really well whenever we are the underdogs and there is a lot of pessimism amongst the cricket followers,” said Sarfraz. “The Champions Trophy 2017 victory is a glaring instance in this regard.”
Speaking about team’s plans against the Proteas, Sarfraz said: “We will try and post a good first innings total, around 270-280, because we are confident that our bowling attack can make a fist of things with such a total on the board.”
Sarfraz came under severe criticism following the defeat against the Black Caps, but the Karachi-born wicketkeeper-batsman believes that is part and parcel of the game.
“One day you are a hero but soon you can be turned into a villain because that is the nature of how things pan out these days,” he said. “I’m not the sort of person who would run away from this job but the unnecessary criticism that is hurled on the captain can be unbearable to an extent.”
He added that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani has always backed him as captain. “Chairman PCB has always given me confidence and backed me as captain which means a lot to me and I’m thankful to him for that,” he said.
Sarfraz also pointed out the deficiencies of the batting line-up with special emphasis on improving batsmen’s conversion rate.
“Our batsmen are not consistent enough right now which is a major reason why we are struggling in Test matches,” he said. “They need to shoulder the responsibility and improve their conversion rates by turning those 30s and 40s into big scores.”
Sarfraz also spoke about the issue team was facing with regards to opening. “Since 2010, we have been struggling with the opening slot and various names have been used to fill in that position but we are still looking for the ideal fit,” he said. “Shan Masood, Fakhar Zaman, Abid Ali are all in our plans to partner Imamul Haq at the top of the pile.”
Speaking about his own batting form, Sarfraz said: “Captaincy pressure has a bearing on how I perform with the bat but I’m gradually regaining my form.”
The Pakistan skipper also shared his thoughts about the slow nature of Pakistan’s batting. “The pace of our batting has been slightly below par but it was still in line with the difficult batting conditions we encountered in the UAE,” he said. “We will try and improve our scoring rate in the upcoming series because the pitches in South Africa are quicker as compared to UAE and the ball comes onto the bat nicely; aiding quick scoring.”
While talking about team’s fast-bowling, Sarfraz said: “We need to focus on our fast-bowling department. Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali have performed well but their effectiveness was reduced in the New Zealand series due to injury concerns. We also have Shaheen Afridi, who had a good debut match. His height and pace will aid the side on South African pitches.”
Sarfraz also spoke about the possibility of using two spinners in South Africa, if and when needed. “Yasir Shah is our number one spinner,” he said. “But if we play on a pitch which offers more assistance to spinners, like one in Cape Town, we can go in with Shadab Khan as our fifth bowler. He has the ability to take wickets which could prove vital on the tour.”
The Pakistan captain also shared his ambitions about winning the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales.
“As the leader of the pack, I would love to win the World Cup,” he added. “Hopefully, I can achieve that with this side. I don’t want many changes in the side apart from a few here and there but the core of the side will remain the same.”