Faheem and Shadab avoid pressure by complementing each other

Faheem Ashraf, who made his Test debut for Pakistan in the one-off Test against Ireland, is enjoying his days as a Test cricketer, especially batting with spinner Shadab Khan.

Shadab has been a revelation for Pakistan; and not only with the ball, but with the bat as well, having recorded three consecutive half-centuries in the last three Tests he has played for Pakistan.

And Ashraf said that he and Shadab have the tendency to bat without any pressure which helped Pakistan’s cause, both against Ireland and England.

"Shadab and I formed the partnership when our team needed it the most," said Faheem. "Both of us youngsters were guiding each other while batting and we were really happy that our partnership helped Pakistan post a healthy lead and win the match."

The duo notched up a crucial 117-run partnership for the seventh wicket against Ireland to bring Pakistan out of a precarious situation. They also combined for a 72-run stand against England at Lord’s in the first innings, which put Pakistan firmly in control of the Test match.

"Weather conditions were quite similar in Ireland and England, however, the pitch was relatively better for batting [in England]," said Faheem. "We did not feel any pressure because Shadab and I always got the opportunity to bat together on the tour. If I made a mistake, Shadab guided me. We joked during our partnership in order to negate any sort of pressure."

Pakistan's practice sessions at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh have been interrupted by rain but Ashraf was not too worried about the team’s preparations for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Scotland.

"Hopefully the weather will be good here in Scotland like it was in England. We have practiced adequately despite the rain affected training sessions and are confident about our preparations." said Faheem.

He added that the dynamics of T20 cricket are completely different to the other formars, especially Test cricket: "It is now time to switch to the shorter format. We had to remain patient in the Tests, but now the side, which will do better on the day, will succeed."