Lahore Qalandars want to finish HBL PSL 5 as table-toppers: Usman Shinwari

Lahore Qalandars’ pacer Usman Shinwari is optimistic about his team’s chances in the ongoing fifth edition of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL).

While talking to Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview, the left-arm pacer rued the fact that the Qalandars finish at the bottom of the table every year.

“We always finish at the bottom of the table but hopefully we will change that this year and become table-toppers,” said Shinwari.

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Shinwari, who failed to defend nine runs in the final over of his team’s recent match against Islamabad United, also opened up on the importance of bowling variety in T20 cricket.

“It’s important to target a batsman’s weak zone in T20 cricket and bowl dot balls as that helps in building pressure and consequently wickets,” he said. “If you work on your bowling variety, which includes slower ball, yorker and slow bouncer, it can help you bowl well in T20 cricket.” 

Speaking about the moment he cherishes the most in his PSL career so far, he said: “My favourite PSL memory comes from the game where I defended five runs in the last over for Karachi Kings against Quetta Gladiators in front of a packed stadium.”

The 25-year-old also admitted that it is difficult to bowl in T20 cricket as compared to Test cricket.

“I think it is difficult to bowl in T20 cricket because there is no margin for error,” he said. “You can make a comeback in your later spell in Test cricket even if your earlier spells don’t go according to plan but that is not the case in T20s.”

Shinwari also named Quetta Gladiators’ Ahmed Shehzad as the batsman he enjoys bowling to whenever they come up against each other.

“I enjoy bowling to Ahmed Shehzad because he is the sort of batsman who can give tough time to bowlers,” he concluded.