Perfect timing to select Haider Ali: Ian Bishop

West Indies’ former cricketer Ian Bishop, in a tweet on Friday, claimed that the presence of legends such as Misbahul Haq and Younis Khan in the coaching setup of Pakistan made it the perfect time to induct young batsman Haider Ali into the national side.

The 52-year-old claimed that there was no doubt after the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under19 (U19) World Cup that Haider would go on to play for the national side of the Men in Green.

“I doubt anyone who saw Haider Ali in the ICC U19 CWC had any doubt he would play international cricket. With Younis and Misbah and Babar around the timing is perfect. They can insulate him from the pressure and expectation and give him a few years to grow,” he tweeted.

I doubt anyone who saw Haider Ali in the ICC U19 CWC had any doubt he would play int cricket. With Younis and Misbah & Babar around the timing is perfect. They can insulate him from the pressure and expectation and give him a few years to grow.

— Ian bishop (@irbishi) June 12, 2020

Earlier, Haider Ali, the Pakistan U19 batsman and one of the players to watch-out for, had been named in a 29-player squad for three Tests and three T20Is against England to be played in August-September.

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An extended squad, including white-ball specialists, is being sent to England as the players, in accordance with series SOPs in the wake of Covid-19, will remain in England from start to finish.

Haider had an outstanding 2019-20 season, following which he earned an emerging contract for the 2020-21 season.

He was Pakistan U19’s second most successful batsman with 317 runs against South Africa U19 in June, fifth leading run-getter with 218 runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh, aggregated 645 runs – including a century in the final –  at just under 50 in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, finished as Pakistan’s third-best batsman with 107 runs in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 before contributing 239 runs in nine matches at a strike-rate of over 158 for Peshawar Zalmi in the unfinished HBL Pakistan Super League 2020.