LAHORE: Young pace sensation Ihsanullah expressed his desire to take the wickets of every world-class batter as he is poised to represent Pakistan in the home T20I and ODI series against New Zealand.
The 20-year-old, who impressed everyone with his express pace during the Pakistan Super League season 8, said it was an honour for him to be compared with Shoaib Akhtar, often dubbed as “Rawalpindi Express”.
“Shoaib Akhtar is our legend and no one can break his record,” he said in a press conference on Saturday after the team’s training session at National Cricket Academy.
“I feel happy when people use to peg my name with Shoaib Akhtar.”
Player of the PSL 8, Ihsanullah received his maiden call-up to the national ODI squad after making his T20I debut last month against Afghanistan. He took six scalps to finish as the leading wicket-getter in the three-match series.
The right-armer disclosed that he was working on yorker deliveries besides his lethal bouncers for the forthcoming series.
“I will try to bowl according to my own strengths and win matches for my team,” he said.
“Along with short-pitch deliveries, I am working on yorkers too. My aim is to take a wicket of every world-class batter”
He added, ” I’ve learned a lot from the bowlers like Shaheen and Haris after sharing the dressing room with them.”
Ihsanullah caught the limelight when he forced Najibullah Zadran to retire hurt during Pakistan’s third T20I against Afghanistan, hitting him just below the grill of his helmet on a dangerous 147.5 kph bouncer.
“I went to him and said sorry to him in Pushto,” he disclosed.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ihasanullah will be featuring alongside fast bowling mainstays Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf for the first time if he gets a chance in the forthcoming T20I and ODI series against New Zealand.
The two teams will play five T20Is and as many ODIs across three venues from from 14 April to 7 May.
Pakistan Squads:
T20I: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Zaman Khan, Haris Rauf, Faheem Ashraf, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed.
ODI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Mohammad Wasim Jnr.
Complete Schedule:
14 Apr – 1st T20I, Lahore
15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore
17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore
20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi
24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi
26 Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
30 Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
3 May – 3rd ODI, Karachi
5 May – 4th ODI, Karachi
7 May – 5th ODI, Karachi
READ: Islamabad Police to provide ‘world-class’ security during New Zealand tour
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