KARACHI – Pakistan’s new rising batsman Asad Shafiq has said that appearing in his first Cricket World Cup was a great experience for him and he was looking forward to some outstanding performances on the upcoming tour of West Indies. “My first mission and objective in West Indies is to get my maiden hundred,” he told APP Sports Correspondent Ehsan Qureshi in an exclusive interview here on Saturday.
He said he was well set for centuries in a couple of games but luck eluded him. He said he was determined to achieve the feat in the Caribbean. Asad Shafiq hit an unbeaten 78 against Zimbabwe in Kandy in the World Cup and his highest Test score is 83. The right-handed Asad said that since getting a permanent place in the Pakistan team, he had gained a lot of confidence. Asad said the World Cup was a mega event and pressure situations taught him a number of lessons.
He said losing to India in the semi-final was a big disappointment but that was part of the game. He commented: “Featuring in the World Cup has given me a lot of confidence, and now I am hoping to play some big innings for the country.” He said players needed the backing and support of the people, while negative thinking on their part disturbed and affected the players’ performance.
“With each passing match, I am learning and improving my game and looking to produce a consistent show in West Indies,” the 25-year-old Karachi-based Asad, who had played 16 ODIs and three Tests, said. Asad said he will be making his first tour to the Caribbean and although conditions in West Indies will be different as compared to the sub-continent, he was well-equipped to face the challenges on all kinds of surfaces there.
He said he will be leaving for Lahore on Monday and the team will meet the Prime Minister on April 11 in Islamabad before flying to West Indies the following day.
