Young opener Ahmad Shahzad is utterly gutted at not getting a central contract but said age was still on his side and he would try to fight his way back into the Pakistan team once again. “I am still young and in the learning process. I am disappointed but it will not stop me from trying to fight back into the national team once again,” he said. “I know, I need to really perform well in domestic cricket as the competition is very tough for the place in the national team,” he added.
The 19-year-old cricketer refuted reports that he was undisciplined and had an attitude problem and that was why he had been dropped from the national team and the list of players offered new central contracts. “I really don’t know when I have not been disciplined on recent tours and I don’t have attitude problems. I will definitely request the Pakistan Cricket Board to let me know about these things,” Shahzad said.
Shahzad, a talented opener, was dropped for the tour of Zimbabwe and had also not got a central contract and former manager Intikhab Alam said the youngster had disciplinary and attitude issues that needed to be sorted out. The youngster from Lahore is also accused of being responsible for causing misunderstandings between former captain Shahid Afridi and head coach Waqar Younis. But Shahzad, who had played 19 ODIs and was part of the 2011 World Cup squad, said these allegations were not true.
“I don’t indulge in such things at all and whoever has said that is wrong. I respect all my seniors and get along with the junior players,” he said. Shahzad said if the board had any complaints with his discipline or attitude he would speak to them and try to sort it out. “I want to play for Pakistan as it is the biggest honour for me. I want to make a comeback and I don’t want to be known for off the field issues,” he stated.
