Pakistan’s upcoming fast bowler Junaid Khan said that he was not under any pressure to fill the void created by the seniors players and insisted he would concentrate to consolidate his place in the team.
Talking to journalists here on the sidelines of the national team’s camp training, the young fast bowler said that his aim was to make his place permanent in the team by performing and that was the reason he continued playing cricket even in the off season.
Junaid is considered as one of the most talented young fast bowlers in the country and a number of cricket analysts including Wasim Akram consider him as the appropriate replacement of Mohammad Amir, who is facing a five-year ban because of the spot-fixing controversy.
“I went to county to continue playing cricket because here the season was off and I wanted to keep myself in the game. County cricket has not only kept me busy in game but also provide me the useful experience.
The left arm fast bowler was included in Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup as a last minute replacement for Sohail Tanvir. The youngster could not make his debut during the mega event but did impress all during Pakistan’s tour of West Indies and Ireland.
Talking about the performance of Zimbabwe, he said that their return to Test cricket was quite impressive. “Zimbabwe is playing relatively well and it won’t be easy to beat them at their backyard. But I would make an impression by playing positive cricket and play to my responsibilities.
“My job is to deliver and fill the void created by the senior bowlers and make a place for myself in the team and win for the country,” he said. He further said that he does not let nerves get the better of him and stays calm in the most difficult of circumstances.
Junaid revealed that pressure does play a role at the start of the career but exposure at the domestic level ensures that a player becomes mentally strong. However, he thinks that the only pressure at the international level is to maintain one’s place in the playing eleven.
The left arm bowler reported to have said: “I think when you start playing cricket nerves can affect you and you feel the pressure, but once you’ve played in front of a big crowd, then you know what to expect after that. Once you’ve played a number of games in domestic cricket then you don’t really feel any pressure. The only pressure one feels is the pressure to perform well for the team and country.”
He has so far played 36 first-class matches, in which the left-arm rookie has grabbed 168 scalps at an average of 21.73 runs per wicket. While talking about some of the impressive youngsters in the country, Junaid mentioned leg spinner, Yasir Shah and fast bowlers, Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan.
“The leg spinner Yasir Shah is an impressive bowler. He’s been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and for Pakistan “A”. Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan are two quick bowlers that have impressed me,” Junaid added.
