Rookie paceman Junaid Khan Tuesday said he wanted to fill the void left in Pakistan’s pace attack by the absence of his close friend and one-time bowling partner Mohammad Amir.
The 21-year-old took a maiden five-wicket haul to help Pakistan dismiss Sri Lanka for a low score of 197 on the opening day of the first Test at Abu Dhabi stadium. “I will do my best to fill the void and do as well as my team needs,” said Khan, whose 5-38 rocked the formidable Sri Lankan batting. “I am delighted with my effort but all the bowlers did well as no one man can get a team out.”
Khan hails from Abbottabad, a town where Osama Bin Laden was killed by American Special Forces in May this year, played most of his cricket with Amir. The duo, both left-arm pacemen, toured various countries with Pakistan junior teams between 2005 and 2009 before the more talented Amir was picked for Pakistan’s seniors.
Khan said the pitch at Abu Dhabi stadium was responsive. “There was a little bit of seam early but otherwise, I used the yorker and mixed the bowling up and it’s pleasing to get them out for a low score,” said Khan, who hoped Pakistan put up 300-350 for a winning lead. Khan got just one wicket on his debut Test, against Zimbabwe last month. Khan said legendary pacemen Imran Khan and Wasim Akram were his idols but he developed into a good bowler only under Waqar Younis’s coaching. “I am quite lucky that way. During the World Cup (2011), there was Aaqib Javed and Waqar and alongside them Wasim also gave tips when he came on how to bowl. I started playing cricket only after watching Imran.
“When I went to Lancashire, Wasim used to tell me how to bowl, how to use the conditions,” said Khan. “That stint was very helpful. I learnt there how to seam, how to swing the ball, how to bowl a yorker.”
Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who topscored with 52 not out, was disappointed with the overall batting performance. “We lost our way in the second session and the batsmen did not bat well. “The second session made a huge difference where we lost six wickets in four five overs and that was bad,” said Mathews, who added 54 for the eighth wicket with Suranga Lakmal (18).
Mathews denied the pitch was difficult for batting on. “It was a pretty good batting wicket. Whoever hits the wicket hard had a bit off a nip off the wicket. All in all it was a very good wicket and Khan did hit the deck hard and got the reward,” said Mathews. “Obviously it’s the first day of the Test match and we have got four days left. I strongly believe that our bowlers can still get us back into the game,” said Mathews, whose fifty was his fourth in the last five innings.
STATS CORNER
Junaid Khan recorded his best bowling performance in Tests by taking five for 38 in Sri Lanka’s first innings on the opening day of the first Test match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday (October 18).
The left-arm medium-fast bowler’s previous best was one for 55 against Zimbabwe on debut at Bulawayo last month.
Junaid Khan became the 15th Pakistani bowler on 26 occasions to take five or more wickets in an innings against Sri Lanka in Tests.
Adnan Akmal became the third Pakistani wicket-keeper on four occasions to dismiss four batsmen behind the wickets in an innings against Sri Lanka. Saleem Yousuf and Kamran Akmal shared the record of most dismissals by a Pakistan wicket-keeper against Sri Lanka by ousting five batsmen each. Saleem Yousuf claimed five catches at Karachi in 1985-86 while Kamran Akmal took four catches and one stumping at Galle in July 2009. Saleem Yousuf also dismissed four batsmen, three catches and one stumpings at Karachi in 1981-82. It was Adnan Akmal’s second best performance in an innings in Test cricket after six catches against New Zealand at Wellington in 2010-11.
Aththachchi Nuwan Pradeep Roshan Fernando became the 119th Sri Lankan player to appear in Test cricket. The right-hand batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler made his debut in Tests after playing 35 first class matches.
g Saeed Ajmal took his 246th wicket in 100th first class match by dismissing Sri Lankan skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan, caught by wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal.
Ct St T Wicket-keeper Venue Season
5 – 5 Saleem Yousuf Karachi 1984-85
4 1 5 Kamran Akmal Galle 2009-10
3 1 4 Saleem Yousuf Karachi 1981-82
4 – 4 Adnan Akmal Abu Dhabi 2011-12
yes he is better than amir
He is. Pathan. If u look at the pakistan cricket. History pathan cricketers. Were never invlove in match fixsing. And that make. Him 100 time better then aamir. Wish u best of luck junaid
nobody can replace Amir….he literally was the only player that has come through who could better Wasim AKRAM…..but what a talent he could have been….all gone now the story and dreams of his blossoming career are over….now we wait for another decade before a new gem is unearthed
,….junaid is good……but his not any new sensation…his a good bowler…but not one that will shake the cricketing world to its core as amir, akram, imran khan , akhtar and waqar younis did
Amir is u.talented and hs talent shöuldnt be cmpard 2 be inulvd in match fixing. . It just hapnd that amir wasnt gven any eductin about match fiwing. Bokie7 and al. And amir was misguideD hm..amir was gud at hz place..il prefer bt ths guy should be gven chance.best öf lvck 2 hm. .
We don’t need any Aamir who play the respect of. Islam. Jinah. And pakistan.
The. Guy who played for his school from his heart. Is better then. Aamir. Because they play for. School. Not for. Money
anyone who come first time to cricket game,first time they show very fast to his self,but after when they become famous,they angage with some wrong matter,
pakistan mai talent ki kami nahi hai….per aamir ki to kya baat thi..
no…
he has all the right to work HARD
and replace anyone by his performance !!
he doesn't have the swing that amir had but he's got pace and a mean yorker hop emair comes back though they'll be better than the 2 Ws
Comments are closed.