England ODI series tough challenge for Pakistani bastmen: Wasim

KARACHI: Former captain and Swing Ka Sultan Wasim Akram has said that the five-match ODI series against England will be a tough challenge for Pakistani batsmen.

Talking exclusively to Geo News, Wasim said that Pakistan’s performance in Test Cricket silenced all the pundits who underestimated Misbah and Co and leveling the series was a good sign for Pakistan Cricket.

However, he emphasized that ODIs are a different ball game and Pakistan will have to work really hard as England is a very tough team to beat at home.

“England has won most of the matches at their home ground, because they’re very much familiar to the conditions there, our ODI squad is also inexperienced in absence of Misbah and Younis,” said the former captain.

“There will be two new balls, although white ball is not getting much swing in England as compared to other cricket hosts, probably because of soft wickets, but still English bowlers are very confident and in high spirits. So, we’ll have to give a good fight and play with proper planning.”

Wasim, a veteran of 104 Tests and 356 ODIs, said the key for Pakistan will be the performance of openers.

“We will have to bat carefully, upper order must not lose wickets in attempt to make 70/80 runs in first 10 overs,” the former captain suggested.

“Keep wickets in hand, runs will automatically come and our bowlers are very much capable of defending any respectable total,” he added.

Pakistan will be entering ODI mode after level the Test series two-all against England and Wasim Akram feels that it was a good effort by Pakistan to silence all the critics who underestimated Pakistan.

"Pakistan’s Test performance was outstanding, everyone was saying that Pakistan would struggle, but they (Pakistan players) proved all the pundits wrong with their performances, which was quite unexpected as well,” Wasim said.

The former captain and one of the best bowlers seen by the cricketing world, termed Sami Aslam as “a very good find” for Pakistan Cricket and hoped that he’ll serve the country for long.

“The way Sami batted in Test series was outstanding, he showcased proper batting technique,”

“Batting is not just about playing shots, even I can play shots here and there, a good batsman is the one who can stay on wicket and play with proper technique, Sami is such one batsman,” he said.