LAHORE – Shoaib Malik has urged the team to bring its one-day performance at par with the test cricket’s in the United Arab Emirates when it opens its campaign in the Asia Cup on September 15, 2018.
“It is on record that our team performs well in the test format in the UAE whereas its performance in the one day cricket is not of that level, and there is dire need to bring improvement in its 50-over game for achieving our set target in the Cup,” he told the media here on Friday, after a training session of the team for Asia Cup at Gaddafi Stadium.
The stylish all-rounder once again made it clear that the World Cup in 2019 (One Day ) and World Cup T20 will be his last cricket assignments but gave an indication to quit the game earlier from these two mega events.
“It all depends on my fitness and performance and if in between a player better than me gets into the team, I will call it a day,” he said.
“Nowadays, one day cricket has become more or less T20 thrilling format of the game, as the first three batsmen with their solid innings or a specific bowler with two or three wickets breakthrough add to the performance of their team and can turn the fate of the match,” he asserted.
The veteran all-rounder was of the view that Pakistan team should not take extra pressure while playing India in the Asia Cup match on Sept 19 and take it as a routine and normal game.
“Without any doubt, Pak-India matches have the status of nerve-wracking encounters as they are being watched around the globe by millions of diehard lovers of the game. And in such circumstances,
if a player takes extra pressure regarding the match, it is obvious that he may not be able to perform up to a certain level,” he said.
He urged the fellow colleagues to take the match easily with a mindset of a performing in a routine game and exhibit their natural game.
“It is a hard fact that Pak-India matches take place after a long gap, which makes such ties very important and the match-winning team’s top performer gains the status of a hero,” he said adding “If both the countries play cricket on frequently, these matches will not be considered of high importance.”
Shoaib said bilateral cricket series between Pakistan and India not only promotes cricket but also helps bring closer the peoples of the two countries.
He called for having cricket events on regular basis between Pakistan and India.
