Azhar Mahmood: “There is a real hunger in Faheem to become a better player as he is always looking to fine-tune his abilities”

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Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood has revealed that all-rounder Faheem Ashraf is determined to keep improving his game and take it to the next level.

Faheem has shown flashes of brilliance is 32 international matches he has played thus far as it includes a brilliant 83 in his Test debut against Ireland and a superb five-wicket haul in the recent ODI series against Zimbabwe.

Faheem barely got to bat in the ODI series against Zimbabwe, but he excelled with the ball as he took nine wickets in four matches at an average of 7.44 and an economy rate of 2.56.

“Faheem Ashraf is another name which readily comes to mind when we speak of players who are eager to learn and improve themselves with each passing day,” Mahmood wrote in his blog for PakPassion. “There is a real hunger in Faheem to become a better player as he is always looking to fine-tune his abilities.

“This is exactly why we were very happy to use him in all three Tests that we played this summer in Ireland and England. That is also why he was asked him to bowl with the new ball against the likes of the very aggressive Aaron Finch who we wanted to deprive of room at the start of the innings when we recently played Australia in the T20I Tri-Series in Zimbabwe.

“He continued to impress us all with his desire to improve himself when he bowled superbly in the 3rd ODI against Zimbabwe, picking up 5/22. I think it would be fair to say that Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan have both improved tremendously during the last year. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that the best things about the current group of Pakistan’s younger players is that they play for the team and not for themselves and that they just want to keep on learning and improving. To me, this is exactly what we need from our youngsters.”