Ramiz Raja: “He certainly has potential and should be supported because he has an attitude, reads the bowler well and doesn’t get scared”
Image courtesy of: Pakistan Super League
Former Pakistan captains Ramiz Raja and Rashid Latif are both backing Haider Ali to be a “future star”.
Haider is currently playing for the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In the team’s 10-run loss to the Karachi Kings, Haider only made four runs.
However, he scored 25 runs in the Zalmi’s six-wicket win over the Quetta Gladiators and 47, which came off 27 balls and included six boundaries and two sixes, in his side’s six-wicket loss to the Multan Sultans.
[interaction id=”5e077086675fcb13eee473a1″]
“Haider Ali played an impressive innings for Peshawar Zalmi as they had lost early wickets when he came to the crease,” Ramiz was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. “He did good strong hitting, also looked strong in terms of temperament and doesn’t have a bad technique.
“He certainly has potential and should be supported because he has an attitude, reads the bowler well and doesn’t get scared.
“Haider can be a future star provided he bats using his brain. Talent is nothing if you don’t convert it into runs consistently. Haider had an ideal opportunity as he had already made 47 runs from 27 balls and there were 10 more overs left, but he threw away his wicket. He needs to learn from these things as talent is nothing without execution.
“He played a good innings at a big stage but he has the ability to do better than this.”
Latif admitted that he initially thought Haider would be more suited for Test cricket, but following his performance against the Sultans, the former wicketkeeper-batsman believes the 19-year-old can represent Pakistan in all three formats.
“Haider played really well,” Latif said. “I thought Haider is more suited to longer version of cricket but the way he did clean hitting and played Mohammad Irfan, he showed that he is the next player of Pakistan cricket for all formats.”
The Zalmi’s next match will be against the Lahore Qalandars in Rawalpindi on Friday.
[interaction id=”5deb1621eb8aaf7dea259f44″]