Pakistan spinner Mehran Mumtaz: “I’m trying to become an all-rounder because when your batting and bowling are good and you’re also a good fielder, it is not easy to remove you from the team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz has outlined plans to transform himself into an all-rounder, noting it will be harder to get dropped if he can contribute in more than one department.
Mumtaz recalled how he “couldn’t get opportunities back in the day”, but is glad that his work hard has paid off, especially as he got the chance to play under Babar Azam’s captaincy while representing the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In PSL 9, the 21-year-old from Rawalpindi took five wickets in five matches at an average of 25.20 and an economy rate of 6.63.
He then represented Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) tournament and claimed five wickets in five games at an average of 36.20.
Knowing that all-rounders are a valued commodity in international cricket, Mumtaz is ready to put in the hard yards to ensure he becomes a useful asset that Pakistan can utilise in the future.
“I couldn’t get opportunities back in the day but right now I have started working on my batting skills. I try to bat with courage because when you come at number six or seven in T20 cricket, you have to play different shots. I’m trying to become an all-rounder because when your batting and bowling are good and you’re also a good fielder, it is not easy to remove you from the team,” he told Geo News.
Mumtaz was not part of Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended as a 2-2 draw.
After that, the men in green beat Ireland 2-1 in a three-match T20I series.
Pakistan are now playing four T20Is against England, with the series currently tied at 0-0 after the first match was abandoned due to persistent rain.
Following this, the men in green will feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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