Fergus O’Neill: “He was showing me footage of him getting a 10-for (against Australia in 2018). To speak to him was very interesting”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Australia fast bowler Fergus O’Neill admitted he found it “very interesting” to speak to Pakistan speedster Mohammad Abbas.
O’Neill, who is potentially on the verge of getting into the Australia Test team, has been in phenomenal form lately.
Both he and Abbas played for Nottinghamshire over the summer, but their stints didn’t overlap.
O’Neill took 21 wickets in four County Championship matches, which included two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 17.90.
As for Abbas, he finished with 32 wickets in nine games, which also included two five-fors, at an average of 21.46.
Having had the opportunity to pick Abbas’ brain, the 24-year-old has enjoyed a solid start in the Sheffield Shield as well, claiming six wickets in two matches for Victoria, which includes a five-wicket haul, at an average of 30.16.
“He was showing me footage of him getting a 10-for (against Australia in 2018). To speak to him was very interesting,” O’Neill was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Instagram.
Abbas, who has over 800 first-class wickets to his name, wasn’t involved in Pakistan’s recent two-Test series against South Africa, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
The men in green and Proteas will now play a three-match T20I series between October 28 to November 1.
Next, Pakistan and South Africa will play three ODIs scheduled between November 4 and 8.
After their South Africa series, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series from November 11 to 15, before participating in a T20I tri-series with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for South Africa T20I Series:Â Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan squad for South Africa ODI Series:Â Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series:Â Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series:Â Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem