Ajmal the biggest threat - Tamim

Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh batsman, has said the offspinner Saeed Ajmal will be the biggest threat to Bangladesh when Pakistan tour there in November-December 2011-12. Ajmal is the joint-leading wicket-taker in Tests this year, with 41 from 6 matches at an average of 23.41, and also features in the top ten wicket-takers in ODIs this year. Tamim recognised Ajmal was in form and said the Bangladesh batsmen would have to watch his variations carefully.

"I've only faced him [Ajmal] for one delivery and that was in county cricket when I was playing for Nottinghamshire and he was representing Worcestershire," he told Pakpassion.net. "I scored a single and was happy to be at the other end. He's a very good bowler and is in great form at the moment. It is going to be a real challenge to face the Pakistan bowlers in the upcoming series, especially Saeed Ajmal. He's a very experienced bowler who has a lot of varieties and he will certainly be someone that my colleagues and I will have to watch carefully."

Pakistan will play one Twenty20 international, three ODIs and two Tests in Bangladesh between November 29 and December 21. Bangladesh are coming off a disappointing summer, having lost one-day series against Australia, Zimbabwe and West Indies, and Tests against Zimbabwe and West Indies. Pakistan have enjoyed an impressive run, having had successful tours of the West Indies and Zimbabwe and winning both the Test and ODI series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.

"It's going to be a very tough and challenging series for us because Pakistan are playing some very good cricket and are in great form. Their batsmen and bowlers are in top form and it promises to be a difficult series for us."

After a tremendous 2010, in which he scored two swashbuckling Test centuries in England, Tamim has had a mediocre run in 2011, but showed a change in approach in the home Tests against West Indies, playing uncharacteristically patient knocks of 52 off 141 balls in Chittagong and 83 off 158 balls in Mirpur. Tamim said he was constantly learning and believed he was a better batsman now than he was when he first burst onto the scene.

"I'm still learning a lot of things and developing my batting. I really hope that I have a long career ahead of me and I'm sure I am a much better batsman than I was when I first came into international cricket. I believe I still have a lot of things to learn and I am confident that I will get better with more exposure in international cricket against the best opposition."

After Bangladesh's tour of Zimbabwe, the board removed Tamim from the post of vice-captain and also replaced Shakib Al Hasan with Mushfiqur Rahim as captain, with indiscipline cited as the reason for the decision. Tamim said he was happy to play under Mushfiqur but would have to wait before he judged him as a captain.

"I've played under Mushfiqur in the Under-19s and I know him very well. He knows what he needs to do as skipper and what he needs to bring to the team. He's started well and is doing a good job, but it's too early to say as he has just skippered in the one series. Let's see how it goes and I wish him all the very best for a successful stint as captain."

Bangladesh have struggled to build on the form they showed last year, when they won home ODI series against New Zealand and Zimbabwe easily. Tamim said the team had to play more international cricket to improve. He said he expected Bangladesh to be competitive in international cricket in a few years.

"We need to play more international cricket. If you are playing cricket at the highest level you are going to improve. The Bangladesh Cricket Board is working very hard and I'm sure that we will continue to produce good cricketers. I think in a few years we can become more competitive as the youngsters that are being developed forge their way into the international arena."