Taufiq hopes to justify his selection
Promising Taufiq Umer Saturday said he would try to justify his selection and hoped that he would not prove to be a 'onematch' wonder
26-Aug-2001
Promising Taufiq Umer Saturday said he would try to justify his
selection and hoped that he would not prove to be a 'onematch'
wonder. Shortly after being named in the Pakistan squad for the Asian
Test Championship match against Bangladesh , the soft-spoken opener
said: "I have no words to thank the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket
Board (PCB) who showed trust and confidence in me."
Taufiq said he knew the tough task which lay ahead but hoped that if
he continued his hard work, his efforts would not go in vain. "I
always had the confidence that if I worked hard, I would be rewarded.
"I know I will be in a company of and great players. But I will not be
over-awed. Instead I will try to impress them and learn as much as I
can. One thing I am sure of is I will be considered part of the team
because the senior players supported and backed me a lot during the
training camp,"Taufiq said.
Taufiq said he was looking forward to capitalize on his form and
cement his place in the team. "I think I am timing the ball well and
it can't be a better time to play a big innings very early in the
career if I am played at Multan. My feet are still on ground as it is
just the beginning."
The 20-year-old lad from Lahore has played 29 first-class games in
which he has scored 1,737 runs at 36.18 with three centuries and 10
half centuries. Taufiq, who was born on June 20, said he came to know
about his selection after he had been dismissed. "Frankly speaking,
the delight of being selected for the Test was more than scoring a
century. But naturally, the century had its own significance and
importance.
"I think I have improved a lot as a player in the National Cricket
Academy where I received some excellent tips from the coaches,
including Mudassar Nazar and Geoffrey Boycott. Many may not like or
disagree with the idea of the academy but I know how much I have
benefited from it," he said.
Taufiq is tied for the second opener's slot with Imran Nazir as Saeed
Anwar looks an automatic selection. If current form is the criterion,
Taufiq will upstage Imran but if Waqar Younis prefers a left and right
hand combination, Imran Nazir might get in. However, Pakistan's one of
the most successful openers in recent times have been the combination
of two left-handers - Saeed and Aamir Sohail.