Shaheen wants Lahore Qalandars take a winning start in PSL 9
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi on Friday said that being winners of the last two editions they would like to carry the same fine run and play good cricket in the HBL PSL 9 which will begin on Saturday (today) here at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore with the show between Qalandars and Islamabad United.
“Definitely we are two-time champions and this time too we have constituted a fine side and will try to continue with the same winning mentality,” Shaheen told a pre-match news conference.
Shaheen said that they are happy with their combination.
About his own form Shaheen said that he feels fine.
“I feel well and will try to play a role for my team,” said Shaheen, under whose captaincy Lahore Qalandars lifted two back-to-back titles last two seasons.
Responding to a question Shaheen said that he mostly focuses on swing rather than speed.
“I usually bowl with 130 to 140 and I mostly rely on swing. I have taken some rest and am focused on the PSL. We have fine pace-bowling. Haris Rauf is T20’s finest bowler and you cannot get a bowler like him. Zaman Khan has also improved a lot and we hope to play good cricket,” said Shaheen, who recently led Pakistan in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at the latter’s backyard which the Green-shirts losing it 4-1.
About Afghanistan’s leggie Rashid Khan Shaheen said that he is the world-class bowler and definitely he will be missed.
“But we have a few other good spinners who will replace him,” said Shaheen.
About Pakistan’s recent performance in New Zealand Shaheen said that they played good cricket.
“Although we lost the series but we played good cricket. You need to give some time to certain things,” Shaheen said.
As the T20 World Cup is ahead in June in the US and the West Indies and this PSL will provide a good platform to all those players of the mainstream who have been out of form. And Shaheen agrees.
“Yes, PSL performance is counted and the players who are out of form have a fine opportunity to regain their form,” said Shaheen, the left-arm pacer.
Shaheen was seen by this correspondent on Thursday bowling with good rhythm in Qalandars’ practice game against Peshawar Zalmi here at the LCCA Ground.