Shahzad insists he is not ‘over the hill’
Afghan wicketkeeperbatsman Mohammad Shahzad is hard at work in the nets at the Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
He, along with his other comrades, has been at it for over two weeks to ensure they match the fitness demands of taking on the bigwigs at the Asia Cup.
All those rigorous training regimen in the energy sapping heat of the UAE, however, barely reflects on Shahzad’s physique. He is still that stocky lad with the waddle walk and childlike smile. But he is battle hardened, being one among the few who has risen from the troubled province of Jalalabad and honed his cricketing skills playing tape-ball cricket on muddy terrain of the refugee camp on Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
However, since making his debut against Netherlands way back in 2009, Afghanistan cricket has come a long way.
The cricket in the mountainous region of Kyber has reached a stage where players are fighting for a place in the team.
“Mein pehle se aur abhi bhi bahut mehnat karta hoon, kyunki mujhe cricket ke alawa kuch aata hi nahi aur mera itna demag hi nahi ki kuch aur socche (I have always put in a lot of effort as, apart from cricket I don’t know anything. I don’t have that much brains to think about anything else other than cricket),” said the 30-year-old in Urdu.
Shahzad is well aware it is all about perform-or-perish for him from now on.
“As long as I’m fit and good to go at the highest level, I will keep going. I have not set any targets for myself. Inshallah, I feel I have at least three to four years of cricket left in me. As long as I can give my 100 per cent and keep performing I will continue,” said Shahzad.