It’s important to give youngsters consistent chances, says Pakistan veteran Malik

ABU DHABI — Pakistan’s experienced batsman Shoaib Malik believes youngsters should be given the chance to carry a winning momentum into the second day-night international against Sri Lank in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Malik’s swashbuckling 61-ball 81 and a return to form 103 by Babar Malik lifted Pakistan to 292-6 in the first one-day in Dubai on Friday before they kept Sri Lanka to 2098 for a 83-run win.

The match was Pakistan’s first since winning the top eight nation Champions Trophy in England in June this year.

Malik said youngsters are developing fast.

“It’s important to give youngsters consistent chances and by doing that we develop them and the team does well,” said Malik, declared man-of-the-match on Friday. Malik said Pakistan has a potent bowling attack.

“We have good fast bowlers and the way they took wickets in the middle overs during the Champions trophy it helped us beat top teams and here too they bowled well and got us wickets we needed,” said Malik.

Fast-rising paceman Hasan Ali — declared player of the Champions trophy with 13 wickets — finished with 3-36 while left-armer Rumman Raees took 3-49 to derail Sri Lanka.

The remaining matches will be played in Abu Dhabi (October 18) and Sharjah (October 20 and 23).

The two teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals, two in Abu Dhabi (October 26 and 27) while the last is scheduled for Lahore on October 29. —