Malan is targeting England via Dubai
DAWID Malan is targeting an England recall following a successful stint at the Pakistan Super League.
Middlesex batsman Malan was called up to England’s T20 squad to face Sri Lanka in a one-off clash but was not named in the playing XI as the Three Lions comfortably won.
Malan, 29, showed his T20 skills in the PSL recently where he scored 175 runs across the six games, including 17 in the final as his Peshawar Zalmi side lifted the trophy.
And though he feels he should have kicked on a couple of times, passing 50 just once with four scores between 20 and a half century, Malan is now targeting a recall to the England set-up.
He told The Cricket Paper: “The 40 and 36 I should definitely have carried on. It’s generally one of my strengths being able to convert those types of scores into the bigger scores that make a big difference. From that point of view I was disappointed, but I improved on last year.
“It was a nice feeling to be called up to the England squad, but obviously disappointing to not get a game. I’ve not heard anything since then so it’s massively important to have a good start to the year.
“The North v South series is very important for that. If I can get a good start it would be nice to push to play for England.”
Malan travels back to Dubai this weekend for the North v South series that precedes this year’s county season.
Malan played a key part in Middlesex’s County Championship triumph last summer, scoring a century as the London outfit won a thrilling finale against Yorkshire.
Malan added: “That feels a long time ago. I’m looking forward to joining back up with the Middlesex boys, I haven’t seen them for a while. They’ve been training and I’ve obviously been playing in the PSL so it’ll be good to get back into it.
“You work your socks off and build over a number of years to win the Championship, then when you do you suddenly have to find a way of staying at the top.You need to keep improving and keep winning. That’s our challenge this year – to not rest on our laurels and think we’ve made it, but to keep improving.”