Pakistan have bowling to dismiss England — Hafeez
All-rounder refuses to reveal much about Ajmal’s mystery delivery
Dubai Mohammad Hafeez has all the qualities that can make him the future captain of the Pakistan team.
He is a thinking cricketer and is very articulate. He is also the most consistent all-rounder in the team and can be one of the spinners in the team that England may have to fear.
Answering a query from Gulf News on whether he has also invented any mystery delivery like specialist spinner Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez said: “Not really. I stick to my basics — what I was doing before — and try to do that all the time. If someone has invented a new delivery then that will be good for the game.”
Hafeez admitted he has played Ajmal’s ‘teesra’ in the nets but refused to divulge how the delivery will look like, not wanting to give England any clue.
“I have played his delivery in the nets; it’s a bit different and he has worked a lot for the last six to eight months.
Mohammad Hafeez
He has not bowled it internationally but bowled in the nets, so it will be a bit different and as a batsman it gives you a different idea when you play that delivery.”
Hafeez also refused to divulge how difficult it will be for the batsmen.
“I have played Ajmal for the last eight-nine years. I don’t know how difficult it will be for others. It will be something new in cricket. I can’t tell you more about it, he [Ajmal] can tell you better. It’s a bit different and you will judge it when he bowls it.
“I don’t want to reveal it; he has this new weapon and has command over it because of his extra-ordinary work. So leave it for him and I wish him success with this delivery. Every person has the ability to improve their skill. He has done that, so, good or bad, you will get to see it soon.”
When asked how much of a threat the spinners will be for England, Hafeez said: “We have good spin bowlers who have done well here in the last few games. The conditions here also help spinners. I don’t know how much that will have an impact on the other side but we have the best spin attack in the world today.”
Talking about the series he revealed his in-depth knowledge of various aspects of the game. “The most important factor in winnings is to take 20 wickets. Fortunately for us we have wicket-taking bowlers. In all the Tests we played last year we had bowlers who could take 20 wickets — Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul and Aizaz Cheema.