Rain has limited tourists’ practice time ahead of England white-ball series
Pakistan are due to play three ODIs, starting with a day-night game in Cardiff on Thursday, and three T20Is over the next fortnight. They have been in managed isolation since arriving on June 25 but have been training; they have also played a couple of intra-squad games in that time but inclement weather has meant preparation hasn’t been ideal.
“We’ve been unlucky that the weather is not that good here,” Younis, the team’s bowling coach, said. “The bowlers have responded well with whatever opportunity we get. We did get some outdoor practices and bowlers have done well in that.
“We’re coming over from extreme weather [in the UAE, where most of Pakistan’s squad was involved in the PSL] and it’s tough to adjust from four-over cricket to 10-over cricket. But they are good bowlers and I’m pleased overall. They’re coming from hot weather so we didn’t need any long tune up.”
“When we go to a different country you have to acclimatise first and if we look at the two-three tours [recent series against South Africa and Zimbabwe], Pakistan’s bowlers have responded very well overall,” Younis said. “These are new conditions, last year [in England] we were a younger side, we are a far better side now. Hasan is bowling really well, we travel in a large pack now because of Covid, so it gives you a chance to work with a larger group of bowlers.
“As I said earlier we haven’t had ideal preparation, and though this is not an excuse it would have been good had there been some sun out. When you are playing for your country you are in a different outfit, it’s a different ball game. I have high hopes that Hasan, Haris and Shaheen will come good. Hasnain’s bowling well and so is Faheem [Ashaf].”
One bowler who is not here, and is not likely to feature soon in a side coached by Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis, is Mohammad Amir. Amir has, for the moment, retired from international cricket, or, more accurately, made himself unavailable for selection under the current management. Amir met with the PCB chief executive Wasim Khan earlier this year, however, in a move that was seen as a clearing of the air between the bowler and the PCB.
It’s unlikely, however, that Amir will return anytime soon, not least because his recent bowling form doesn’t warrant it. He ended a chastening PSL season with just five wickets from 11 matches (and one in his last seven), conceding 8.37 runs per over and with a strike rate of 50.
“To be honest I didn’t know that Wasim [Khan] had gone there and met him and what they discussed, we only found out through the media,” Younis said. “He is a head of cricket and has every right to go and see whoever he wants to see. He went there in his personal capacity, we didn’t know about it, but the thing has come out and it has caused a controversy.
“There is lot said about Amir and a lot has been said about him already. No doubt he is a fine cricketer, but if he doesn’t want to play and doesn’t want to take his retirement back and play and impress the selectors, I mean then it is hard. This is Pakistan cricket, it’s not yours or mine. You have to do the right things to play for your country, this is not franchise cricket, one has to remember that.”