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Wahab recovered from knee injury, back in the game

Pacer welcomes emerging bowlers in team

Dubai — Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz says he has completely recovered from the knee injury that he picked up during the second one-dayer against Australia in October in Dubai. Now back in the team for the T20 and one-day series against the Kiwis in the UAE, Riaz says he is happy with the way he has recovered from the grade one injury.

“I am very happy to be back in the team. I did my rehab sessions at the National Cricket Academy back in Lahore. I played two first class games. I proved my fitness by bowling 68 overs in those two games. That’s how I am back here. I am 100 per cent fit now. If I had any doubts about my fitness, I would have never taken such a big risk of playing international cricket,” said Riaz who is now likely to feature in the Pakistan team when Shahid Afridi’s men take on New Zealand in the first T20I of the two-match T20I series in Dubai on Thursday.

The 29-year-old bowler from Lahore said he would have loved to be part of the Pakistan team which stunned Australia in the two-Test series recently in the UAE. “Yes, I missed it. But for me the happiest thing was that our team played really well. We beat Australia and drew the series against New Zealand. As for me, I am happy that I am back on the field again now and I will try my level best to do well for the team in the ODIs and T20s against the Kiwis.”

Injuries to key bowlers have often opened the door to many emerging fast bowlers in the Pakistan team, but Riaz says he is glad to see the competition for slots in the team.

“There has always been competition. It’s good for the team that we have so many talented young fast bowlers who could serve the country. I just try to focus on my own performance and fitness. At the end of the day, the competition is good and healthy for Pakistan cricket.”

Riaz informed there would be no special strategies for the Kiwis in the shorter formats of the game. “I watched the Test matches. I think our team played well even though we lost the last Test against New Zealand. Obviously the limited-over game is much different from Test cricket.

“The Kiwis played the spinners very well. Their batting line-up is very good and they have good bowlers as well. We will try our best to win the series with good team work as the World Cup is just months away,” said Riaz whose best ODI bowling figures (5/46) came against India in the 2011 World Cup semifinal. Riaz says he feels lucky to have the legendary fast bowler Waqar Younis as the team coach. “Of course, it’s a big advantage to have Waqar as the coach. He has so much experience. As a fast bowler he knew how to bowl in different conditions. His knowledge and experience as a fast bowler help us a lot in the team.”

rituraj@khaleejtimes.com