Asif Ali aims to earn Pakistan recall with strong Champions Cup display

Pakistan’s aggressive middle-order batter Asif Ali has shared that he is aiming to earn a recall to the national white-ball team with his performance in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

Asif Ali is representing Saud Shakeel-led Dolphins in the Champions One-Day Cup and strong a quick half-century in yesterday’s 92-run loss against Markhors.

During an interview with a local news channel, Asif expressed his goal to give strong performances throughout the tournament that could pave the way for his return to the national team.

He also shared that he used to bat at number four in domestic cricket, however, after his international debut, he had to settle at number six spot. The change in batting order posed a new challenge for the explosive batter.

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“The transition from No. 4 to No. 6 is not easy,” Asif said. “Training specifically for your position is crucial in international cricket. When you’re accustomed to playing higher up the order domestically, the shift to a lower spot at the international level can be demanding.”

He also opened up about Dolphins’ loss against Markhors, emphasizing that he would not have opted to field first, considering the pitch conditions.

“The pitch favoured bowlers in the later stages of the game, making batting difficult,” he said. “There was moisture early on, and that’s why Dolphins’ management chose to field first.”

“If they had asked me, I would have advised them not to fall for that and opt to bat first,” he added.

Asif Ali has represented Pakistan in 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is since his debut in 2018. He has scored 382 runs in ODI cricket and 577 runs in T20Is.

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