LEEDS: Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim termed the upcoming four-match series against England crucial for the team’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1.
Imad addressed the pre-series press conference here and emphasized the importance of the series just before the mega event while responding to a concern regarding players’ workload management and injury scares.
“It is a good thing. If you think that an injury would occur then that’s not the case. A series right before the World Cup is to finalize the team composition and obviously to win,” stated Imad.
“Also, success gives confidence, so, if we play well in this series then we’ll be able to carry this confidence ahead.
“So, I think we should not think about injury, it can happen anytime, even in the first match of the World Cup.”
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Imad Wasim further lauded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) medical panel and shared that it has been managing players’ workload management effectively since the home T20I series against New Zealand.
“Our medical panel is quite good, it has been managing the workload since the New Zealand series both of fast bowlers and spinners,” Imad said.
“So, I think there is no such concern regarding injury. Everyone [in the team] is fit,” he added.
The all-rounder then acknowledged that the national men’s team did not play to their potential despite fielding a full-strength side in the home series against New Zealand and in the series opener against Ireland but vowed “not to get relaxed” in the upcoming matches.
“We played with our full-strength side and obviously, if we lost against New Zealand, we did not play good cricket. Even in the defeat against Ireland, we did not play good cricket. It’s a fact.
“But, I think, we need to think positively and I feel that it is good that we suffered a setback earlier not in the World Cup.
“Because it gives you an idea of how to approach and we can not relax even one per cent. Usually, we used to get relaxed. So, we planned after losing the first match against Ireland that we wouldn’t get relaxed and would play all the next matches with the same intensity with which we play after losing,” Imad concluded.
For the unversed, the four-match T20I series between Pakistan and England will run from May 22 to 30 and will serve as a warm-up for both teams heading into the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pakistan squad:
Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.
England squad:
Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Reece Topley.
Pak vs Eng T20I series schedule:
1st T20I: Wed, May 22nd
2nd T20I: Sat, May 25th
3rd T20I: Tue, May 28th
4th T20I: Thu, May 30th
READ: Rain likely to spoilsport Pakistan-England T20I series opener