Sarfraz optimistic about better results in tour of England, Ireland

Skipper of Pakistan cricket team Sarfraz Ahmed has expressed optimism that Team Pakistan will show better results with good performance in the upcoming tour of England and Ireland. He said this while talking to media on the last day of the training camp, here at Qadhafi Stadium on Saturday. During the camp, the players focused on batting, bowling and fielding.
After the training camp, players of cricket team led by Sarfraz Ahmed also visited the Wagha border where they witnessed flag lowering ceremony. Pacer Hassan Ali showed his muscles at the border much to delight of audience. The cricketers raised slogans of Pakistan 'Zindabad.' Answering a question about non selection of Fawad Alam, he said that only 16 players could have been selected out of 25. "If it was up to him he would have picked all the 25 players, who attended the camp," he said.
Pakistan cricket team will be leaving for its tour of England, Ireland and Scotland in the early hours of Monday. Pakistan will play two Test matches against England, a one-off Test versus Ireland and two Twenty20 Internationals against Scotland. After two side games against county teams in England will play a one-off Test against Ireland at Dublin May 11-15. They then face a formidable England side in two Tests at Lord's (May 24-28) and Leeds (June 1-5).
Sarfraz added that a balanced team has been selected for the tour of Ireland and England and the boys would produce better results. Dismissing the rumours that Fawad Alam had not been picked on the bases of his playing techniques or other issues, he said, adding: "Fawad has not played a Test since 2009 but he was called to the camp as one of the probable who could have been selected in future."
He said that calling a player for camp does not mean that he would be picked for the team. Since Usman Salahuddin and Saad Ali performed better, hence they were picked, he explained. He added that that they had called four spinners to the camp, of which Shahdab Khan had been the best. With the conditions in England being cold, Sarfraz hinted that there was a possibility that they might give rest to the spinner and instead rely on a non-regular leg-spinner such as Haris Sohail and Asad Shafiq.
On the other hand, critics of the game believe that the national side will have to execute the basics well when they visit Ireland and England for a total of three Test matches next month. They said the bowling line-up looks good but the pacers should bowl the right line and length and will require reliable support from the fielders to take important catches.
They said the young Pakistan squad will have a great chance to prove their mettle by putting up solid performances in the challenging tour. Conditions were tough in the month of May both in Ireland and England and the pitches would support seamers, they added.