Pakistan's Mudassir for More 4-day Matches at Junior Level
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

DERBYSHIRE (UK): Director National Cricket Academy Mudassir Nazir has supported the idea of more four days matches instead of One-Dayers at junior level in future.

Soon after arrival here to see the Pakistan Under-19 team performance that is currently on English soil for a month long tour comprising two Tests and five One-Day Series against England Under-19, he said: “I prefer four-day cricket which is positive and we will go for more at grassroots level so the players can learn how to stay on the wicket.”

“When you stay on the wicket the runs comes automatically,” he added. He said that the boys have gradually been improving and that is why the tour had been planned for the youngsters so they got use to the English condition.

About the England Under-19 team, he said, England have three to four players playing into the first-class cricket where they have the exposure of playing four-day match but in Pakistan team no one has such experience so far.

So on card England is better side and playing against good side one has to learn more, he said. The tour is part of preparatory measure taken by Pakistan Cricket Board to provide maximum international exposure to players in order to form a formidable side for the forthcoming Junior World Cup to be played in Malaysia next year.

Answering a question, he said, England clearly a tough side because of their academic structure made for the cricket. He said although Pakistan lost the first Test very convincingly against England yet the boys have been improving day-by-day as the batsmen played the second innings better then the first innings.

After England Tour, Australia and Bangladesh Junior teams will be touring Pakistan and in return Pakistan Under-19 team will visit to Bangladesh before playing the Junior World Cup, Mudassir informed.

He also lauded coach Mansoor Rana for his key efforts in polishing the youngsters for the future. Mansoor, he said.●