DHAKA, Jan 14: Pakistan all-rounder Abdur Razzaq Monday said he was looking forward to a stint at the English County Championship with the London club Middlesex later this year.

“I have been told by Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq that the English cricket season matures a player and is highly enjoyable,” Razzaq, 21, told SADA.

The fast rising all-rounder from Shahdra, Lahore, was given a two-year contract by Middlesex last year after he showed enormous talent at the international level.

Akram played for Lancashire between 1988 to 1998 while Saqlain still plays for Surrey, another London club.

“Former England off-spinner John Emburey came to me and told me that Middlesex wanted me and offered me the contract which I accepted as a challenge,” he said.

Razzaq said he would not find the English season and international cricket hard to manage.

“I know I will have to strike a balance but I hope it will not be hectic,” Razzaq, who broke into international cricket in 1996 after performing creditably in the Under-19 for Pakistan, said.

Razzaq hit the headlines when he won “player of the tournament” award during the World Series in 1999-2000 season in Australia.

“All players had told me that if you perform against Australia you are a star and that was at the back of my mind,” he said.

Razzaq said he likes to be compared to the world’s best all-rounders.

“It’s flattering when I am compared with great all-rounders but I never want to boast about it,” he said modestly.

Razzaq, who earned Man-of-the-Match award in the Dhaka Test, disagrees that Bangladesh is the weaker opponent.

“Any opponent on the field is not weak so any achievement you make against any team is an achievement,” he said, referring to his back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh.

Razzaq hit 110 not out against Bangladesh in Multan last year and made a career-best of 134 in the Dhaka Test.

“Bangladesh needs time to establish itself but has showed signs of improvement especially in bowling,” he said.—SADA