ISLAMABAD: Pacer Mohammad Amir Khan wants to bowl like Shoaib Akhtar and aims to play a key role for Pakistan in the ICC U-19 World Cup taking place in South Africa from Jan 17 to Feb 9.

The right-armer is the latest in the assembly line of Pakistan teenage fast bowlers following in the footsteps of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Musa Khan and Mohammad Hasnain.

The Swat-born budding paceman can clock 140kph on the speed gun, said a press release issued here.

Featuring in a training camp in September last year at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Amir found himself bowling with the likes of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz who gave him useful tips.

Amir said he aims to perform in every World Cup game and play a role in the national team’s success.

“I have worked hard on improving my run-up with the coaches. Our bowling coach Rao Iftikhar has worked with me and I have the support of the whole coaching staff. When I was at NCA, I bowled with Wahab and Amir. Both gave me useful tips which gave me a lot of confidence and heart. They told me to maintain my line and length and learn the slower ball,” Amir Khan said.

Amir, who first started playing cricket after watching the 2011 ICC World Cup on TV, took a keen interest in tape-ball cricket where he made a name for his fast bowling before his rapid rise at the national junior level last year after he switched to the cricket ball.

The youngster wants to bowl quick like Shoaib Akhtar, the former Pakistan speedster, and also admires the skills of England’s James Anderson.

Pakistan who are placed in group ‘C’, play Scotland in their opening World Cup match on Jan 19 at Potchefstroom. Their second match is against Zimbabwe on Jan 22 at the same venue followed by the third and final group match against Bangladesh on Jan 24, also at Potchefstroom.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2020