LAHORE: While playing down all doubts about his physical fitness-related issues, attacking opener Sharjeel Khan on Tuesday said he would play his natural game in the Twenty20 Internationals on the forthcoming twin tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

“Fitness is not a big issue as I have played the entire domestic season without any fitness problems. I have been playing cricket for the past seven months, participating in eight first-class games, eleven T20s, five PSL games and seven one-day matches of the Pakistan Cup. By the grace of Allah, my fitness has not been the cause of any problem in any of these games,” Sharjeel said while responding to questions regarding his physical fitness in a virtual media conference held during the national training camp set up at the Gaddafi Stadium for the forthcoming Africa tour.

“Every player has his requirement for [gaining] fitness; I am following the roadmap the [team] management has given to me and I will try to bring my fitness level up to that standard.”

The left-hander seeks to play his natural game

The Pakistan squad is scheduled to embark on the twin tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe on March 26. After the series in South Africa ending on April 16, Pakistan will leave for Zimbabwe where the tourists will feature in two Tests and three T20 Internationals.

The 31-year-old is making a Pakistan comeback after facing punishment in a spot-fixing case of the 2017 Pakistan Super League held in the UAE. The left-handed batsman was banned in the case from all forms of cricket for five years with two and a half years suspended for violating PCB’s anti-corruption code.

When highlighted that he was seen making extra efforts to improve fitness during the ongoing camp, the Hyderabad-born Sharjeel said he was doing individual exercises and the entire session of exercises was almost equal to 15 kilometres running.

While claiming that the team management had not given him any specific instruction regarding physical fitness, Sharjeel said he was doing exercises on his own.

He, however, insisted that playing skills was as significant as fitness.

“Though fitness is important for a player, the skills level of any individual player also matters a lot,” the opener, who has played 15 T20 Internationals so far after making debut in this format in 2013 against Afghanistan at Sharjah, said.

“I want to play my natural game on the [Africa] tour.”

To a question how he was welcomed back at the national training camp due to the 2017 spot-fixing case, Sharjeel said there was a good environment in the camp.

“I am delighted at coming back to the national [T20] squad. I am feeling well with the team-mates as all of them have played with me in the domestic season,” he said.

“I have played under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan and under the coaching of Waqar Younis [all national team’s current coaches]. So, nothing is new for me in the camp,” added Sharjeel when asked how he was feeling working with the three coaches.

The batsman said that he is looking to play Tests and ODIs as well.

“I have been selected for T20s so that is my only focus at the moment. The idea is to perform really well in T20s and then step by step look to play in ODIs and Tests but the fact is that the competition is very tough in those formats too.”

About his aim in South Africa where Pakistan will play three ODIs and four T20 Internationals, Sharjeel said he had always made short-term targets in life.

“Still two weeks are remaining in the T20 series in South Africa. I will try to understand the situation there as it is my first tour of this country and then I will set my target there,” he said.

The batsman continued, “Yes pitches in South Africa have [extra] bounce. However, I believe in playing every ball on merit and am not interested in unnecessarily attempting pull and hook shots.”

When asked what change he had brought in his life after getting back to national team after the spot-fixing ban, Sharjeel said he just preferred to enjoy cricket, focus on his performance and win matches for the team.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2021