Asad, who has one Test century to his credit, said that there was a healthy spirit within the team. -Photo by AFP

LAHORE: Pakistan’s rising middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq is demanding an excellent performance from the team in the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

Elaborating on that, the 26-year-old told reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday that he wants Pakistan to give displays reminiscent to those that they had given on Sri Lankan soil during the 2011 World Cup.

“The conditions in Sri Lanka will be similar to those we have here,” Asad said on Tuesday. “I want the team to give the same performances they had given during last year’s World Cup.”

During the World Cup, Pakistan won group matches against Sri Lanka, Australia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Canada en route to the semi-finals.

Asad, who has one Test century to his credit, said that there was a healthy spirit within the team and the growing competition in Pakistan’s middle-order meant that the players need to perform consistently.

“I am doing my best to cement my place in the team and I believe by giving good performances, I’d be doing no harm to my aspirations,” he said.

Asad has scored 637 Test runs at an average of 37.47 with his only ton coming against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year. In 29 ODIs, he has scored 770 runs with six half-centuries while accumulating 671 runs in 33 T20 Internationals.

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