KARACHI, May 1: Vowing to continue improving his game, talented young all-rounder Hammad Azam has said he is willing to bat at any position if given a chance to play in the national team.

“I’m confident that I can bat at any number, including the pinch-hitting role, which can be productive for the [national] team. And I seek continuous improvement [in batting] through serious practice and unwavering dedication,” the 22-year-old Hammad told Dawn.

The fit-looking Hammad — as a batting all-rounder — has played just eight One-day Internationals since April 2011 and his batting stats in this very short ODI career (76 runs, average 19.00, highest score 36), seem pretty ordinary.

However, it is believed that in these few international contests the player has been given chance to bat in lower middle order where batsmen usually have very little time to adjust and decide — either to play out the remaining overs or go for slogging and risk their wicket.

And for a newcomer like Hammad this scenario becomes trickier.

Responding to a question on what plans he as a youngster has to claim and then cement his place in limited-overs international games — as Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali have done in Test cricket — Hammad seemed committed.

“I am positive and despite all the hindrances I will carry on the arduous work I have been doing to claim a place in national side,” the Attock-born Hammad, who has also featured in three Twenty20 Internationals, stated.

“Mentally, I have kept myself up. Wasim Akram’s invaluable guidance [during the recently concluded fast bowlers’ camp in Karachi] has also been instrumental in boosting my confidence level,” the right-arm medium pacer added.

“Furthermore, I look forward to continuing my [routine] practice at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) under the guidance of PCB coaches.”

Hammad, having played 36 first-class games (scoring 1274 runs at 24.50 average besides taking 56 wickets at 20.42), said he opted for the tougher track to bat on during the fast bowlers’ camp at the National Stadium to improve his skills.

“There were two pitches at the nets [in the Karachi camp]; one was flat while the other was a seaming track on which it was difficult to follow and connect the ball properly with the bat. I batted mostly on the seaming one in order to develop my batting skills under testing circumstances,” said Hammad, who made his first-class debut for Rawalpindi against Islamabad in December 2008.

And the player also acknowledged the advantages of participating — as a bowler — in the Karachi camp.

“I gained a lot in this camp. Some defects in my bowling concerning use of the wrist and bowling action [with regard to direction of the arm at the time of delivery] were identified and corrected by Wasim. I also came to know my specific role as a bowler.”