ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top leg-spinner Yasir Shah was rejoiced for a comeback to the national squad and seemed optimistic to perform well in the Test series against Sri Lanka beginning next month.
Pakistan squad training sessions kicked off at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi from Sunday and would continue till July 1 in preparations for the Test series against Sri Lanka. Players who were in England for country cricket Azhar Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood would not be part of the camp and will join the team ahead of their departure for Sri Lanka on July 6 from Lahore. Meanwhile, Fawad Alam would join the camp on June 27.
The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka would be played at Galle from July 16, while the second Test at Colombo from July 24.
Speaking to media after the training sessions, Yasir Shah said he had worked hard in the National High Performance Centre at Lahore and has also performed well in the white ball cricket in domestic season. “I’m also trying to play in every format. My performance in Sri Lanka has been good and hopefully I’ll try to replicate the same in the upcoming series,” he said.
“I have worked on my ‘googly’ under the guidance of former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and head coach Saqlain Mushtaq,” he said.
Shah was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka on their last tour of the island in 2015, snaring 24 wickets at 19.33. He comes back into the side after regaining full fitness. He played his 46th and last Test, to date, against the West Indies in August 2021.
About his recovery from the injury, he said it took him time to recover but he was positive for his performance ahead.
He also expressed that after comeback, he and skipper Babar Azam held frequent talks in which the prolific batsman had given him confidence and told him to keep bowling on line and length.
