In exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, Fawad Alam spoke about the successful staging of SLPL as well as his experiences with the Uva Next squad and also highlighted the importance of such a high profile event for the development of a cricketer.

By Nimra Ishtiaq (2nd September, 2012)

 

The Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) came to a close with Uva Next edging past the Nagenahira Nagas by 19 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-affected final at Colombo on Friday. In addition to winning the much-desired trophy, Uva Next also earned a place in the Champions League T20 to be played in South Africa later this year. A number of senior and inexperienced Pakistani cricketers, including allrounder Shoaib Malik, fast bowler Umar Gul and allrounder Hammad Azam were members of the SLPL-winning squad.

All rounder Fawad Alam, who has 24 T20 International appearances under his belt and has featured in each of the three ICC T20 World Cup tournaments held so far, was also among the numerous Pakistanis who went to Sri Lanka to participate in the recently concluded SLPL. In exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, Alam spoke about the successful staging of the tournament as well as his experiences with the Uva Next squad and also highlighted the importance of such a high profile event for the development of a cricketer.

The Karachi-born left-hander was pleased to be a part of the inaugural edition of Sri Lanka’s very own Twenty20 carnival and like most of his counterparts, he too spoke highly of the organisation of the three-week long tournament stating that “The SLPL has undoubtedly been a fantastic experience. We have been provided with five star facilities, and even the grounds and pitches have been so good that it gave us the feel of an international tournament. The crowds were fantastic although a little thin - but I think that’s understandable since this is a new tournament and it will take time for the people to get used to the concept.”

Whilst cricketers from around the world have been benefiting from high profile Twenty20 events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Champions League, the Pakistani players have been unable to miss out on such opportunities to compete against the world’s best - and this is a major reason why the SLPL holds a special significance for the Pakistani cricketers and their fans, as it has provided them with an invaluable chance to not only cash in on the riches on offer but also to pit their talent against world class cricketers.

Highlighting the role of such highly competitive cricket leagues in the growth of a cricket player, Alam stated “In my view, such events are great for professional development of players – it’s a good learning experience for any cricketer, whether new or experienced. They allow you to experience the intricacies and pressures similar to those of international cricket.”

Fawad Alam last represented Pakistan in December 2010 in a T20I against New Zealand at Auckland, where he could only manage a score of 9 and has been overlooked since. The 26-year old allrounder believes that playing in cricket leagues like the SLPL not only help a player hone his skills but good performances in the leagues can also help him capture the attention of the selectors. “It’s obviously a great opportunity for the players to feature in such high profile tournaments, especially because T20 is a popular format. Playing these tournaments and performing well in them also helps you get noticed by the national selectors.”

Whilst his current First Class batting average of 57.43 is the highest ever for a Pakistani batsman in the history of the country’s cricket, Alam has not been able to prove himself in the shortest version of the game. However, he was picked as a replacement for Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman by the Uva Next franchise that had the services of the Kiwi allrounder Jacob Oram and West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul whose unorthodox batting technique is deemed to be quite similar to Alam’s.

Speaking of his experience of sharing the dressing room with the aforementioned international stars, Alam said “It’s been great to be with the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacob Oram and Andrew Mc Donald - and although I haven’t played a game but even practising with Oram and Chanderpaul has been a priceless experience. They have given me a lot of advice and I have learned a number of things by exchanging our views on various aspects of the game and I hope to utilise in future the advice they have given me”