'Mohammed Aamer, Umer Akmal future of Pak cricket'India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Former Pakistan opening batsman Mudassar Nazar has showered praise on young guns like fast bowler Mohammed Aamer and middle order batsman Umer Akmal describing them as the future of Pakistan cricket. Nazar, who played for Pakistan between 1976 and 1989, believes that Pakistan has got plenty of talent and all that it is needed is to groom the youngsters according to their potential and around their strong area. In an exhaustive interview with PakPassion.net, Nazar described young pace sensation Mohammad Aamer as a 'diamond'. He said Aamer has immense talent and potential to become one of the most successful and dangerous fast bowlers that Pakistan has ever produced, but he needs to work hard to achieve that position. "He needs to build himself up, build his strength up and to take good care of himself. Already there is interest from County teams in England and this boy will only get better and faster," Nazar said. Nazar recalled Aamer as the best young Pakistani talent with whom he had ever worked with. Talking about middle order batsman Umer Akmal, the younger brother of wicket keeper Kamran Akmal, Nazar said he (Umer) is a shining example to any youngster both in terms of ability and his work rate and has a very bright future ahead of him. Recalling Umer's early days when he used to coach him, Nazar said he actually had asked the young lad to leave the academy due to his careless and non-serious approach towards the game. "I actually told Umar Akmal to leave the academy at Lahore and not come back. I remember the incident very well. He wasn't focussed on cricket, he wasn't practising hard and he kept on throwing his wicket away due to reckless shots in the games we held at the academy," Nazar said. When asked about his views on controversial pacer Shoaib Akhtar, and his chances of making a comeback into the national squad, Nazar said: "Its simple, he needs to get fit. He has the tendency to play one domestic game and declare that he's fully fit which is ludicrous. If he wants to make a proper comeback, then let's see a full domestic season from him." Recalling his playing days, Nazar regarded West Indian fast bowler Malcolm Marshall as the most dangerous bowler he had ever faced. "When you ask me about great bowlers during my time, two names immediately spring to mind and they are Malcolm Marshall and Dennis Lillee. Both were devastating in their own way, but if I had to pick one, it would have to be Marshall as he was just superb on all types of surface," Nazar said.