Shoaib Malik ready to open against England
From Zeeshan Mirza

KARACHI—Pakistan’s young all-rounder Shoaib Malik is confident he can resolve his team’s chronic problem in finding reliable openers and take on England’s fearsome pace attack in next month’s test cricket series. Malik, 23, who has played nine Tests and 102 One-Day Internationals, told newsmen he had the attitude and temperament to open against Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff. Coach Bob Woolmer has hinted that Malik will retain his job of opening the innings as he did in Pakistan’s last test against West Indies in Kingston in May, when he scored 64 in one innings.
“I am ready for the England pace attack. If my team needs me to open I have no problems with that,” Malik said ahead of the England squad’s arrival in Pakistan on Wednesday to play three Tests and five One-Day Internationals. “I can adjust myself accordingly to the situation,” said Malik who has four one-day hundreds to his credit. The first test will be played in the central Punjab city of Multan from November 12. Pakistan have not found reliable openers since the pair of Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar split up in early 2000 with Sohail’s retirement.
The problem appeared to have been resolved in the home series against South Africa in 2003 when Taufiq Umar and Imran Farhat put on three successive century opening stands. They failed subsequently, however, and since Woolmer took over in June last year, Taufiq, Farhat, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Shahid Aridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal and Malik have been juggled around as openers. Malik said he was already practising against the new ball and was under no illusions that it would be an easy task against the English bowlers. “The pressure is there on you always as a player and it will be no different against them. But as a professional you are expected to deliver for your country,” he said.
He said he was ready to face the reverse swing art mastered by the English bowlers but felt they would struggle with the Kookaburra ball on Pakistani pitches. “They used the Reader cricket balls in the Ashes series, which encourage reverse swing. In the end it all boils down to how hard you try in the middle. I have no doubt it is going to be tough as they will be going flat out,” he added. Malik said he was also keen to contribute with his off-spin bowling as he was comfortable with his corrected action since being cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) this year. Malik’s bowling action was reported by ICC match officials during a triangular one-day final against Sri Lanka in Oct 2004. He has taken eight test and 86 one-day wickets.