Here's the full interview with Nasir Jamshed of Pakistan and National Bank. Nasir who is only 19 has represented Pakistan on 12 occasions in ODIs and has an average of over 35, having already hit 4 half centuries in his brief international career. Here's what he had to say.
by Saj Sadiq (7th November 2009)
PakPassion.Net : How did you get into cricket?
Nasir Jamshed : My cousin Zulqarnain played first class cricket and I would quite often watch him. Then I started to play tape ball cricket in Lahore and joined Ludiana Gymkhana which is the same club that Wasim Akram played for and I started to take my cricket more seriously when I was there. The coaches there said to me that I had some ability and that I should pursue cricket as a profession.
PakPassion.Net : Who would you say has been the most important person in helping you in your short cricket career so far?
Nasir Jamshed : That would be my brother who lives in America. He has really supported me over the years and really helped me with my self belief. He was a decent cricketer himself before he moved to America.
PakPassion.Net : Have you made any changes to your fitness regime to ensure that you are fitter?
Nasir Jamshed : I've been working hard at the NCA in Lahore with Saboor Ahmed during the off season. I'm still not where I want to be regarding my fitness but I am getting there. Saboor and I agree that I am physically strong and dont have any problems with weight training, but I have been paying more attention to sprint work and distance running.
PakPassion.Net : Does each player at the NCA have their own fitness schedule?
Nasir Jamshed : Yes, there are individual files and logs. Each player's weight and all other information is stored there and we are all given individual targets.
PakPassion.Net : What is the best piece of advice that you have been given by a fellow cricketer ?
Nasir Jamshed : I normally chat with my good friend Kashif Siddiqui who plays for Lahore. He's an experienced player and someone who is very good with offering advice. Apart from Kashif, Hasan Raza is a good friend and someone who is good to talk to.
Gautam Gambhir has also helped me with advice. Last year when India were touring Pakistan, I went to Gautam for some advice on my batting. I am one of those players who is constantly asking for advice from my fellow cricketers, and I thought who else would be better to get advice from, than a fellow left handed opening batsman. I had made a half century off 43 balls but had to retire hurt and I approached Gautam about what he thought of my batting and where I could improve.
Gautam said to me that he was impressed with my batting and that I had a good selection of shots. He told me to look for more singles especially against the spinners, instead of looking for too many big shots against the slow bowlers. He also advised me to improvise against the quick bowlers, look to unsettle them, go down the track, move around the crease, keep the quick bowlers guessing as to what your next move will be. Gambhir also said to me that you can never practice enough, keep practising, keep learning about the game, keep looking to improve, work on the aspects of your game that need working on. As an opening batsman you shouldn't just look to score 30s and 40s and think your job is done. Scores of 30 and 40 won't win your team too many matches, you need to look to make scores that will help your team win matches, look to stay at the crease and look to score centuries.
PakPassion.Net : Name the best coach you have worked with and what made that coach so special?
Nasir Jamshed : Taslim Arif who is the current coach of National Bank. He has the ability to build up a player's confidence and the ability to get the best out of a player. Mansoor Rana, Ali Zia and Mauthasham Rashid are others who have really impressed me.
PakPassion.Net : Did you and Umar Akmal train together. What do you think of Umar as a cricketerl?
Nasir Jamshed : Umar's family and my family are very close friends. We have known each other for a long time. Umar's a very good batsman who deserves all the success, as he has really improved as a batsman. He's a very talented and hard working cricketer.
PakPassion.Net : What are you trying to improve on to get your place back in the Pakistan team?
Nasir Jamshed : My main objective at the moment is to score lots of runs in domestic cricket and to try and play long innings rather than quickfire thirties and fourties. Hopefully the big scores will catch the attention of the selectors.
PakPassion.Net : How did you find the transition from domestic cricket to international cricket?
Nasir Jamshed : I didn't think it was a big jump. The biggest difference that I found was the pressure from the crowd and how to handle it. In domestic cricket we have very small crowds and then to play in front of huge crowds at international was an eye opener.
PakPassion.Net : Mudasser Nazar in a recent interview with PakPassion was dismayed with the changes you have made to your technique, and as a result how loose it us. What do you have to say about those comments?
Nasir Jamshed : The technical changes that I have made are not a major overhaul of my batting. Rather I would say it was fine tuning regarding my body alignment.
They were slight technical changes that I feel improve my footwork and get me into position earlier to play my shots.
PakPassion.Net : Which opener are you most comfortable view with PakPassion was dismayed with the changes you have made to your technique, and as a result how loose it us. What do you have to say about those comments?
Nasir Jamshed : I really enjoy batting with my fellow opener at National Bank, Umar Amin. He's a guy who I feel has a bright future in cricket. We work together and we help each other out by offering each other lots of advice when we are batting together.
PakPassion.Net : How did it feel when you scored a half century against India?
Nasir Jamshed : It was fantastic. As you can imagine I was overjoyed. It was a huge occasion and to score those runs against arch rivals India was massive.
PakPassion.Net : Whilst batting against India in the Asia Cup was there any sledging or any words exchanged between you and any opposition players?
Nasir Jamshed : The crowd noise was so much that it was virtually impossible to hear anything in the middle. Two Indian players who did have a few things to say to me and were trying to unsettle me were Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan
PakPassion.Net : How is technolgy helping the modern day cricketer in Pakistan?
Nasir Jamshed : Video analysis is fantastic. You can watch your batting/bowling before a match, or even during a match after you are out, or perhaps during the lunch interval or tea interval. Its such a shame that video analysis is not available at domestic level as it would really help a lot of the boys. From a personal perspective its always good to watch one of your better innings against certain opposition before you are due to play against them.
PakPassion.Net : Have the selectors been in touch with you since you last played for Pakistan?
Nasir Jamshed : There's been no direct communication, but of course they are watching very closely whats going on in domestic cricket.
PakPassion.Net : Away from cricket what are your hobbies?
Nasir Jamshed : I love spending time with my family. I have nephews and nieces who keep me busy too. As a cricketer I think its great to spend time away from talking about, thinking about and playing cricket.
I also enjoy spending time with my friends and shopping at AnarKali bazar in Lahore.
PakPassion.Net : When we spoke previously you said to me that you were going to be visiting America. How did the trip go?
Nasir Jamshed : I went to visit my brother in New York. I've been to America quite a few times and played 7 or 8 matches there in one of the leagues there last year. I think the league was the Brooklyn league.
PakPassion.Net : Have you ever played any league cricket abroad, other than in America?
Nasir Jamshed : I've played league cricket in Bangladesh for a team called Iman Airlines and also played recently in Dubai in the Ramazan tournament there.
PakPassion.Net : Many thanks Nasir and from everyone at PakPassion we wish you all the best for the future?
Nasir Jamshed : Thanks very much. Please ask all the folk at PakPassion to pray for my success.
