PakPassion is delighted to present an exclusive interview with Pakistan's latest fast bowling find Junaid Khan.His 90 mph yorkers have seen many county batsman struggle against him. A wholehearted cricketer, Junaid has been a popular character in the Lancashire dressing room and was also today included in the central contracts list announced by the PCB.
By Arsheel Khan (8th August, 2011)
PakPassion is delighted to present an exclusive interview with Pakistan's latest fast bowling find Junaid Khan.
The left arm pace bowler has just started his international career but has already shown glimpses of his talent.
A skiddy left armer, Junaid was recommended by Wasim Akram to his former county side Lancashire and Junaid has made quite an impression at the Manchester based county.
His 90 mph yorkers have seen many county batsman struggle against him. A wholehearted cricketer, Junaid has been a popular character in the Lancashire dressing room and was also today included in the central contracts list announced by the PCB.
The left arm pace bowler has just started his international career but has already shown glimpses of his talent.
A skiddy left armer, Junaid was recommended by Wasim Akram to his former county side Lancashire and Junaid has made quite an impression at the Manchester based county.
His 90 mph yorkers have seen many county batsman struggle against him. A wholehearted cricketer, Junaid has been a popular character in the Lancashire dressing room and was also today included in the central contracts list announced by the PCB.
PakPassion.Net: How did you become interested cricket, was it because someone in your family played cricket or was it due to some other reason?
Junaid Khan: I started my cricket like so many other cricketers in Pakistan do, by playing local tape ball and hard ball cricket. Also, my cousin and my uncle were keen cricketers who were always playing cricket. As a child I watched my uncle play local league cricket and that built up the interest. My cousin and I would go and watch my uncle play and we would really enjoy ourselves watching local matches.
Then my cousin and I started playing tape ball cricket and then moved onto hard ball cricket. My cousin and I played local cricket together and we were part of the Swabi District Under-19 championship winning side. From the Under 19s I moved onto professional cricket with Abbottabad.
PakPassion.Net: You mentioned Swabi District and winning the Under 19 championship. What?s the standard of cricket like in that area and what are the facilities like?
Junaid Khan: There aren't that many cricket grounds in that area and even the nearest ground to my house was quite a distance. My local club was Pokhtool Khan and it was one of 3 or 4 cricket grounds in that area. I was lucky that the facilities at my club were decent and some first class matches have even been held there in the past.
PakPassion.Net: As children we all have role models and heroes. Who were your cricketing heroes and role models?
Junaid Khan: I was very young when Pakistan won the World Cup in 1992 and only realised what a great achievement it was when I was older. However my first cricketing memories are of watching replays of the 1992 World Cup and watching Imran Khan lift the trophy at Melbourne. Everybody at that time was talking about Imran and his cricketing exploits, so I took an instant liking to Imran. I'd watch the videos of the 92 World Cup and other matches that Imran had featured in and I would say that I wanted to be like Imran Khan and lift the World Cup like he had.
When I started playing cricket in school and at district level Imran Khan was my hero, but gradually Wasim Akram became the bowler that I tried to copy and watch very closely. The way he swung the old ball fascinated me, the way he bowled with the new ball, the way he bowled in different conditions, the way he bowled his yorker, it was just brilliant. I would watch him (Wasim Akram) in action for Pakistan at every opportunity and would try to copy Wasim's bowling.
PakPassion.Net: Your demeanour on the cricket field is one of a very relaxed and laid back individual. Is that just a front or are you genuinely a very laid back person?
Junaid Khan: I think when you start playing cricket nerves can affect you and you feel the pressure, but once you've played in front of a big crowd, then you know what to expect after that. Once you've played a number of games in domestic cricket then you don't really feel any pressure. the only pressure one feels is the pressure to perform well for the team and country.
PakPassion.Net: What?s the story with wearing the cap under your helmet? A new trend or something you have picked up from another cricketer?
Junaid Khan: Abdul Razzaq also wore his cap under his helmet sometimes so it's not unique to myself. It's just a habit. Even in domestic cricket I wear my cap under my helmet when batting. Some people find it unusual, but I'm comfortable with it.
PakPassion.Net: Tell us about your thoughts on domestic cricket in Pakistan. There are some promising youngsters coming through the system of late. Please give us your thoughts on any upcoming talent that has impressed you?
Junaid Khan: The leg spinner Yasir Shah is an impressive bowler. He's been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and for Pakistan "A". Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan are two quick bowlers that have impressed me. Ahmed Shehzad is a young batsman who is immensely talented. However I've not really played much domestic cricket over the last couple of seasons as I've been busy with the Pakistan team and the Pakistan "A" team.
PakPassion.Net: Your pace has crept up to the 90mph mark these days for Lancashire. Early in your career you were generally a low to mid 80mph bowler. What has brought about this sudden increase in pace?
Junaid Khan: On the tour of the Caribbean earlier this year, Waqar (Younis) and Aaqib (Javed) worked hard with me on a few areas of my bowling. They identified a couple of areas that I needed to work on. Also prior to the tour of the West Indies, during the World Cup, Wasim Akram pointed a few things out to me regarding my bowling. He advised me on how to generate extra pace, advised on my line and length and how to swing the ball among various other things, all of which have really helped me. The advice from all three has been taken on board and together with that advice, obviously the hard work has to be done by myself, as just advice is not going to help you improve. I'm really grateful that Pakistani bowling greats like Waqar, Wasim and Aaqib have helped me at such an early stage in my development.
PakPassion.Net: How did you feel when you were called up for international duty?
Junaid Khan: I was called up for the first time for Pakistan of course for the World Cup this year which was a massive moment for me and my family and also for Swabi district, as this was the first time any cricketer from that area of Pakistan had been selected for Pakistan. Even though I never played any matches in the World Cup, being part of the squad was an invaluable experience. I played a warm up match and took three wickets which was good for my confidence. In addition to that, spending time with the squad and the coaches was very useful for my development, particularly taking in the atmosphere of some huge matches.
Then I was selected for the tour of the West Indies after the World Cup. The tour of the Caribbean was my first real opportunity and overall I was satisfied, although not entirely happy with my performance on that tour. After the Caribbean we played two one day internationals in Ireland and I was named man of the match in the first of those two matches.
PakPassion.Net: In your short international career so far, which batsman has impressed you the most?
Junaid Khan: Once you reach the level of international cricket, you rarely come across any batsmen who are not good. They are all excellent batsmen who have performed in their respective country's domestic cricket and have earned their right to play international cricket. If I had to select one international batsman from the opposition who has impressed me greatly it would be Darren Bravo.
PakPassion.Net: Tell us what it's like to be working with a legendary bowler like Waqar Younis?
Junaid Khan: His record speaks for itself. He was a world class bowler who is an all-time great and I feel honoured that I am getting the opportunity to work with someone of the calibre of Waqar and with someone with his wealth of experience. Not only has he got fantastic knowledge of bowling, but he is also a great person to be around. Waqar has fantastic man-management skills, he knows how to get the best out of the players, he knows how to handle the different characters within the squad and he is a very good judge of character. His methods of coaching are based upon the differing aptitudes of the players around him and how he thinks he can get the best out of them. Waqar's advice on all aspects of bowling has been very useful for me.
PakPassion.Net: During your career you've spent some time at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. How did that help your career and do you think the NCA is successful in what it is trying to achieve?
Junaid Khan: I think it's a fantastic setup. I believe it's one of the best academies in the world and has some fantastic facilities. There are some excellent coaches working at the Academy, all with various responsibilities and all prepared to help you in any way, providing you are prepared to work hard. The coaches not only focus on the playing side of things, but also look at levels of fitness, dietary issue, and weight levels. Trainers such as Saboor (Ahmad) really do work well with the players on things such as agility and the NCA is a key component in the development of cricketers in Pakistan.
PakPassion.Net: How do you feel things have gone so far at Lancashire after you were recommended to the County by Wasim Akram?
Junaid Khan: I'm really pleased with my performances so far. In Twenty20 cricket this season my economy rate is the best for all overseas players. I've played in one of the 40-over games and I took four wickets in that match also. Thanks to the Almighty, the start to my Lancashire career has been very good.
I'm really grateful to Wasim for recommending me to Lancashire. I've not played a lot of international cricket and have not had many opportunities to impress any County coaches and chairmen, but Lancashire took on board Wasim's recommendation and gave me a chance.
The opportunity to play for Lancashire was just fantastic. I didn't have to think twice about such a brilliant chance to further my cricketing education at such a fantastic County side that are steeped in tradition and have had some great names represent them over the years.
Also having the opportunity to work with Peter Moores is marvelous. He's such an experienced coach and already I have learnt so much from him. My team mates at Lancashire have really made me feel welcome, it doesn't feel like I am playing in a foreign country, it actually feels as if I am back home in Pakistan in Abbottabad playing with close friends in club cricket.
PakPassion.Net: You mention that working with Peter Moores has been really good, please elaborate on what aspects of your bowling Peter has worked with you on?
Junaid Khan: Every coach has their own style of coaching. Technically speaking Peter has mentioned a few minor things that Waqar (Younis) and Aaqib (Javed) have also mentioned to me. Peter has also been very good in helping me adjust to bowling in English conditions. It's all very useful and working with someone of the calibre of Peter Moores can only improve my standard of cricket. It's been an absolute honour to work with coaches like Waqar Younis and Peter Moores.
PakPassion.Net: Would you be interested in playing County cricket in future if the opportunity presented itself?
Junaid Khan: No doubt. If international commitments allowed it then I would definitely be interested and I feel so much at home at Lancashire and they have looked after me so well that I would love to come back here.
PakPassion.Net: There were some rather strange reports about the legitimacy of your bowling action ahead of your international debut. How did you feel about those comments?
Junaid Khan: I never read those reports. My action is there for all to see, there are television cameras everywhere and I feel that I don't need to worry about such reports.
PakPassion.Net: Naturally Pakistani fans will compare your bowling to teenage pace sensation Mohammad Amir. How do you feel about that comparison?
Junaid Khan: The most important thing is for me to concentrate on my performance for Pakistan, for Lancashire and for Abbottabad and let others decide on who they want to compare me to.
PakPassion.Net: Pakistan seems to be going through yet another rebuilding process with several youngsters including yourself now making the breakthrough. What are your thoughts on the current Pakistan side?
Junaid Khan: Pakistan on it's day are one of the best teams in the world in any format. I think we can be pleased with our performance in recent times. Winning the test series in New Zealand, winning the one day series in the Caribbean, reaching the World Cup semi final are all achievements that we can be proud of. If we can add consistency to our cricket then we can be a match for anyone. The upcoming youngsters are very talented and the blend of experienced players like Misbah ul Haq and Mohammad Hafeez together with the youngsters is ideal. There is great unity in the squad and Misbah ul Haq has to take a lot of credit for this unity.
PakPassion.Net: Fast bowling resources all around the world seem to be rather sparse these days with a number of fast bowlers sticking to one or two formats of cricket. Given the number of injuries to fast bowlers, have you contemplated reducing your workload and concentrating only on one or two formats?
Junaid Khan: I don't think of myself as a bowler who is just suited to the shorter versions of cricket. If you look at my four day domestic record it is very good and I think I can feature in all formats for Pakistan. However let's take things one step at a time. I want to establish myself in the one day and Twenty20 side and take it from there.
PakPassion.Net: Finally a message for all your fans around the world?
Junaid Khan: Wherever you are in the world, pray for my success and for the success of Pakistan.
Junaid Khan: I started my cricket like so many other cricketers in Pakistan do, by playing local tape ball and hard ball cricket. Also, my cousin and my uncle were keen cricketers who were always playing cricket. As a child I watched my uncle play local league cricket and that built up the interest. My cousin and I would go and watch my uncle play and we would really enjoy ourselves watching local matches.
Then my cousin and I started playing tape ball cricket and then moved onto hard ball cricket. My cousin and I played local cricket together and we were part of the Swabi District Under-19 championship winning side. From the Under 19s I moved onto professional cricket with Abbottabad.
PakPassion.Net: You mentioned Swabi District and winning the Under 19 championship. What?s the standard of cricket like in that area and what are the facilities like?
Junaid Khan: There aren't that many cricket grounds in that area and even the nearest ground to my house was quite a distance. My local club was Pokhtool Khan and it was one of 3 or 4 cricket grounds in that area. I was lucky that the facilities at my club were decent and some first class matches have even been held there in the past.
PakPassion.Net: As children we all have role models and heroes. Who were your cricketing heroes and role models?
Junaid Khan: I was very young when Pakistan won the World Cup in 1992 and only realised what a great achievement it was when I was older. However my first cricketing memories are of watching replays of the 1992 World Cup and watching Imran Khan lift the trophy at Melbourne. Everybody at that time was talking about Imran and his cricketing exploits, so I took an instant liking to Imran. I'd watch the videos of the 92 World Cup and other matches that Imran had featured in and I would say that I wanted to be like Imran Khan and lift the World Cup like he had.
When I started playing cricket in school and at district level Imran Khan was my hero, but gradually Wasim Akram became the bowler that I tried to copy and watch very closely. The way he swung the old ball fascinated me, the way he bowled with the new ball, the way he bowled in different conditions, the way he bowled his yorker, it was just brilliant. I would watch him (Wasim Akram) in action for Pakistan at every opportunity and would try to copy Wasim's bowling.
PakPassion.Net: Your demeanour on the cricket field is one of a very relaxed and laid back individual. Is that just a front or are you genuinely a very laid back person?
Junaid Khan: I think when you start playing cricket nerves can affect you and you feel the pressure, but once you've played in front of a big crowd, then you know what to expect after that. Once you've played a number of games in domestic cricket then you don't really feel any pressure. the only pressure one feels is the pressure to perform well for the team and country.
PakPassion.Net: What?s the story with wearing the cap under your helmet? A new trend or something you have picked up from another cricketer?
Junaid Khan: Abdul Razzaq also wore his cap under his helmet sometimes so it's not unique to myself. It's just a habit. Even in domestic cricket I wear my cap under my helmet when batting. Some people find it unusual, but I'm comfortable with it.
PakPassion.Net: Tell us about your thoughts on domestic cricket in Pakistan. There are some promising youngsters coming through the system of late. Please give us your thoughts on any upcoming talent that has impressed you?
Junaid Khan: The leg spinner Yasir Shah is an impressive bowler. He's been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and for Pakistan "A". Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan are two quick bowlers that have impressed me. Ahmed Shehzad is a young batsman who is immensely talented. However I've not really played much domestic cricket over the last couple of seasons as I've been busy with the Pakistan team and the Pakistan "A" team.
PakPassion.Net: Your pace has crept up to the 90mph mark these days for Lancashire. Early in your career you were generally a low to mid 80mph bowler. What has brought about this sudden increase in pace?
Junaid Khan: On the tour of the Caribbean earlier this year, Waqar (Younis) and Aaqib (Javed) worked hard with me on a few areas of my bowling. They identified a couple of areas that I needed to work on. Also prior to the tour of the West Indies, during the World Cup, Wasim Akram pointed a few things out to me regarding my bowling. He advised me on how to generate extra pace, advised on my line and length and how to swing the ball among various other things, all of which have really helped me. The advice from all three has been taken on board and together with that advice, obviously the hard work has to be done by myself, as just advice is not going to help you improve. I'm really grateful that Pakistani bowling greats like Waqar, Wasim and Aaqib have helped me at such an early stage in my development.
PakPassion.Net: How did you feel when you were called up for international duty?
Junaid Khan: I was called up for the first time for Pakistan of course for the World Cup this year which was a massive moment for me and my family and also for Swabi district, as this was the first time any cricketer from that area of Pakistan had been selected for Pakistan. Even though I never played any matches in the World Cup, being part of the squad was an invaluable experience. I played a warm up match and took three wickets which was good for my confidence. In addition to that, spending time with the squad and the coaches was very useful for my development, particularly taking in the atmosphere of some huge matches.
Then I was selected for the tour of the West Indies after the World Cup. The tour of the Caribbean was my first real opportunity and overall I was satisfied, although not entirely happy with my performance on that tour. After the Caribbean we played two one day internationals in Ireland and I was named man of the match in the first of those two matches.
PakPassion.Net: In your short international career so far, which batsman has impressed you the most?
Junaid Khan: Once you reach the level of international cricket, you rarely come across any batsmen who are not good. They are all excellent batsmen who have performed in their respective country's domestic cricket and have earned their right to play international cricket. If I had to select one international batsman from the opposition who has impressed me greatly it would be Darren Bravo.
PakPassion.Net: Tell us what it's like to be working with a legendary bowler like Waqar Younis?
Junaid Khan: His record speaks for itself. He was a world class bowler who is an all-time great and I feel honoured that I am getting the opportunity to work with someone of the calibre of Waqar and with someone with his wealth of experience. Not only has he got fantastic knowledge of bowling, but he is also a great person to be around. Waqar has fantastic man-management skills, he knows how to get the best out of the players, he knows how to handle the different characters within the squad and he is a very good judge of character. His methods of coaching are based upon the differing aptitudes of the players around him and how he thinks he can get the best out of them. Waqar's advice on all aspects of bowling has been very useful for me.
PakPassion.Net: During your career you've spent some time at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. How did that help your career and do you think the NCA is successful in what it is trying to achieve?
Junaid Khan: I think it's a fantastic setup. I believe it's one of the best academies in the world and has some fantastic facilities. There are some excellent coaches working at the Academy, all with various responsibilities and all prepared to help you in any way, providing you are prepared to work hard. The coaches not only focus on the playing side of things, but also look at levels of fitness, dietary issue, and weight levels. Trainers such as Saboor (Ahmad) really do work well with the players on things such as agility and the NCA is a key component in the development of cricketers in Pakistan.
PakPassion.Net: How do you feel things have gone so far at Lancashire after you were recommended to the County by Wasim Akram?
Junaid Khan: I'm really pleased with my performances so far. In Twenty20 cricket this season my economy rate is the best for all overseas players. I've played in one of the 40-over games and I took four wickets in that match also. Thanks to the Almighty, the start to my Lancashire career has been very good.
I'm really grateful to Wasim for recommending me to Lancashire. I've not played a lot of international cricket and have not had many opportunities to impress any County coaches and chairmen, but Lancashire took on board Wasim's recommendation and gave me a chance.
The opportunity to play for Lancashire was just fantastic. I didn't have to think twice about such a brilliant chance to further my cricketing education at such a fantastic County side that are steeped in tradition and have had some great names represent them over the years.
Also having the opportunity to work with Peter Moores is marvelous. He's such an experienced coach and already I have learnt so much from him. My team mates at Lancashire have really made me feel welcome, it doesn't feel like I am playing in a foreign country, it actually feels as if I am back home in Pakistan in Abbottabad playing with close friends in club cricket.
PakPassion.Net: You mention that working with Peter Moores has been really good, please elaborate on what aspects of your bowling Peter has worked with you on?
Junaid Khan: Every coach has their own style of coaching. Technically speaking Peter has mentioned a few minor things that Waqar (Younis) and Aaqib (Javed) have also mentioned to me. Peter has also been very good in helping me adjust to bowling in English conditions. It's all very useful and working with someone of the calibre of Peter Moores can only improve my standard of cricket. It's been an absolute honour to work with coaches like Waqar Younis and Peter Moores.
PakPassion.Net: Would you be interested in playing County cricket in future if the opportunity presented itself?
Junaid Khan: No doubt. If international commitments allowed it then I would definitely be interested and I feel so much at home at Lancashire and they have looked after me so well that I would love to come back here.
PakPassion.Net: There were some rather strange reports about the legitimacy of your bowling action ahead of your international debut. How did you feel about those comments?
Junaid Khan: I never read those reports. My action is there for all to see, there are television cameras everywhere and I feel that I don't need to worry about such reports.
PakPassion.Net: Naturally Pakistani fans will compare your bowling to teenage pace sensation Mohammad Amir. How do you feel about that comparison?
Junaid Khan: The most important thing is for me to concentrate on my performance for Pakistan, for Lancashire and for Abbottabad and let others decide on who they want to compare me to.
PakPassion.Net: Pakistan seems to be going through yet another rebuilding process with several youngsters including yourself now making the breakthrough. What are your thoughts on the current Pakistan side?
Junaid Khan: Pakistan on it's day are one of the best teams in the world in any format. I think we can be pleased with our performance in recent times. Winning the test series in New Zealand, winning the one day series in the Caribbean, reaching the World Cup semi final are all achievements that we can be proud of. If we can add consistency to our cricket then we can be a match for anyone. The upcoming youngsters are very talented and the blend of experienced players like Misbah ul Haq and Mohammad Hafeez together with the youngsters is ideal. There is great unity in the squad and Misbah ul Haq has to take a lot of credit for this unity.
PakPassion.Net: Fast bowling resources all around the world seem to be rather sparse these days with a number of fast bowlers sticking to one or two formats of cricket. Given the number of injuries to fast bowlers, have you contemplated reducing your workload and concentrating only on one or two formats?
Junaid Khan: I don't think of myself as a bowler who is just suited to the shorter versions of cricket. If you look at my four day domestic record it is very good and I think I can feature in all formats for Pakistan. However let's take things one step at a time. I want to establish myself in the one day and Twenty20 side and take it from there.
PakPassion.Net: Finally a message for all your fans around the world?
Junaid Khan: Wherever you are in the world, pray for my success and for the success of Pakistan.
