After Pakistan clinched the four-match Twenty20 series 3-1 over West Indies by winning the final T20 in Trindad’s, Port of Spain by seven wickets on Sunday, fast bowler Wahab Riaz has effusively praised team’s bowling coach Azhar Mahmood for coming through a great amount of experience to help the national side bowlers in executing their plans on field against the hosts.
Following the instructions from the coach, Riaz, who haven’t had much success during the T20 series, reiterated Mahmood’s inclusion as a mentor, who has played a significant role for Pakistan bowlers.
“If I have to give the credit, I’ll give the credit to the bowling coach [Azhar Mahmood],” Riaz was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.com.
The 31-year-old left-arm fast bowler stated it was the execution and planning from the unit to yield the results they were looking for.
“And I think we have been very successful because our execution of plans was good. And that is the difference, why we beat them in [the UAE] and here in the West Indies as well,” Riaz said.
Riaz added skipper Sarfraz Ahmed and Mike Arthur have been continuously working with the team.
“Probably, as well as the captain [Sarfraz Ahmed] and the other coaches [including Micky Arthur],” Riaz stated.
Riaz, who had shown satisfaction over the team’s performance said it was the combination of fast and slow bowling which helped Pakistan clinch a crucial win on the Caribbean soil.
“Whenever they sat around, they told us what we did best, where these guys are good and where these guys lack the capability. So we always try and bowl and attack them where we know they struggle a lot,” Riaz revealed.
However, it becomes pertinent the 19-year-old leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who has been on the role while claiming 10 scalps in the recently concluded series, as Riaz settled with four wickets.
“It was a mix and match. If you see, probably spinners plus fast bowlers both have bowled really well and when it was the time they came and delivered. I think the best thing was everybody wanted to be a match winner and they did it,” Riaz concluded.
Interestingly, it was also Pakistan’s sixth win out of seven T20Is against Windies, since they met in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in September, where hosts’ thrashed visitors 3-0.
As both teams are heading for the three-match ODI series, they will face off in the first 50-over game at Guyana’s Providence Stadium on Friday (April 7).